2, 6 Kirk Street, Strathaven

The building at 2, 6 Kirk Street, Strathaven, dates to 1706, with significant additions and alterations, including a facade to Kirk Street from the earlier 19th century. It comprises domestic and shop premises of a rectangular plan, situated beside Powmillon Burn. The construction is of random rubble, with polished and stugged ashlar and stugged snecked rubble used on the Kirk Street elevation, a brick addition to the rear at second floor level, all painted. A gabled and piended slate roof covers the structure. Most windows are 12-pane timber sash and case, found on the side and rear elevations. A 2-pane bipartite window is located on the brick addition, while the Kirk Street elevation features original plate glass shop windows and a 4-pane sash and case window at the upper floor, complete with architraves.

The Kirk Street elevation is asymmetrical in design. To the right are two doors with fanlights and two shop windows, topped by a cornice and two windows at the first floor. Margined angles and a wallhead are present. To the left, an aproned shop window is visible, alongside a door set within a recessed bowed angle; both are framed by finely moulded architraves. A band course runs along the first floor and wallhead, with margined angles and a corniced parapet incorporating a corniced and shouldered octagonal stack.

The side elevation presents two windows at ground floor level, one at first floor, and two at second floor, placed asymmetrically. A blocked door is located at first floor, slightly off-centre to the right, its rendered-over moulded architraves concealing the lintel inscribed 'WL 1706'. A blocked window is also present in the roofspace. A lower and narrower bay to the right features a single window at ground floor.

The rear elevation has a gable to the right, displaying a ground floor door, two first floor windows, one second floor window, and a blocked oculus in the roofspace. To the left is a bay with a ground floor door and window, and a bipartite window to the second floor.

Given its position beside the burn, the building may have originally functioned as a mill. The brick second-floor addition to the rear was reportedly constructed to house Strathaven’s first telephone exchange in the early 20th century.