Carnegie Library, High Street, Thurso

Carnegie Library, High Street, Thurso

This is a two-storey former Carnegie library designed by Sinclair MacDonald in 1910, now functioning as a museum. The building adopts a T-plan with a large single-storey former reading room extending to the south-east. The design displays near-symmetrical proportions and classical detailing throughout.

The north-west and south-west elevations feature polished ashlar with a base course, ground floor cill course, continuous string course, and frieze below an eaves cornice. The remaining elevations are constructed in random rubble with stugged (rendered) dressings to openings and arrises. A block entablature with dentil detailing is applied to the slightly advanced first and fifth bays of the north-west elevation, with a central recessed section.

The north-west street elevation has regularly fenestrated centre bays that are slightly recessed. The first floor bays are divided by engaged Doric columns. To the far right sits an architraved and pedimented doorpiece with a stylised keystone, with a central square column supporting an apron below a bipartite window above. The outer left bay contains regular fenestration with a pediment and apron to ground and first floor respectively.

The south-west elevation is a symmetrical two-bay gable end with the former reading room recessed to the far right. The main building elevation is regularly fenestrated with the principal and rear elevations articulated as giant order pilasters. A simple diamond motif is centred on the gable head. The former reading room features a centred bipartite window. A small square single-storey flat-roofed outshot is set within the re-entrant angle between the main building and reading room, with blocked windows.

The south-east elevation displays the former reading room's gable end with a large segmental-headed window and an integral lean-to to the right. The main building's ground floor has a window to the far right, with first floor windows to the far left and far right.

The north-east elevation shows the reading room with two windows set close to the main building on its right; the main building is attached to the Town Hall.

Roofing comprises grey slate pitched roofs to the main building and former reading room. Raised corniced skews with large scroll-ended kneelers finish the south-west elevation, with a corniced gable apex stack. The gable end of the reading room has a coped skew. Windows throughout are timber sash and case with plate glass; those to the north-west and south-west elevations have upper 6-pane and lower 4-pane configuration, whilst windows elsewhere feature upper 6-pane and lower 4-pane sashes. Doors are two-leaf timber panelled.

Interior finishing includes timber tongue and groove wainscotting throughout the ground and first floors, with timber tongue and groove panelling to all window ingoes.

The ground floor vestibule has red clay floor tiles with a decorative Minton border (damaged to the right). A twin-leaf timber panelled door with glazed upper section features lozenge-shaped leaded glazing to its left panel. The hallway contains a tripartite timber issue counter with plain architrave, frieze and cornice. A timber panelled doorway to the left has a multi-paned upper section crowned by a tripartite fanlight; to the centre and right are timber panelled lower sections with multi-paned upper portions. A timber and glazed display counter sits directly in front. A simple cornice runs to the ceiling. A modern timber and glazed fire protection screen to the south-east divides the hallway from the door to the former reading room. A tall timber half-turn stair with decorative newel post and balusters ascends from the hallway. A large room to the north-east opens off the hallway and features a picture rail and simple cornice; the former reading room sits to the rear.

The first floor is divided by a modern timber and glazed fire protection screen across the majority of the landing. Decorative balusters run the full length of the landing outside the screen. A doorway to the north-west leads to a small store, whilst a doorway to the north-east opens to the large room occupying the majority of the first floor, which features a picture rail and simple cornice to the north-west and south-east elevations, with a coombed ceiling.