Overtoun House

Overtoun House is a mansion house near the Scottish town of Milton in the unitary authority in West Dunbartonshire. In 1971 the building was added to the Scottish lists of monuments in the highest category A.

History

The lands belonged to the beginning of the 2nd millennium to the possessions of the clan Colquhoun. In turn sold it in the 14th century to an unknown person. In 1761, Gabriel Lang acquired from Greenock the property and build there a livestock industry. In the 19th century the Industrial James White, later Lord Overtoun bought from Rutherglen the basic and extended the area of 2000 acres ( 800 hectares). For the built 1860-1863 Overtoun House of Glasgow architect James Smith was hired. In 1939 the city acquired the estate Dumbarton. During the Second World War Overtoun House housed a military hospital, and remained there until 1970, a civilian hospital. After the mansion served various purposes in the following years, it is leased to a Christian institution since 2001.

Description

Overtoun House is isolated approximately 1.5 km north-west of Milton and northeast of Dumbarton. It is built on a slight slope and consists of two - and three-storey buildings and comprises a five-storey tower with a square base. The asymmetrical, built in the style of Scottish Baronials mansion is designed in rich detail. The roofs are covered with slate shingles. Both inside the house, and in the surrounding park statues are found, including two marble statues of the Roman artist Giovanni Batista Lombardi and two busts of John Warrington Wood.

Overtoun Bridge

The Overtoun Bridge is a bridge on one of the access roads to Overtoun House ( location: 55 ° 57 '10 " N, 4 ° 31' 31" W55.952666666667 - 4.5252777777778 ). Dating back to 1895, granite bridge over the creek Overtoun Burn is classified as a category B listed. From this often around 15 m high bridge jumping dogs from initially inexplicable drive spontaneously over the railing and died often. So was there since the 1950s, an average of one animal per year of death; once even five dogs within half a year, which is why the bridge was considered cursed. Striking appeared that the animals mostly jumped at the same place, this always took place on sunny days and many of the animals had long snouts. Even an animal that survived the fall, trying to jump back over the railing in an investigation on the same site. In 1994 a man threw his baby off the bridge to his death because he thought the Antichrist in him. A short time later he tried to take his own life by jumping. Through extensive research, the reason for the impulsive action of the dogs was finally cleared in 2006. They reacted strongly to the glandular secretions of mink, which nested beneath the bridge. These animals are native to Scotland only since the 1950s. My secretion is included only on sunny days in sufficient concentration in the air. In addition, mice and squirrels were nesting underneath the building.