Thurso is a community and also previous burgh on the north coast of the Highland council location of Scotland. Located in the historical area of Caithness, it is the northernmost town on the British landmass. It lies at the junction of the north-south A9 road and also the west-east A836 road, linked to Bridge of Forss in the west and Castletown in the eastern. The 34-mile (55 kilometres) River Thurso moves through the community and into Thurso Bay as well as the Pentland Firth. The river tidewater acts as a little harbour. At the 2011 Census, Thurso had a population of 7,933. The bigger Thurso civil church consisting of the community as well as the bordering countryside had a population of 9,112. Thurso worked as an essential Norse port, and later on patronized ports throughout northern Europe until the 19th century. A growing fishing centre, Thurso additionally had an online reputation for its linen-cloth as well as tanning activities. As of 2015 the Dounreay Nuclear Research Establishment, although primarily deactivated at the end of the 20th century, uses a substantial number of the regional populace. The Category-A detailed spoiled Old St Peter's Church (St. Peter's Kirk) is just one of the earliest churches in Scotland, dating to at the very least 1125. The existing church, St Andrew's and also St Peter's, was integrated in 1832 to a design by William Burn in the Gothic style. The town includes the primary university of North Highland College and also Thurso High School, the northernmost senior high school on the British landmass, which was developed in 1958. Thurso Castle, constructed in 1872, remains in damages. Thurso is residence to the football (football) group, Thurso FC, developed in 1998, which play in the North Caledonian League, and the rugby groups Caithness Crushers as well as Caithness RFC. Thurso train station, opened up in 1874, was one of the most north station on the Sutherland as well as Caithness Train. The nearby port of Scrabster provides ferry solutions to the Orkney Islands; the Northlink ferryboat (MV Hamnavoe) runs in between Scrabster as well as Stromness.