Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1886 - Slater's (late Pigot and Co's) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland

CAITHNESS-SHIRE
SLATER'S
THURSO,
CASTLETOWN IN OLRIG, KEAY, HALKIRK AND DUNNET.
THURSO is n town and burgli of barony, in the parish of its
name, nearly 290 miles n. from Edinburgh, 20% n.w. from Wick,
the same distance w. from John O'Groats, 46 e. from Tongue, and 96
from Bonar Bridge, by the way of Tongue, and, the Western road.
Thurso is situated on the north-west coast of the county, on the
head of a spacious bay, surrounded by a rocky coast ; its headlands
forming a bow, render it one of the finest bays in the kingdom.
Here the turbulent waves of the Pentland Firth and tbe powerful
currents find resistance injthe east by Dunnet Head, which stretches
out its rocky promontory with a precipitous front, whilst the furious
winds from the west are checked in their wild career by the Holtnrn
Head. The original name of Thurso, and what it is still called in
the Gaelic language, is " Inverhorsa"; Inver signifying the mouth
of a river. It is said, and with probability, that the name is derived
from Horsa, a Saxon general, who landed in the fifth century. The
Danes were the earliest possessors of Caithness. Torfceus, the Dan-
ish historian, mentions that in the beginning of the eleventh cen-
tury, Count Moddan quartered his army at Thurso, which he
terms " The Town of Caithness" : and that they were plentifully sup-
plied with spoil from the neighbourhood, till subdued by Thorkel.
He adds that Moddan had his camp on the promontory of Thurso,
where vestiges of a wall, which fortified it, may still be per-
ceived. Dr. Barry states that Earl Erland, in tbe time of Mal-
colm II., King of Scotland, about the year 1005, resided for the
most part at Thurso. Buchanan mentions many battles
between Malcolm and the Danes in Moray, which in those times
comprehended Caithness and all the northern counties of Scotland.
We find by one of the statutes of King David of Scotland, that the
weights and measurers of Caithness, or Thurso, were the standard
for Scotland. Vessels of any burthen may find shelter in the bay in
any weather, and few places possess superior advantages for refuge
to the mariner as Scrabster Roads, as it is called. There is a pier,
erected by subscription, but it is not of that magnitude demanded
by the nature of the place and the depth of the water which one
upon a larger scale, with the addition of a breakwater, would ensure.
A promenade has been constructed facing the sea, at the expense of
the inhabitants of the town, and is upwards of 300 yards in length.
The town, which is situated two miles to the eastward, on the left
bank of the river, is neat, clean, and rapidly increasing in size
There is a line of railway in connection with the Sutherland and
Highland Railway, which affords a direct communication between
Wick, Thurso and the South. The walks iu the neighbourhood of
the town are romantic, and some approach close to the edge of the
precipitous cliffs overhanging the sea. The river, too, is beautiful,
and famed for the almost miraculous draughts of salmon occasionally
furnished. Either bank is connected by an elegant stone bridge,
but the want of a better pier is much felt, as vessels intending to
enter must wait the tide before they cross the bar. This is a great
inconvenience to the main export of the place, which consists of the
" Caithness pavement," an article in great demand, and the manu-
facture of which is carried on to a prodigious extent, and involves
the prosperity of the place. The peculiar excellence belonging to
this staple is its durability, its resistance to moisture, and its reten-
tion of an unbroken surface. Specimens may be seen in the houses
of Parliament, London, and many public buildings throughout the
United Kingdom. Nowhere in Scotland has agricultural progress
been so rapid as in Caithness. The industry and energy nf the
farmer generally rise in proportion to the obstacles which nature
presents. Immense tracts of heath land, which would have been
left uncultivated in the fertile Lowlands, have been subjected to
the plough, whilst many thousands of acres of bog and swamp have
been drained. The monetary establishments are branches of the
Bank of Scotland, the National Bank of Scotland, Limited, the
Commercial Bank, Limited, the Town and Connty Bank, Limited,
the British Linen Co. Bank, and a Savings Bank. Thurso is a
burgh of barony, holden of Sir John George Tollemache Sinclair,
Bart, as superior;
The places of worship are the parish church, two Free churches
and chapels for the Original Seceders and Independents, and an
Episcopal church. The church of the Establishment is a neat
Gothic structure, with a tower and clock— the latter presented by
the late Henry Miller, Esq., of London, but a native of Thurso. The
first Free church is conspicuous for its elegance of architecture.
There are public and Free church schools, well conducted and
attended. At the top of Sinclair street is an institution, endowed by
Alexander Miller, Esq., and erected for the purpose of affording
education to boys. A Hospital has been erected at a cost of about
£6,000, the money for which was left by the late Mr. Dunbar, of
Scrabster, and was opened for admission of patients in Moy, 1885.
The building is a very handsome one, the foundation stone having
been laid by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, iu 1881. A little to the
east of the town Btands Thurso Castle, the seat of Sir John George
Tollemache Sinclair, Bart., which within the last few years has been
greatly enlarged and modernised. Thurso parish gave birth to
Richard Oswald, Esq., one of the plenipotentiaries from the court
of Saiut James for settling tho peace of 1783. It is also the birth-
place of the late Sir John Sinclair, Bart., of Ulbster, whose name is
associated with the statistical account of Scotland, which was col-
lected and published in consequence of his indefatigable exertions,
and to whose memory a very elegant monument of freestone has
been erected on a square piece of ground fronting the Established
church; it was presented to the town by Alexander Miller, Esq.
The late Robert Dick, an eminent botaniBt and geologist, was a
resident of this town, and his collectiou of specimens now forms an
important part of the Thurso Museum. The weekly market is held
on Friday, and the annual fairs on the second Tuesday in July and
first Friday in September. By the returns made to Government in
1871, the parish of Thurso, the area of which is 28,049 acres, had a
population of 5,754, the town containing 3,622; in 1881 the numbers
returned were : for the parish, 6,217 ; for the town 4,055.
Reay is a parish, about ten miles w. of Thurso. It is very wild
and hilly, Birna mountain being 2,000 feet above tbe sea level. The
parish is about seventeen miles long, with a breadth of eight miles,
and comprehends an area of 115,301 acres. There is lime, granite,
millstone, with traces of lead and iron, mineral springs, &c. There
are Established and Free churches and schools in the parish.
Fairs are held on the Monday before and Tuesday after August
15th. Population of the parish in 1881, 2,191.
Castletown is a small neat village, in tho parish of Olrig,
situated rather more than 15 miles n.w. of Wick, and nearly six e.
of Thurso. In the immediate vicinity of the village is the estate of
CastlehiU, from which is quarried" an excellent kind of stone,
adapted to the purposes of flooring and flagging footways, &c. ; it
lies iu beds of from three-quarters of an inch to six inches in thick-
ness. Blocks have often been raised measuring one hundred
superficial feet ; from hence they are carried to the shore, where
they are prepared and dreBsed, previous to shipping, to facilitate
which a small and convenient harbour has been formed. In 18S1
the parish of Olrig had a population of 2,002, Castletown having 932
of that number.
Dunnet, a parish of 16,844 acres, three miles n.e. from Castletown,
and about ten miles long by four wide, is the most nothern part of
Scotland. Dunnet Head is a rock from 100 to 400 feet high. There is
a light upon it at an altitude of 346 feet, first lighted in 1831, and is
seen by the mariner for 23 miles. There are Established and Free
churches, together with schools. Fairs are held on the first Tuesday
iu April and October (old stylo) for cattle, horses, and pigs. Pop-
ulation in 1881, 1,807.
Halkirk is a parish seven miles s. of Thurso, about 24 miles in
length, by a breadth of about four, and comprises 95,763 acres. It
contains about 24 small lakes abounding with trout, &c. There are
Established and Free churches, and public schools. Many ruins
may be seen in this parish. The main line of the Sutherland and
Caithness Railway passes through and has a station here. Popula-
tion in 1881, 2,705.
POST OFFICE, THUESO,
ALEXANDER J, H'DONALD, Post Master.
ARRIVALS.— From Edinburgh and all South at 4 45 and 7 50 p.m. ; from Tongue and all West of Bettyhill (Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday) at 4 p.m. ; from Forss and Calder at 6 p.m. ; from Castletown and Dunnet at 8 p.m. ; from Kirkwall, Stromness and Finstown
by steamer) at 10 30 a.m. winter and 8 p.m. summer ; from Wick and East, including Lybs;er and Berriedale at 4 45 p.m.
DESPATCHES.— To Edinburgh and all South at 11 15 a.m. and 11 30 p.m. ; to Tongue and all West of Bettyhill (Monday, Wednesday
and Friday) at 6 40 a.m. ; to Castletown and Dunnet at 7 40 a.m. ; to Calder, Forss and Weydale at 6 40 a.m. ; to Kirkwall, Stromness and
FinBtown at 9 a.m. winter and 8 p.m. summer ; to Wick and East coast, including Berriedale, at 11 15 a.m. and 7 p.m. t3" Money Order
and Telegraph Office and Savings Bank.
POST OFFICE, Castletown, William Keith, Post Master.— Letters arrive (from Thurso) at 9 a.m., and are despatched thereto at
10 a.m. and 6 30 p.m. IS 3 * Money Order and Telegraph Office and Savings Bank.
Post Office, Clareoon, Jno. Manson, Post Master. —Letters arrive (from Thurso) at 8 30a.m., and are despatched thereto at730p.m
Post Office, Dunnet, William Taylor, Post Master.— Letters arrive (from Thurso) at 10 45 a.m., and are despatched thereto at 3 p m .
IS* Telegraph Office. The nearest Money Order Office is at Castletown.
Post Office, Halkirk, Ellen M'Kay, Post Mistress.— Letters arrive (from Thurso and Wick) at 7 a.m., and from tho South at 8 p m ,
lid are despatched to Thurso and Wick at 6 30 p.m., and to the South at 9 80 p.m. t3" Money Order Office and Savings Bank.
Post Office, Reat, Jessie M'Donald, Post Mistress.— Letters arrive (from Thurso) at 9 10 a.m., and are despatched thereto at 1 45
p.m. fS° Money Order and Telegraph Office and Savings Bank.
Post Office, Scrabster, Mary J. Leith, Post Mistress.— Letters arrive (from Thurso) at 10 a.m. and 6 40 p.m., and are despatched
thereto at 9 30 a.m. and 6 45 p.m. KS" Telegraph Office. e ' u««p<ui,aea
360