Former Drill Hall, 21 Sinclair Street, Thurso

The building was possibly designed by Donald Leed about 1882, with alterations made by Sinclair McDonald and Son about 1938-40. It is a 2-storey, 7-bay approximately rectangular in plan, early Renaissance style former drill hall and now in commercial and domestic use, 2015. It is built of squared coursed rubble with polished ashlar dressings and there is a string course and an eaves course

The central bay of the principal (southeast) elevation has a deeply moulded chamfered doorcase with the outer moulding rising over a panel above the door (now unreadable) and terminating in label stops. Above this is a large, round arched window, also with hoodmoulding and label stops, and there is a wallhead chimney stack above. The windows have slightly raised margins with chamfered architraves and some have stone mullions and there are round arched doors flanking the central bay. There is 3-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows on the ground floor and 2- and 3-pane glazing mainly in timber fixed light windows on the first floor, the roof is of grey slates and there are corniced chimney stacks.

The interior, partly seen in 2015, largely dates from the late 19th century. The hallway and most rooms including the drill hall on the first floor have timber boarding up to head height. The roof of the hall is supported by a delicate iron frame and the ceiling is also timber boarded. There are good surviving 19th century chimneypieces in the hall and in the adjacent room on the first floor. There is a good staircase with iron twist balusters and a timber rail.