The ruins of Thurso Castle overlook the east side of the mouth of the Thurso River and is privately owned by the Sinclair family. It is the third castle to have been built on this site, the first having been built in 1660 by George, Earl of Caithness. This castle was to have a very short history as it fell into a state of disrepair in 1680.
The second castle was started in 1872 when it was redesigned to resemble a French Chateau. However, by 1914 it was noticed that the castle was beginning to lean and it was evacuated. More defects discovered in 1952 led to the abandonment of the castle and the removal of the upper sections for safety reasons.
To find out more about this and other historic sites in Thurso download the free About Thurso mobile app created by the Thurso Heritage Society.
Categories
Castle
Opening Times
all year round
Location Information
Area: Caithness North
OS Grid Reference: ND 2144 6890