A clock tower gives a small civic building a large presence in the streetscape.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1825–26; rear extension 1948
- Architect / designer
- Alexander Baird, according to HES
- Type
- Town house
- OS grid reference
- NS 76150 65488
The building and its setting
The symmetrical sandstone front centres on a tall entrance tower, with clocks, belfry and a copper spire. Paired columns frame the doorway; the rear was substantially extended in 1948.
Its story
Construction began in 1825 and was completed the following year. The building combined police accommodation and cells below with a courtroom and council chamber above. Its uses changed repeatedly, including an early home for Airdrie’s public library.
Why it is included
The building makes the early burgh’s administration visible and connects to the subsequent library buildings.
What to look for
- The staged clock tower and belfry
- The modest scale of the original front beneath the tower
Reading the surroundings
Observe from public space; check current arrangements before entering buildings or grounds.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Interior layouts were extensively reworked. HES’s account of later professional partnerships is not used to infer the original designer’s biography.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: LB20926 — Designation, location, architectural description and historical information; not a current condition survey.
- North Lanarkshire Council: Our heritage for health — Council interpretation identifies the Townhouse as an 1826 civic landmark.
Location
OS grid reference NS 76150 65488 · Location confidence: HES catalogue grid converted to WGS84; approximate record location, not an entrance or boundary. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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