Serene spot is beyond belief
Ex-monastery that once gave shelter to TV’s Jack and Victor
SINCE the end of the 19th Century, it has graced a serene spot on the banks of the Clyde, the very essence of peace and tranquillity. For 80 years, the imposing Arts and Crafts mansion served as a monastery for the Carmelites, an enclosed order of nuns who dedicated their lives to prayer in silence and solitude.
But the house once known as Garmoyle was pressed into service for a more irreverent use last year when it played the part of a sinister nursing home in the TV comedy Still Game.
Jack and Victor, played by Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, were being decanted from their homes while the Craiglang block of flats was being demolished.
But all was not what it seemed behind the glossy veneer of the Braemar Care Home and a break-out reminiscent of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest took place the following morning.
The nuns and the BBC cast have both made their escape, leaving a magnificent property in one of the best parts of Dumbarton ready to go under the auctioneer’s hammer next month.
The house was built in 1893 for John Ward, whose family shipbuilding firm was located a short distance away on the River Leven at Dumbarton Rock.
William Denny & Brothers was responsible for building more than 1,500 ships from 1844 to 1963, including the legendary Cutty Sark which today serves as a tourism attraction at the Royal Museums Greenwich in London.
The gates at the entrance on Helenslee Road still spell out the words Carmelite Monastery, opening up to a sweeping driveway approaching the house.
The wealthy shipbuilder was able to ensure his grand residence was very well-appointed and many of these lavish touches can still be seen today.
Wood panelling stretches up the walls of many of the rooms and the staircase is quite breathtaking, though the addition of the stairlift does detract slightly.
The extensive accommodation stretches over three floors and comes with the addition of several extensions.
There is a collection of gorgeous stained glass windows, the religious nature of which suggests they were created after the arrival of the nuns in 1934.
They were invited to move in by Monsignor Hugh Canon Kelly, a celebrated cleric in this part of the world, nicknamed the Pope of the Clyde. He was behind the 1918 Education Act, which gave Scottish Catholics their own state schools for the first time.
During the Second World War, the nuns protected themselves from bombing raids on nearby Clydebank by turning their basement into an air raid shelter.
Their life was simple, making altar bread for churches, sewing sacred vestments and doing religious printing and artwork to finance their upkeep.
Cultivation of the extensive gardens meant the order was self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables for much of the year.
Wilsons Auctions expects a healthy gathering when the sale takes place in Dalry, Ayrshire, on the evening of May 11.
Cheryl McAulay, property sales executive at Wilsons Auctions, says the detached B-listed villa has attracted great interest from people with different ideas in mind.
She adds: ‘Many people who have shown an interest have very different views on what the house could be.
‘The location offers stunning panoramic views over the Firth of Clyde and comes with an attractive guide price of £650,000.’
Miss McAulay says it could still work as an imposing family home but has the potential to be used as a hotel or – with apologies to Jack and Victor – a care home.
She adds: ‘The plot size is phenomenal, at 2.2 acres, so there is ample scope for development.
‘And for its age, the property internally is in fantastic condition.’
Tempted to make a bid? It could be the answer to your prayers.