Credit crunch forces nuns to re-think move

Colin Hutton 1574 - 1574 • Published 16 Jun 2009 09:47

Monastery will be re-vamped instead of sold

THE economic crisis has forced a Dumbarton monastery to abandon plans to sell-up.

The Carmelite Sisters, who celebrate their 75th anniversary next month, were planning to downsize from the impressive mansion they currently have in Kirktonhill because there are now only 10 nuns left.

But with no house builders interested in redeveloping the site, the Sisters are now planning to renovate the Garmoyle building instead.

Sister Teresa, who is the current Carmelite Prioress, explained that although they had been looking forward to moving to a custom-built facility at Clerkhill, near the convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame, it is 'God"s will' that they should stay put.

She told the Reporter: 'We had reached a point where we really needed to downsize, there were so few of us.

'We thought it would make good, economic sense - but all our plans floundered due the recession.

'We had planned to sell our present house and land for development, but no builder could afford to take on such a speculative project in the current economic climate.

'The way things have worked out though means we are staying put for the time being at least and looking upon it as God"s will that we should continue to live, work and pray here in Dumbarton.

'The people of the town have been absolutely wonderful to us over the three quarters of a century we have been here.'

Over the years the Sisters have turned the imposing mansion house into a powerhouse of prayer - a far cry from when it was owned by the family of John Ward, a director of William Denny and Sons.

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 16 Jun 09

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