Nightingale House, 18-20 Doonfoot Road, Ayr

Circa 1820, with later 19th century alterations. Single storey and single storey with attic, asymmetrical-plan with courtyard, former kitchens. Rubble and squared sandstone; ashlar dressings.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 12-bay (main block), grouped 3-3-3-3. Elliptical-arched entrance to central bay in penultimate section to right; single window at attic; bay breaks eaves to form pediment; infilled semi-circular moulding to tympanum; flanking single windows at ground and attic floors (attic windows break eaves to form gableheads). 3 single openings (central opening infilled) to single storey section to right. Gabled central porch to 3-bay penultimate section to left; timber door; narrow letterbox fanlight; roundel above to gablehead; single windows to re-entrant angles; single windows flanking at ground and attic floors (attic windows break eaves to form gableheads). Single storey section to outer left comprises 2-leaf doors to outer left; central narrow single window to cat-slide roof section (timber door to re-entrant angle); single window to right. Additional later section to outer right comprises 2 single windows to recessed section adjoining main block; gatepiers marking inner entrance; 3 modern windows to right.

COURTYARD: SE elevation: elliptical-ached central entrance, single window aligned above at attic (breaking eaves to form gable); 2 entrances at ground to left (window to right of inner door), single window above at attic; 2 single windows at ground floor to right, 3 single windows at 1st floor at attic. SW elevation: 2 entrances to outer left and right; 2 single windows and 2-light central window between. NW elevation: 2 double entrances and one single entrance to right; single window to outer right; 4 single windows to left. NE elevation: glazed timber doors, sidelights and 4-light fanlight in arch, to covered yard (see below) single window to right; single window and 2-light window to left.

COVERED YARD: NW elevation: 3 single entrances. SW elevation: glazed timber doors, sidelights and 4-light fanlight in arch. NW elevation: central entrance with fanlight; 2 single windows to left, 2-light window to right. SW (exposed): entrance to left with fanlight and sidelight to right; narrow slit window to centre; single window and infilled entrance to right.

Predominantly plate glass, 6-, 8-, 12- and 15-pane timber sash and case windows. Slate roof; stone skews; abbreviated stacks. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 1999.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALL: square-plan gatepiers to central vehicular entrance (additional pedestrian entrance) and flanking vehicular entrances to outer left and right; coped boundary wall encloses site.