Thurso Public Library And Registrar, Davidson's Lane, Thurso

Thurso Public Library and Registrar is a classical single-storey building designed by architect W. Scott from Edinburgh in 1859. The rectangular structure features a seven-bay northeast frontage that is approached by a wide flight of steps. The front is made of polished ashlar, while the flanks and rear are constructed from coursed tooled rubble.

At the center, there is a door that is masked by a pedimented Roman Doric tetrastyle portico, which includes a plaque in the tympanum. The building has angle pilasters, apron windows, and a slightly narrower flanking center door. The windows feature margined multi-plane glazing, and there is an eaves cornice and blocking course.

A notable feature is the center peristyle drum tower, which has louvred vents and an octagonal upper portion with blocked clock faces and narrow alternating facets, all margined. It also has moulded cornices and a domed lead roof topped with a cast-iron finial. The building includes paired corniced ridge stacks and a piended slate roof.

There is a late 19th-century rear extension, and the street frontage has a low coped retaining wall with flanking steps. The ashlar was covered with linostone in 1984.