18 Facts About Thurso

1.

Thurso is a town and former burgh on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland.

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2.

Thurso functioned as an important Norse port, and later traded with ports throughout northern Europe until the 19th century.

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3.

Thurso is home to the football team Thurso FC, established in 1998, who play in the North Caledonian League, and the rugby teams Caithness Crushers and Caithness RFC.

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4.

In 1649, Gaels from Ireland, led by Donald Macalister Mullach, attacked Thurso and were chased off by the residents, headed by Sir James Sinclair.

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5.

Thurso is the name of the viscountcy held by the Sinclair family in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

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6.

Thurso hosted the National Mod in 2010, which was the first time this festival of Gaelic language and culture had been held so far north.

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7.

Thurso has history as a burgh of barony dating from 1633 when it was established by Charles I From 1870, the burgh council was based at Thurso Town Hall.

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8.

From 1996 until 2007, the town of Thurso was covered by two or three wards, each electing one councillor by the first-past-the-post system of election.

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9.

In 2007, a single Thurso ward was created to elect three councillors by the single transferable vote system.

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10.

In 2017 the Thurso ward was absorbed into a new multi member ward along with the Western portion of Landward Caithness, the new ward, named Thurso and Northwest Caithness, was contested for the first time in the Highland Council election of 2017.

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11.

Thurso is the most northerly town on the British mainland, situated on the northern coastline overlooking the Orkney Islands.

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12.

Thurso is bordered by the parishes of Olrig and Bower to the east, Halkirk to the south, and Reay to the west, and stretches from Holborn Head and Crosskirk Bay in the west to Dunnet Head and Dunnet Bay in the east.

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13.

Thurso has a fine harbour and beach and looks out over the Pentland Firth to the Orkney island of Hoy and the towering Old Man of Hoy.

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14.

Thurso has a cool oceanic climate, featuring similar weather to the Scottish Highlands.

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15.

Historically, Thurso was known for its production of linen cloth and had a thriving tanning business.

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16.

Football team, Thurso FC, was established in 1998 and plays in the North Caledonian League.

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17.

Thurso has the largest swimming club in the Highland area, Thurso Amateur Swimming Club, with over 250 members.

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18.

Clive Campbell, Scout Leader at 2nd Thurso met Joachim Brill, Brilon Scout Leader at Gilwell Park in London in 1971.

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