Overtoun Bridge
Encyclopedia
Overtoun House is a 19th-century country house and estate in West Dunbartonshire
, Scotland. It is located on a hill overlooking the River Clyde
, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the village of Milton
, and 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of the town of Dumbarton. The house was built in the 1860s, and was gifted to the people of Dumbarton in 1938. It was subsequently a maternity hospital, and now houses a Christian centre. The house is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
.
Overtoun Bridge, an arched
approach bridge over the Overtoun Burn, has gained media attention because of the unusually large number of dog
s that have reportedly leaped to their deaths
there over a number of decades.
, bought Overtoun Farm with the purpose of building a mansion there. He intended for it to be a country retreat, and initially acquired 900 acres (364.2 ha); he soon increased this to 2000 acres (809.4 ha). White hired the Glasgow-based architect James Smith (1808–1863) (father of the murder suspect Madeleine Smith
) to design and construct the house. A farmhouse on the site was demolished to make way for the mansion. Overtoun House was built between 1860 and 1863, though Smith died before work was completed, and the house was completed by one of his partners. White's family began living in the mansion in 1862. It is recorded that the grounds were laid out by Mr C Kemp of Birkenhead
, which is thought to refer to the landscape gardener Edward Kemp
(1817–1891), who was superintendent of Birkenhead Park
for Joseph Paxton
.
In 1884 James White died, and his son John moved to the estate in 1891 after the death of his mother. John White wanted the house to be expanded further, so he came to an agreement in 1892 with a local pastor
, Reverend Dixon Swan, the heir to the adjacent Garshake Farm lands. Under the deal, John White was able to lay out the West Drive and its lodge. The eastern and western sides of the estate were split by a waterfall
on the Overtoun Burn. To connect the two sides, a road was built and the Overtoun Bridge erected to designs by Henry Milner, son of Edward Milner
.
John White took the additional surname of Campbell, and was elevated to the peerage
as Baron Overtoun
in 1893. However, he died childless in 1908, and was succeeded by his nephew Dr Douglas White, a London-based GP
. Lady Overtoun continued to live in the house until 1931, after which Dr White, who seldom visited Scotland, gave the house to the people of Dumbarton in 1938.
, the British government had the house's interior utilities and furniture moved over to London
. The house remained mainly isolated, but it was not damaged by the bombings of the nearby Clydeside shipyards
.
In 1947, Overtoun was turned into a maternity hospital
. A fire destroyed part of the house in 1948, although there were no deaths, and the hospital remained in operation until 1 September 1970. By this time many of the garden structures, including a folly castle
and the walled garden, had been demolished. In 1975 the British government decided to use the house as a base for its Quality of Life Experiment. From 1978 to 1983, a religious group, the Spire Fellowship, utilised the home, and from 1984 to 1994, the estate was used by a group named Youth with a Mission
.
The house fell into abandonment soon after Youth with a Mission left the area, but in 2001 Pastor Bob Hill from Fort Worth, Texas
, leased the property from West Dunbartonshire Council to use as a Christian centre for Scottish youth. Renovations to the house are currently underway to repair extensive damage and to better use the facility. Specifically, the services that will eventually be provided include but are not limited to: youth sports/life training, residential care for expectant teenage mothers, short term care for mothers in crisis, family and leadership training, counselling centre, and tearoom and bed and breakfast.
As the unexplained phenomenon received international media attention, the Scottish SPCA sent an animal habitat expert to investigate the causes as to why dogs kill themselves at Overtoun Bridge. Initially Dr David Sands examined sight, smell and sound factors. After eliminating what a dog could potentially see and hear on the bridge, he eventually focused on scent following the discovery of mice and mink in undergrowth on the side of the bridge from which dogs often leaped. In a test, the odours from these animals were spread around an open field. Ten dogs were unleashed - representing the commonest breeds that jumped off the bridge. Of the dogs tested, only two showed no interest in any of the scents while nearly all the others made straight for the mink scent. Sands concluded that, although it was not a definitive answer, the potent odour from male mink urine was luring keen-nosed dogs to their deaths.
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
, Scotland. It is located on a hill overlooking the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the village of Milton
Milton, West Dunbartonshire
Milton is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.It lies about 1 mile east of Dumbarton, on the A82 Glasgow-Loch Lomond road and below the Overtoun Bridge....
, and 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of the town of Dumbarton. The house was built in the 1860s, and was gifted to the people of Dumbarton in 1938. It was subsequently a maternity hospital, and now houses a Christian centre. The house is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland is a listing of gardens and designed landscapes of national artistic and/or historical significance, in Scotland. The Inventory was originally compiled in 1987, although it is a continually evolving list...
.
Overtoun Bridge, an arched
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
approach bridge over the Overtoun Burn, has gained media attention because of the unusually large number of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s that have reportedly leaped to their deaths
Animal suicide
Self destructive behavior has been observed in various species in the animal kingdom which some have likened to suicide."Suicide" has been observed in salmonella seeking to overcome competing bacteria by triggering an immune system response against them...
there over a number of decades.
White family
In 1859, James White, a retired lawyer and a co-owner of the J&J White Chemical Works in RutherglenRutherglen
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...
, bought Overtoun Farm with the purpose of building a mansion there. He intended for it to be a country retreat, and initially acquired 900 acres (364.2 ha); he soon increased this to 2000 acres (809.4 ha). White hired the Glasgow-based architect James Smith (1808–1863) (father of the murder suspect Madeleine Smith
Madeleine Smith
Madeleine Hamilton Smith was a 19th century Glasgow socialite who was the defendant in a sensational murder trial in Scotland in 1857...
) to design and construct the house. A farmhouse on the site was demolished to make way for the mansion. Overtoun House was built between 1860 and 1863, though Smith died before work was completed, and the house was completed by one of his partners. White's family began living in the mansion in 1862. It is recorded that the grounds were laid out by Mr C Kemp of Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, which is thought to refer to the landscape gardener Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp was an English landscape architect and an author. Together with Joseph Paxton and Edward Milner, Kemp became one of the leaders in the design of parks and gardens during the mid-Victorian era in England....
(1817–1891), who was superintendent of Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park is a public park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It was designed by Joseph Paxton and opened on 5 April 1847...
for Joseph Paxton
Joseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
.
In 1884 James White died, and his son John moved to the estate in 1891 after the death of his mother. John White wanted the house to be expanded further, so he came to an agreement in 1892 with a local pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, Reverend Dixon Swan, the heir to the adjacent Garshake Farm lands. Under the deal, John White was able to lay out the West Drive and its lodge. The eastern and western sides of the estate were split by a waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
on the Overtoun Burn. To connect the two sides, a road was built and the Overtoun Bridge erected to designs by Henry Milner, son of Edward Milner
Edward Milner
Edward Milner was an English landscape architect.-Early life and career:Edward Milner was born in Darley, Derbyshire, the eldest child of Henry Milner and Mary née Scales. Henry Milner was employed at Chatsworth by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, as a gardener and porter...
.
John White took the additional surname of Campbell, and was elevated to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Overtoun
Baron Overtoun
Baron Overtoun, of Overtoun in the County of Dumbarton, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 23 June 1893 for the Scottish churchman, politician and philanthropist John Campbell. Born John White, he assumed the surname of Campbell, which was that of his maternal...
in 1893. However, he died childless in 1908, and was succeeded by his nephew Dr Douglas White, a London-based GP
GP
- Business and media :* Georgia-Pacific LLC, a manufacturer and marketer of tissue, packaging, paper, pulp and building products* Gestair's IATA airline designator* Girard-Perregaux, a luxury brand of Swiss watches...
. Lady Overtoun continued to live in the house until 1931, after which Dr White, who seldom visited Scotland, gave the house to the people of Dumbarton in 1938.
Later reuse
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the British government had the house's interior utilities and furniture moved over to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The house remained mainly isolated, but it was not damaged by the bombings of the nearby Clydeside shipyards
Clydebank Blitz
The Clydebank Blitz refers to two devastating Luftwaffe air raids on the shipbuilding town of Clydebank in Scotland which took place in March 1941.-The air raids:...
.
In 1947, Overtoun was turned into a maternity hospital
Maternity hospital
A maternity hospital is a hospital that specializes in caring for women while they are pregnant and during childbirth. The hospital also provides care for newborn infants....
. A fire destroyed part of the house in 1948, although there were no deaths, and the hospital remained in operation until 1 September 1970. By this time many of the garden structures, including a folly castle
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
and the walled garden, had been demolished. In 1975 the British government decided to use the house as a base for its Quality of Life Experiment. From 1978 to 1983, a religious group, the Spire Fellowship, utilised the home, and from 1984 to 1994, the estate was used by a group named Youth with a Mission
Youth With A Mission
Youth With A Mission is an international, inter-denominational, non-profit Christian missionary organization...
.
The house fell into abandonment soon after Youth with a Mission left the area, but in 2001 Pastor Bob Hill from Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, leased the property from West Dunbartonshire Council to use as a Christian centre for Scottish youth. Renovations to the house are currently underway to repair extensive damage and to better use the facility. Specifically, the services that will eventually be provided include but are not limited to: youth sports/life training, residential care for expectant teenage mothers, short term care for mothers in crisis, family and leadership training, counselling centre, and tearoom and bed and breakfast.
Dog deaths at Overtoun Bridge
Studies have shown that since the 1950s or 1960s numerous dogs have leaped from the bridge at the rate of about one dog a month. Dogs that leap over the bridge parapet fall 50 feet (15.2 m) onto the waterfalls below. Some dogs that survived this drop, and were then taken back to the bridge, have also jumped again. The only linking factors for this unexplained event is that dogs mostly jump from same side of the bridge, in clear weather, and they are breeds with long snouts.As the unexplained phenomenon received international media attention, the Scottish SPCA sent an animal habitat expert to investigate the causes as to why dogs kill themselves at Overtoun Bridge. Initially Dr David Sands examined sight, smell and sound factors. After eliminating what a dog could potentially see and hear on the bridge, he eventually focused on scent following the discovery of mice and mink in undergrowth on the side of the bridge from which dogs often leaped. In a test, the odours from these animals were spread around an open field. Ten dogs were unleashed - representing the commonest breeds that jumped off the bridge. Of the dogs tested, only two showed no interest in any of the scents while nearly all the others made straight for the mink scent. Sands concluded that, although it was not a definitive answer, the potent odour from male mink urine was luring keen-nosed dogs to their deaths.
External links
- Overtoun House: A Christian Centre For Hope And Healing
- West Dunbartonshire's Parks, including Overtoun Estate