Dumbarton
Encyclopedia
Dumbarton is a town
and burgh
which is the administrative centre of the council area of West Dunbartonshire
, and formerly of the historic county
of Dunbartonshire
, in the West-Central Lowlands
of Scotland
. The town lies on the north bank of the River Clyde
where the River Leven
flows into the Clyde estuary. As of 2006, the town had an estimated population of 19,990 and forms a conurbation
with Alexandria, Bonhill
and Renton with a combined estimated population of 44,690.
Dumbarton functioned as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde
, and later as the county town
of the county of Dunbartonshire
.
Dumbarton Castle
, sitting on top of Dumbarton Rock, dominates the area. Dumbarton was a Royal burgh
between 1222 and 1975.
Dumbarton emerged from the 19th century as a centre for shipbuilding
, glassmaking, and whisky
production. However these industries have since declined, or demised altogether, and Dumbarton today increasingly functions as a commuter town
for the major City of Glasgow which is 13 miles (21 km) east-southeast. Dumbarton F.C.
is the burgh's local association football club.
Dumbarton is home to the BBC Scotland
's drama studios, notable for filming River City
, Hope Springs
and Personal Affairs
.
and probably much earlier. It was the site of a strategically important early settlement, the residents of which were known to have traded with the Romans
. The earliest record of a settlement in Dumbarton is a record in Irish chronicles of the death of Guret, rex Alo Cluathe ("king of Clyde Rock"), in AD 658; but a story about another king of Clyde Rock (petra Cloithe) in Adomnan's Life of St Columba (book 1, chapter 15) probably predates this, and a later source links King Ceretic
, a British King who received a letter from St Patrick with Ail, thought to be Clyde Rock.
Dumbarton functioned as the royal centre of the kingdom of Clyde Rock mentioned in these sources, but had probably been eclipsed as a "capital" by the time of the establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde
around 900. It was later the county town of the county of Dunbartonshire
, formerly known as Dumbartonshire. The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Dùn Breatainn meaning "fort of the Brython
s (Britons)", and serves as a reminder that the earliest historical inhabitants of Clydesdale spoke an early form of the Welsh language. These Britons themselves knew this dùn as Alt Clut, "Clyde Rock", a name which occurs both in Gaelic and in English sources of the 7th, 8th and 9th centuries (also spelled Alclud, Alcluyd, Alcluith).
Dumbarton was struck severely by the black death
in 1350 and much of it burned down in 1424. But by the 17th century it was an important port with trade routes going as far afield as the West Indies. By 1800 the town was Scotland's largest producer of glass, for bottles and windows.
In September 1605 Chancellor Dunfermline reported to King James VI that inundations of the sea were likely to destroy and take away the whole town. It was estimated that the flood defences would cost 30,000 pounds Scots, the cost being levied nationwide.
During World War II
Dumbarton was heavily bombed by the German air force
. The Germans were targeting the shipyards, and the area in the vicinity of the yards was consequently hit, with Clyde and Leven Street being severely damaged. In an attempt to lure the German aircraft away from the shipyards, decoy lights were routinely placed on the Kilpatrick hills above the town, lights were set out on reservoirs to mimic those of the shipyards reflecting on the waters of the Leven and Clyde. The ploy was sometimes successful in diverting the bombers and many bombs fell harmlessly onto the moors and lochs.
Dumbarton Castle
sits on Dumbarton Rock, at the east bank mouth of the River Leven
, where it flows into the Clyde
estuary.
The Castle has an illustrious history and many well-known figures from Scottish and British history have visited it. The castle was a royal fortress long before Dumbarton became a Royal Burgh
, its ownership went from Scottish to English and back again. The castle was an important place during the Wars of Independence
and was used to imprison William Wallace
for a short time after his capture by the English. It was from here that Mary, Queen of Scots, was conveyed to France for safety as a child. Mary was trying to reach Dumbarton Castle when she suffered her final defeat at Langside
. In later times, Queen Victoria
and Queen Elizabeth II
visited the castle.
Today, Dumbarton Rock is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, it has legal protection in order to maintain and conserve the site for the future. As such any sort of work on the rock is strictly regulated by the Scottish Government and activities such as climbing on the rock are forbidden. From the top of the castle can be seen both the River Clyde
and Leven Grove Park.
who owned the shipbuilding company which was about 100 yards (91.4 m) away from the Castle. This was said to be not a purely philanthropic act however; the American company Singer
which is famous for the manufacturing of sewing machines had earmarked the land as a potential site for their factory which would eventually be built in Clydebank. Denny were in effect protecting their monopoly on the local work-force.
From 1975 Dumbarton lent its name to a local government district
in the Strathclyde
region of Scotland
. In 1996 the administrative functions of this district transferred to the West Dunbartonshire
and Argyll and Bute
unitary councils (see Subdivisions of Scotland
).
Dumbarton town currently serves as the administrative centre of the West Dunbartonshire authority.
There is a Dumbarton constituency of the Scottish Parliament
and a former Dumbarton constituency of the House of Commons
.
There are a number of distinct areas of the town:
and remained so well into the 20th century. There were many shipbuilding yards, although a number of them were later absorbed by larger yards. A great many ships were built in the town, the most famous of which is probably the Cutty Sark
which was built by Scott & Linton, she was one of the final Tea Clippers
to be built, and one of the fastest. The ship is the last survivor of its type and can be seen today at dry dock
in Greenwich, London. In 1818 William Denny built the Rob Roy named after Robert Roy MacGregor
in Dumbarton, which went on to become the first steam powered ferry crossing the English Channel
.
which closed in 1963, and the remaining smaller yards followed over the next few decades. The old Denny's shipyard tender The Second Snark
is still in use on the Firth of Clyde
as a passenger ferry and cruise boat. Denny's was an innovative company that had a reputation for research and development; high pressure turbines and hull stabilisation were two areas where they were highly respected. They even built an early design of helicopter in 1909 and in their final years they were involved in hovercraft development in the form of the Denny D2 Hoverbus. A film clip of this vessel on its maiden trip to Oban
exists in the Scottish Film Archive.
The last surviving part of the Denny's shipbuilding company is the Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank which forms part of the Scottish Maritime Museum
. This was the first commercial ship model testing tank built in the world and it retains many original features today: a water tank as long as a football pitch, clay moulding beds for casting wax model ship hulls and the original Victorian machinery used for shaping models.
During the Second World War Blackburn Aircraft
were to produce Sunderland flying boats from a factory adjacent to Denny's shipyard.
There is still a shipyard on the river Leven, Sandpoint Marina.
The 'Denny Club' was a local social club was named after Denny's shipyard. The club closed down a number of years ago after running into financial difficulties. The club was the sponsor of a local amateur football team, Dumbarton Amateurs, which subsequently changed its name to Denny Amateurs due to the continuning sponsorhip and support from the club. Denny Amateurs still play today, and has recently developed a team for younger players in the area, 'Denny Youth', and has provided the new team with strips and equipment along with advice and support.
production grew to become the dominant industry in the town. In 1938 Hiram Walker's built a large whisky distillery on the river Leven (on the site of some of the old shipyards), the town became known as a major centre of the whisky
industry in the mid to late 20th century. Hiram Walker was acquired by Allied brewers in 1988 to form Allied Distillers, itself becoming part of Allied Domeq before eventually being taken over in 2005 by the French based alcohol giant Pernod Ricard
. The large Dumbarton distillery had been mothballed since 2002 and not long after the Pernod-Ricard takeover the giant red buildings of the Dumbarton 'Ballantine's
' distillery which had dominated the town for over sixty years were earmarked for demolition and redevelopment (as of July 2008 only the tower remains standing). However the large bonded warehouse complex to the east of the town and the bottling complex to the north west were retained.
Other whisky related site closures such as the Inverleven distillery which closed in 1991 and the J&B Scotch Whisky bottling plant and bond in the north of the town have contributed to the decline in Dumbarton's importance to the drink industry. However part of the J&B bond has found a new life as a film set for television productions such as 'River City
' and 'Still Game
'.
Ballantine's
Whisky became well known for the rather unusual 'security' guards used at their bonded warehouse complex at Dumbuck in Dumbarton; these are a large flock of white Chinese geese that were first introduced in 1959. Starting with just six individuals, this has risen to close to 100 birds today. They have the nickname 'The Scotch Watch' and have been widely used in promotional material for the Ballantine's blended whisky. But today they have been replaced by CCTV cameras.
With the decline of the whisky industry, Dumbarton is becoming more a commuter town for those who work in nearby Glasgow and other locations. The Faslane naval base is a major employer for the area. The Strathleven Industrial Estate near Dumbarton was once the location of several major manufacturers such as Burroughs (Adding Machines) and Westclox
. Technology overtook these companies and they closed down with the loss of many jobs. The estate has also been the home of Polaroid
UK since 1965. This was the largest Polaroid plant outside of the USA and at its peak it employed about 1800 people. Failing to recognise the impact of digital photography was its downfall and while they still have a presence in Dumbarton less than 100 people are now employed there (mainly in the manufacture of sunglass lenses). The generator supplier Aggreko plc have some major operations based in the town.
which no longer exists and still around is professional football team Dumbarton F.C.
Also known as 'Sons of the rock', it is an old club founded in 1872 and steeped in history. The club play home games at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium
, next to Dumbarton Castle. They won the Scottish Cup in 1882/3 and five times were beaten finalists. As reigning Scottish Cup holders, they met the FA Cup winners, Blackburn Olympic, and thrashed them 6-1 to be hailed as champions of Great Britain. As there were no other formal leagues at this time, Dumbarton were also proclaimed Champions of the World. The Scottish League was formed in 1890 and the very first championship was shared between Dumbarton and Rangers
. Dumbarton play in gold and black strips.
There are seven bowling clubs in Dumbarton: Brock Bowling Club
, Dixon BC, Dumbarton BC, Dumbuck BC, Eastfield BC, Rock BC and Townend BC.
Dumbarton is home to the basketball team Dumbarton Dodgers Basketball Club
who play in the Strathclyde basketball league
. The team formed in 1981 from a youth club in Riverside Parish Church in the town.
The town is the birthplace of the motor-racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE. He competed in Formula One
between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. The Stewart Family owned and ran the garage at Dumbuck in Milton to the East of the town, the Garage later being taken over by Jackie's close friend John Lindsay.
Robert Burns
was made freeman
of Dumbarton. He refers to Dumbarton in a letter written in 7 July 1787.
Dumbarton is also immortalised in the traditional Scottish song "Dumbarton's Drums
".
Novelist A. J. Cronin
's maternal grandfather, Archibald Montgomerie, owned a hat shop at 145 High Street.
Dumbarton is the birthplace of David Byrne
, a Grammy Award
, Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning musician best known as the founding member and principal songwriter
of New Wave
band Talking Heads
.
Glaswegian band Franz Ferdinand
released a remix of their hit song, "Take Me Out
" called "David Byrne Was Born in Dumbarton" which heavily sampled the Talking Heads song, "Burning Down the House
".
Championships sees over 140 bands enter yearly, including representatives from Sweden
, Denmark
, Netherlands
and Ireland
. The championships is one of the biggest and most prestigious pipe band events in the world. Besides the pipe band championships there is a fun fair and Highland dancing competitions.
.
where cruises can be taken to explore Loch Lomond
. Glasgow
city centre is approximately 30 minutes away by train. With three railway stations and four services every hour, this makes easy commuting.
, James White. The house is reputed to be haunted. In 2005 the Overtoun estate gained some notoriety as it was uncovered by a local journalist that around fifty dogs had mysteriously jumped from the Overtoun Bridge
over Overtoun burn over the years, the topic caught the public imagination and became the subject of a channel five documentary in late 2006.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
which is the administrative centre of the council area of West Dunbartonshire
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...
, and formerly of the historic county
Counties of Scotland
The counties of Scotland were the principal local government divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them. They are often referred to as historic counties....
of Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, in the West-Central Lowlands
Central Lowlands
The Central Lowlands or Midland Valley is a geologically defined area of relatively low-lying land in southern Scotland. It consists of a rift valley between the Highland Boundary Fault to the north and the Southern Uplands Fault to the south...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The town lies on the north bank of 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....
where the River Leven
River Leven, Dunbartonshire
The River Leven is a stretch of water in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, flowing from Loch Lomond in the North to the River Clyde in the South...
flows into the Clyde estuary. As of 2006, the town had an estimated population of 19,990 and forms a conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
with Alexandria, Bonhill
Bonhill
Bonhill is a town in the Vale of Leven area of West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is sited on the Eastern bank of the River Leven, on the opposite bank from the larger town of Alexandria.-History:...
and Renton with a combined estimated population of 44,690.
Dumbarton functioned as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
, and later as the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of the county of Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
.
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Great Britain. It overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton, and sits on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high.-Iron Age:...
, sitting on top of Dumbarton Rock, dominates the area. Dumbarton was a Royal burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
between 1222 and 1975.
Dumbarton emerged from the 19th century as a centre for shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, glassmaking, and whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
production. However these industries have since declined, or demised altogether, and Dumbarton today increasingly functions as a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for the major City of Glasgow which is 13 miles (21 km) east-southeast. Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
is the burgh's local association football club.
Dumbarton is home to the BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
's drama studios, notable for filming River City
River City
River City is a Scottish television soap opera, first broadcast in Scotland on BBC Scotland on 24 September 2002. River City storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional district of Shieldinch in Glasgow...
, Hope Springs
Hope Springs (TV Series)
Hope Springs is a British television comedy-drama series following the lives of four female ex-cons in hiding following a multimillion pound robbery. Produced by Shed Productions, the company behind Bad Girls, Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road, the 8-part series began airing on BBC One on 7 June...
and Personal Affairs
Personal Affairs
Personal Affairs is a British television drama-comedy series, broadcast on BBC Three. It stars Annabel Scholey, Laura Aikman, Maimie McCoy and Ruth Negga as four City of London Personal Assistants looking for the lost friend Grace Darling .-Premise:Off-beat, fast-paced, funny, sexy and candid...
.
History
Dumbarton history goes back at least as far as the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and probably much earlier. It was the site of a strategically important early settlement, the residents of which were known to have traded with the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. The earliest record of a settlement in Dumbarton is a record in Irish chronicles of the death of Guret, rex Alo Cluathe ("king of Clyde Rock"), in AD 658; but a story about another king of Clyde Rock (petra Cloithe) in Adomnan's Life of St Columba (book 1, chapter 15) probably predates this, and a later source links King Ceretic
Ceretic of Alt Clut
Ceretic Guletic of Alt Clut was a king of Alt Clut in the 5th century. He has been identified with Coroticus, a Britonnic warrior addressed in a letter by Saint Patrick. Of Patrick's two surviving letters, one is addressed to the warband of this Coroticus...
, a British King who received a letter from St Patrick with Ail, thought to be Clyde Rock.
Dumbarton functioned as the royal centre of the kingdom of Clyde Rock mentioned in these sources, but had probably been eclipsed as a "capital" by the time of the establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
around 900. It was later the county town of the county of Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, formerly known as Dumbartonshire. The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Dùn Breatainn meaning "fort of the Brython
Brython
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
s (Britons)", and serves as a reminder that the earliest historical inhabitants of Clydesdale spoke an early form of the Welsh language. These Britons themselves knew this dùn as Alt Clut, "Clyde Rock", a name which occurs both in Gaelic and in English sources of the 7th, 8th and 9th centuries (also spelled Alclud, Alcluyd, Alcluith).
Dumbarton was struck severely by the black death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
in 1350 and much of it burned down in 1424. But by the 17th century it was an important port with trade routes going as far afield as the West Indies. By 1800 the town was Scotland's largest producer of glass, for bottles and windows.
In September 1605 Chancellor Dunfermline reported to King James VI that inundations of the sea were likely to destroy and take away the whole town. It was estimated that the flood defences would cost 30,000 pounds Scots, the cost being levied nationwide.
During World War II
World 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...
Dumbarton was heavily bombed by the German air force
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. The Germans were targeting the shipyards, and the area in the vicinity of the yards was consequently hit, with Clyde and Leven Street being severely damaged. In an attempt to lure the German aircraft away from the shipyards, decoy lights were routinely placed on the Kilpatrick hills above the town, lights were set out on reservoirs to mimic those of the shipyards reflecting on the waters of the Leven and Clyde. The ploy was sometimes successful in diverting the bombers and many bombs fell harmlessly onto the moors and lochs.
Castle
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Great Britain. It overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton, and sits on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high.-Iron Age:...
sits on Dumbarton Rock, at the east bank mouth of the River Leven
River Leven, Dunbartonshire
The River Leven is a stretch of water in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, flowing from Loch Lomond in the North to the River Clyde in the South...
, where it flows into the Clyde
Clyde
-Places named Clyde:In Scotland:* River Clyde* Firth of ClydeIn Australia:* Clyde, New South Wales* Clyde, Victoria* Clyde River, New South WalesIn Canada:* Clyde, Prince Edward Island* Clyde, Quebec* Clyde, Ontario* Clyde, Alberta...
estuary.
The Castle has an illustrious history and many well-known figures from Scottish and British history have visited it. The castle was a royal fortress long before Dumbarton became a Royal Burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
, its ownership went from Scottish to English and back again. The castle was an important place during the Wars of Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
and was used to imprison William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
for a short time after his capture by the English. It was from here that Mary, Queen of Scots, was conveyed to France for safety as a child. Mary was trying to reach Dumbarton Castle when she suffered her final defeat at Langside
Langside
Langside is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde, and lies east of Shawlands, south of Queens Park, west of Cathcart and north of Newlands. The district is residential and primarily middle-class, and has become an increasingly fashionable address in...
. In later times, Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
visited the castle.
Today, Dumbarton Rock is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
, it has legal protection in order to maintain and conserve the site for the future. As such any sort of work on the rock is strictly regulated by the Scottish Government and activities such as climbing on the rock are forbidden. From the top of the castle can be seen both 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....
and Leven Grove Park.
Levengrove Park
Levengrove Park itself was a gift to the town by the DennysWilliam Denny and Brothers
William Denny and Brothers Limited, and often referred to simply as Denny, were a Scottish shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was founded by Peter Denny in 1840 and based in Dumbarton, on the River Clyde. Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River...
who owned the shipbuilding company which was about 100 yards (91.4 m) away from the Castle. This was said to be not a purely philanthropic act however; the American company Singer
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
which is famous for the manufacturing of sewing machines had earmarked the land as a potential site for their factory which would eventually be built in Clydebank. Denny were in effect protecting their monopoly on the local work-force.
Governance
District (Scotland)
District may refer to:* Counties of Scotland, until 1975* Local government areas of Scotland 1973 to 1996* Subdivisions of Scotland, councils or unitary authorities, from 1996-See also:* Local Government etc. Act 1994...
in the Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
region of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In 1996 the administrative functions of this district transferred to the West Dunbartonshire
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...
and Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
unitary councils (see Subdivisions of Scotland
Subdivisions of Scotland
For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as "councils"...
).
Dumbarton town currently serves as the administrative centre of the West Dunbartonshire authority.
There is a Dumbarton constituency of the Scottish Parliament
Dumbarton (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Dumbarton is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
and a former Dumbarton constituency of the House of Commons
Dumbarton (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumbarton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005. It was largely absorbed into the new constituency of Dunbartonshire West, with Helensburgh joining Argyll and Bute....
.
Education
There are two secondary schools, namely Dumbarton Academy and Our Lady & St Patrick's High School. There are also seven primary schools: St. Michael's Primary, Knoxland Primary, Braehead Primary, St. Peter's Primary, St. Patrick's Primary, Aitkenbar Primary and Dalreoch Primary.Geography
- Bellsmyre
- BrucehillBrucehill, DumbartonBrucehill is a medium-sized council estate in Dumbarton, in the West Dunbartonshire area of Scotland.Largely made up of Irish immigrant families the area has always been blighted by high levels of crime and poverty....
- CastlehillCastlehill, DumbartonCastlehill is an area of the town of Dumbarton in the West Dunbartonshire area of Scotland. Located in the Western part of the town next to the Brucehill area, Castlehill was built as a council run housing scheme...
- Dennystown
- Dumbarton East incl. NewtownDumbarton East, DumbartonDumbarton East is an area of the town of Dumbarton. It mainly consists of Victorian era sandstone buildings built by the Denny shipbuilding company to house its workers...
- Oxhill
- Kirktonhill
- SilvertonSilverton, DumbartonSilverton is a large housing scheme in Dumbarton East Scotland, located between Dumbarton Rock and Dumbuck Hill and Round Riding Road to the north. It derives its name from the farm upon which it is now located....
- TownendTownend, DumbartonTownend is a moderate to large housing scheme in Dumbarton. It stretches from Dumbarton Central Station to Bellsmyre roundabout, and to Round Riding Rd to the east. It has a mix of residential houses, private and council lets. In the area is the set of River City, a BBC Television Drama...
- WestcliffWestcliff, DumbartonWestcliff is a Council housing estate situated in the western part of Dumbarton, Scotland, across from Castlehill. It is one of the towns poorer areas and like the other housing estates in Dumbarton, it too has its share of drugs and crime...
Shipbuilding
From the mid 18th century to the early 19th century Dumbarton's main industry was glassmaking. As the glass industry declined the town became a major centre for shipbuildingShipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and remained so well into the 20th century. There were many shipbuilding yards, although a number of them were later absorbed by larger yards. A great many ships were built in the town, the most famous of which is probably the Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark
The Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built in 1869, she served as a merchant vessel , and then as a training ship until being put on public display in 1954...
which was built by Scott & Linton, she was one of the final Tea Clippers
Clipper
A clipper was a very fast sailing ship of the 19th century that had three or more masts and a square rig. They were generally narrow for their length, could carry limited bulk freight, small by later 19th century standards, and had a large total sail area...
to be built, and one of the fastest. The ship is the last survivor of its type and can be seen today at dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
in Greenwich, London. In 1818 William Denny built the Rob Roy named after Robert Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
in Dumbarton, which went on to become the first steam powered ferry crossing the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
William Denny and Brothers
The last major Dumbarton shipyard was William Denny and BrothersWilliam Denny and Brothers
William Denny and Brothers Limited, and often referred to simply as Denny, were a Scottish shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was founded by Peter Denny in 1840 and based in Dumbarton, on the River Clyde. Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River...
which closed in 1963, and the remaining smaller yards followed over the next few decades. The old Denny's shipyard tender The Second Snark
MV The Second Snark
MV The Second Snark is a small passenger ferry, built in 1938 by William Denny of Dumbarton, now providing cruises on the Firth of Clyde, Scotland.-History:...
is still in use on the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
as a passenger ferry and cruise boat. Denny's was an innovative company that had a reputation for research and development; high pressure turbines and hull stabilisation were two areas where they were highly respected. They even built an early design of helicopter in 1909 and in their final years they were involved in hovercraft development in the form of the Denny D2 Hoverbus. A film clip of this vessel on its maiden trip to Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
exists in the Scottish Film Archive.
The last surviving part of the Denny's shipbuilding company is the Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank which forms part of the Scottish Maritime Museum
Scottish Maritime Museum
The Scottish Maritime Museum currently has collections located at two sites in the West of Scotland, both with strong maritime connections. The museums, located in Irvine and Dumbarton, each portray different areas of Scotland’s maritime heritage...
. This was the first commercial ship model testing tank built in the world and it retains many original features today: a water tank as long as a football pitch, clay moulding beds for casting wax model ship hulls and the original Victorian machinery used for shaping models.
During the Second World War Blackburn Aircraft
Blackburn Aircraft
Blackburn Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer that concentrated mainly on naval and maritime aircraft during the first part of the 20th century.-History:...
were to produce Sunderland flying boats from a factory adjacent to Denny's shipyard.
There is still a shipyard on the river Leven, Sandpoint Marina.
The 'Denny Club' was a local social club was named after Denny's shipyard. The club closed down a number of years ago after running into financial difficulties. The club was the sponsor of a local amateur football team, Dumbarton Amateurs, which subsequently changed its name to Denny Amateurs due to the continuning sponsorhip and support from the club. Denny Amateurs still play today, and has recently developed a team for younger players in the area, 'Denny Youth', and has provided the new team with strips and equipment along with advice and support.
Whisky
As the ship industry declined, whiskyWhisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
production grew to become the dominant industry in the town. In 1938 Hiram Walker's built a large whisky distillery on the river Leven (on the site of some of the old shipyards), the town became known as a major centre of the whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
industry in the mid to late 20th century. Hiram Walker was acquired by Allied brewers in 1988 to form Allied Distillers, itself becoming part of Allied Domeq before eventually being taken over in 2005 by the French based alcohol giant Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...
. The large Dumbarton distillery had been mothballed since 2002 and not long after the Pernod-Ricard takeover the giant red buildings of the Dumbarton 'Ballantine's
Ballantine's
Ballantine's is a range of blended scotch whiskies distilled by George Ballantine & Son Ltd in Dumbarton, Scotland.The Ballantine's flavour is dependent on 50 single malts, four single grains and in particular the fingerprint malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie...
' distillery which had dominated the town for over sixty years were earmarked for demolition and redevelopment (as of July 2008 only the tower remains standing). However the large bonded warehouse complex to the east of the town and the bottling complex to the north west were retained.
Other whisky related site closures such as the Inverleven distillery which closed in 1991 and the J&B Scotch Whisky bottling plant and bond in the north of the town have contributed to the decline in Dumbarton's importance to the drink industry. However part of the J&B bond has found a new life as a film set for television productions such as 'River City
River City
River City is a Scottish television soap opera, first broadcast in Scotland on BBC Scotland on 24 September 2002. River City storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional district of Shieldinch in Glasgow...
' and 'Still Game
Still Game
Still Game is a Scottish sitcom, produced by The Comedy Unit with the BBC. It was created by Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, who play the lead characters - two Glaswegian pensioners, named Jack Jarvis and Victor McDade respectively....
'.
Ballantine's
Ballantine's
Ballantine's is a range of blended scotch whiskies distilled by George Ballantine & Son Ltd in Dumbarton, Scotland.The Ballantine's flavour is dependent on 50 single malts, four single grains and in particular the fingerprint malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie...
Whisky became well known for the rather unusual 'security' guards used at their bonded warehouse complex at Dumbuck in Dumbarton; these are a large flock of white Chinese geese that were first introduced in 1959. Starting with just six individuals, this has risen to close to 100 birds today. They have the nickname 'The Scotch Watch' and have been widely used in promotional material for the Ballantine's blended whisky. But today they have been replaced by CCTV cameras.
Other industries
Westclox
Westclox was a former manufacturer and is a current brand of clocks and alarm clocks.-Early history as United Clock Company:Charles Stahlberg and others from Waterbury, Connecticut originally formed as "United Clock Company" on December 5, 1885 in Peru, Illinois, intending to manufacture clocks...
. Technology overtook these companies and they closed down with the loss of many jobs. The estate has also been the home of Polaroid
Polaroid Corporation
Polaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
UK since 1965. This was the largest Polaroid plant outside of the USA and at its peak it employed about 1800 people. Failing to recognise the impact of digital photography was its downfall and while they still have a presence in Dumbarton less than 100 people are now employed there (mainly in the manufacture of sunglass lenses). The generator supplier Aggreko plc have some major operations based in the town.
Sports
There was at one stage two Scottish Football League clubs from the town, Dumbarton Harp F.C.Dumbarton Harp F.C.
Dumbarton Harp Football Club were a football club based in the town of Dumbarton in the west of Scotland. They were formed in 1894 by Irish Catholic immigrants to the area in a similar way to the formation of Celtic in Glasgow and Hibernian in Edinburgh....
which no longer exists and still around is professional football team Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
Also known as 'Sons of the rock', it is an old club founded in 1872 and steeped in history. The club play home games at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Strathclyde Homes Stadium is a stadium in Dumbarton, Scotland situated right below the famous Dumbarton Rock. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Dumbarton F.C. The stadium has a capacity of just over 2000, and was built in 2000 after the move away from...
, next to Dumbarton Castle. They won the Scottish Cup in 1882/3 and five times were beaten finalists. As reigning Scottish Cup holders, they met the FA Cup winners, Blackburn Olympic, and thrashed them 6-1 to be hailed as champions of Great Britain. As there were no other formal leagues at this time, Dumbarton were also proclaimed Champions of the World. The Scottish League was formed in 1890 and the very first championship was shared between Dumbarton and Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. Dumbarton play in gold and black strips.
There are seven bowling clubs in Dumbarton: Brock Bowling Club
Brock Bowling Club
-History:The club was founded in 1948 . as the Blackburn Welfare Bowling Club by fitters employed by the local Blackburn Aircraft Factory, which in the post war years adapted to the provision of pre-fabricated housing units...
, Dixon BC, Dumbarton BC, Dumbuck BC, Eastfield BC, Rock BC and Townend BC.
Dumbarton is home to the basketball team Dumbarton Dodgers Basketball Club
Dumbarton Dodgers Basketball Club
Dumbarton Dodgers Basketball Club is a small non-professional team from Dumbarton, a town in Scotland.-Brief history:The club plays in the Strathclyde basketball league division 3, and is affiliated to Basketball scotland....
who play in the Strathclyde basketball league
Strathclyde basketball league
A local basketball league based in Strathclyde in Scotland.The league is affiliated with Basketball scotland the governing body for the sport of Basketball in Scotland.- Senior Men's Teams :Division 1*Dumbarton Dodgers Basketball Club*Glasgow Storm...
. The team formed in 1981 from a youth club in Riverside Parish Church in the town.
The town is the birthplace of the motor-racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE. He competed in Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. The Stewart Family owned and ran the garage at Dumbuck in Milton to the East of the town, the Garage later being taken over by Jackie's close friend John Lindsay.
Arts
Scottish poetPoet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
was made freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Dumbarton. He refers to Dumbarton in a letter written in 7 July 1787.
- "... I have lately been rambling over by Dumbarton and Inverary, and running a drunken race on the side of Loch Lomond with a wild Highlandman; his horse, which had never known the ornaments of iron or leather, zigzagged across before my old spavin’d hunter, whose name is Jenny GeddesJenny GeddesJenny Geddes was a Scottish market-trader in Edinburgh, who is alleged to have thrown her stool at the head of the minister in St Giles' Cathedral in objection to the first public use of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer in Scotland.The act is reputed to have sparked the riot which led to the...
, and down came the Highlandman, horse and all, and down came Jenny and my bardship; so I have got such a skinful of bruises and wounds, that I shall be at least four weeks before I dare venture on my journey to Edinburgh."
Dumbarton's Drums
Dumbarton's Drums is a traditional Scottish song.LyricsWomen's versionDumbarton’s Drums ChorusDumbarton's drums they sound sae bonnie And they remind me o' my Johnnie, Such fond delight doth steal upon me When Johnnie kneels and kisses me....
".
- Across the fields of bounding heather,
- Dumbarton sounds the hour of pleasure;
- The joy I know will know no measure,
- When Johnnie kneels and kisses me. (one verse)
Novelist A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin
Archibald Joseph Cronin was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known works are Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down, The Citadel, The Keys of the Kingdom and The Green Years, all of which were adapted to film. He also created the Dr...
's maternal grandfather, Archibald Montgomerie, owned a hat shop at 145 High Street.
Dumbarton is the birthplace of David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
, a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning musician best known as the founding member and principal songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
of New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
.
Glaswegian band Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
released a remix of their hit song, "Take Me Out
Take Me Out (song)
"Take Me Out" is a song by the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the second single from their debut album Franz Ferdinand in the United Kingdom on the 12 January 2004 and in the United State on 9 February, both through Domino Records...
" called "David Byrne Was Born in Dumbarton" which heavily sampled the Talking Heads song, "Burning Down the House
Burning Down the House
"Burning Down the House" is a song by New Wave band Talking Heads, released as the first single from their fifth studio album Speaking in Tongues.-Background:...
".
Royal Scottish Pipe Bands Championships
Held in Dumbarton since 2000, the Royal Scottish Pipe BandPipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
Championships sees over 140 bands enter yearly, including representatives from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The championships is one of the biggest and most prestigious pipe band events in the world. Besides the pipe band championships there is a fun fair and Highland dancing competitions.
Theatre
The Denny Civic Theatre is used by a number of local groups, including the Dumbarton People's TheatreDumbarton People's Theatre
Dumbarton People's Theatre is an amateur theatre group which exists in the town of Dumbarton in Scotland.It was formed in 1945. Since then they have normally performed four plays a year...
.
Travel connections
Dumbarton is 10 minutes away from BallochBalloch, West Dunbartonshire
Balloch is a small town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, at the foot of Loch Lomond. The name comes from the Gaelic for "the pass".Balloch is at the north end of the Vale of Leven, straddling the River Leven itself. It connects to the larger town of Alexandria and to the smaller village of...
where cruises can be taken to explore Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
. Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
city centre is approximately 30 minutes away by train. With three railway stations and four services every hour, this makes easy commuting.
Overtoun House
Overtoun House is a mansion in the Scots Baronial style built on an estate in the hills overlooking the town between 1859-1862 for a wealthy chemical manufacturer originally from GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, James White. The house is reputed to be haunted. In 2005 the Overtoun estate gained some notoriety as it was uncovered by a local journalist that around fifty dogs had mysteriously jumped from the Overtoun Bridge
Overtoun Bridge
Overtoun House is a 19th-century country house and estate in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is located on a hill overlooking the River Clyde, north of the village of Milton, and west of the town of Dumbarton. The house was built in the 1860s, and was gifted to the people of Dumbarton in 1938....
over Overtoun burn over the years, the topic caught the public imagination and became the subject of a channel five documentary in late 2006.