Carmelite Convent

Introduction

Dysart Carmel was founded on June 17, 1931, 'in poverty, with no temporal aid'. Southwest and northeast wings were added between 1808 and 1814, probably by Alexander Laing with Roger Black as builder.

History

John, Robert and James Adam submitted an account for chimneypieces dated 1756-7. A porch was added in 1900 by James Gillespie & Scott. The house was sold to Michael Barker Nairn in 1898. The house was sold to Mrs Elsa af Wetterstedt Mitchell and given to the Carmelites.

Alterations were made in 1930 by Walter Alison. The 1930 Dean of Guild application for alterations was requested by Miss D L Coates and the Rev Mother Prioress.

Architecture and furnishings

The building is a two-storey with attic, basement and three-storey bow, three-bay, piend-roofed house. The building has a three-storey wing with bow to the southwest and a three-storey return to the northeast, forming a U-plan. The building is constructed of squared and snecked rubble with dressed ashlar quoins and margins. The interior includes a hall with a marble floor and a carved fireplace with flanking paired Ionic columns.

The interior includes an altered top-lit choir, which was formerly a ballroom. The interior includes a library to the west with panelled soffits. The interior includes an early electric dumb waiter. St Serf's Cave, dating from before 1540, has three small chambers and natural hollows carved to form seats.

The terraced garden is probably of sixteenth century origin. The grounds include a twentieth century burial ground. The grounds include a classical ashlar garden building with rusticated quoins, keystoned hoodmould and moulded cornice.

The patron of the monastery is St Thérèse of Lisieux. The monastery at Dysart is an Infirmary Carmel, ready to welcome sick and infirm Sisters from other communities. The tower of Saint Serf, just outside the enclosure wall, was originally built as a stronghold against the vikings.

Parish life

The community at Dysart has twenty-three Sisters, some fully active and some quite frail. The Dysart Community decided to enlarge their Infirmary to care for Sisters from other Carmels who lacked resources. One of the sisters acts as infirmarian, keeping in touch with the needs of both the sisters and the carers.

Notable people and events

In 1892 the 5th Earl of Rosslyn undertook a scheme to enlarge the harbour for export of coal from the Lady Blanche Pit. The scheme was an expensive failure costing £10,000. Local tradition says the house was donated by Miss Evelyn Coats of J & P Coats, but her name appears on the deeds as a witness. There is a tradition that Mary Queen of Scots once stayed in the older part of the building.