The School Buildings
The Barrmill Road entrance is stylistically of 17th century style, comparable to those at Moray House of 1628 in the Canongate, Edinburgh. The entrance is a C Listed structure, as are the bopundary walls and the two other gates. The total length of the boundary walls is 937 metres.
Spier's school or college when first completed had a 100-foot (30 m) belltower, hall, boardrooms, 10 classrooms and school-house all designed in the 17th-century style by Campbell Douglas and James Sellars, a Glasgow architectural firm. James Sellars died before the school was completed. The old seal of the governors and a stained glass window (now in Beith Primary School) depicting the seal, shows that a "French middle point" design had originally been intended. The buildings actually constructed were also on a smaller scale than had been intended. The cost was £12,000. An Art room, gymnasium and a Science room were added in 1908, during Dr Third's time. Four Horsa classrooms were added after 1945, being built on the site of the Head Master's garden or orchard. Electricity was installed once the Ayrshire Education authority took charge, however after closure on 30 June 1972 the buildings were subject to vandalism and all the buildings were demolished in 1984.
The Spier's Trust Working Group and the Regional Council made various attempts to find a new use for the buildings, even employing ASSIST, a Glasgow Architectural practice, in 1981. Many suggestions were made, ranging from Country Club to sports academy, but none were ultimately successful for this category 'B' listed building. One proposal, The Spier's Centre, would have had facilities for show jumping, a dry-ski slope, saunas, a solarium, stables, a heritage centre, a cafe, Park Ranger's office, etc. costing £730,000.
The John Spier memorials were moved to the Old Kirk in Beith in the same year. The large statue of John Spier which used to stand outside the rector's office was moved to Garnock Academy. The gate piers are C-Listed and the 'tops' were known as the 'Dunces' Caps' by the pupils.
A separate 'Janitor's or Caretaker's' house existed; last occupied by a Mrs.Rae.
Read more about this topic: Spier's School
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—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
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