Crichton Campus
Encyclopedia
The Crichton is an institutional campus
in Dumfries
, south-west Scotland. It incorporates part of Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
, a business park
, and Crichton University Campus, which serves as a remote campus for the University of Glasgow
, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Dumfries and Galloway College
and the Open University
. The site also includes a hotel and conference centre, and Crichton Memorial Church, set in a 100 acres (40.5 ha) park. The campus was established in the 19th century as the Crichton Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital
.
(1779-1862), a wealthy local widow. She persuaded the phrenologist William A. F. Browne
to become physician superintendent and to implement his innovative ideas of occupational therapy
and art therapy
. Her intention to found a university there was blocked by the existing Scottish universities. (For article on the 1838 "University of Dumfries" see this article in the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society
.)
Psychotherapist Ursula Fleming
was educated at the Crichton. Among the people to have been treated there are artist Charles Altamont Doyle
(father of Arthur Conan Doyle
), Lydia Miller (widow of Hugh Miller
) and feminist writer Dora Marsden
.
The original hospital building, now Crichton Hall, was designed by William Burn
and opened in 1839. The hospital was expanded in the late 19th century, when Sydney Mitchell
& Wilson added various buildings including the Crichton Memorial Church. Further villas were constructed in 1910–1914, and 1923–1936. Crichton Hall and Crichton Memorial Church are category A listed buildings, with many of the other buildings listed at category B or category C(s).
Collectively known as Crichton University Campus the courses on offer include business, computing and nursing courses. The Crichton Carbon Centre, housed in the Rutherford/McCowan buildings with Glasgow and UWS, is one of only two places where the Carbon Management postgraduate degree is available in Scotland. The University of Glasgow Dumfries also offers an MA in Health and Social Studies; an MA Primary Education course with teaching qualification; an MA in Environmental Sustainability as well as the Master of Arts course MA Liberal Arts at honours level in General Humanities, Philosophy, History and Literature.
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, south-west Scotland. It incorporates part of Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary is the main hospital in Dumfries. The hospital serves both the town of Dumfries and the entire catchment area of South West Scotland, with a population of at least 147,000...
, a business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
, and Crichton University Campus, which serves as a remote campus for the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Dumfries and Galloway College
Dumfries and Galloway College
Dumfries and Galloway College is a further education college in Dumfries and Galloway, with campuses in Dumfries, Stranraer and Newton Stewart. It offers a wide range of courses, including computing, child care, hospitality, beauty therapy and mechanical engineering...
and the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
. The site also includes a hotel and conference centre, and Crichton Memorial Church, set in a 100 acres (40.5 ha) park. The campus was established in the 19th century as the Crichton Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
.
Crichton Royal Hospital
The last, and grandest, of Scotland's Royal asylums was founded in Dumfries in 1839 by Elizabeth Crichton of Friar's CarseFriar's Carse
Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated southeast of Auldgirth on the main road to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong associations with Robert Burns who lived for a while at the nearby...
(1779-1862), a wealthy local widow. She persuaded the phrenologist William A. F. Browne
William A. F. Browne
Dr William A. F. Browne was one of the most significant psychiatrists of the nineteenth century. At Montrose Asylum and, later, at Crichton Royal in Dumfries , Browne introduced activities for patients including writing, art, group activity and drama, pioneered early forms of occupational...
to become physician superintendent and to implement his innovative ideas of occupational therapy
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
and art therapy
Art therapy
Because of its dual origins in art and psychotherapy, art therapy definitions vary. They commonly either lean more toward the ART art-making process as therapeutic in and of itself, "art as therapy," or focus on the psychotherapeutic transference process between the therapist and the client who...
. Her intention to found a university there was blocked by the existing Scottish universities. (For article on the 1838 "University of Dumfries" see this article in the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society
Journal of the Royal Statistical Society
The Journal of the Royal Statistical Society is a series of three peer-reviewed statistics journals published by Blackwell Publishing for the London-based Royal Statistical Society.- History :...
.)
Psychotherapist Ursula Fleming
Ursula Fleming
Ursula Fleming was an English psychotherapist, and author; she was considered an expert in her field of work....
was educated at the Crichton. Among the people to have been treated there are artist Charles Altamont Doyle
Charles Altamont Doyle
Charles Altamont Doyle was a Victorian artist. He was the brother of the artist Richard Doyle, and the son of the artist John Doyle. Although the family was Irish, Doyle was born and raised in England....
(father of Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
), Lydia Miller (widow of Hugh Miller
Hugh Miller
Hugh Miller was a self-taught Scottish geologist and writer, folklorist and an evangelical Christian.- Life and work :Born in Cromarty, he was educated in a parish school where he reportedly showed a love of reading. At 17 he was apprenticed to a stonemason, and his work in quarries, together with...
) and feminist writer Dora Marsden
Dora Marsden
Dora Marsden was an English feminist editor of avant-garde literary journals, and an author of philosophical writings.-Early life:...
.
The original hospital building, now Crichton Hall, was designed by William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
and opened in 1839. The hospital was expanded in the late 19th century, when Sydney Mitchell
Sydney Mitchell
Arthur George Sydney Mitchell was a Scottish architect. He designed a large number of bank branches, country houses, churches and church halls...
& Wilson added various buildings including the Crichton Memorial Church. Further villas were constructed in 1910–1914, and 1923–1936. Crichton Hall and Crichton Memorial Church are category A listed buildings, with many of the other buildings listed at category B or category C(s).
Redevelopment
In 1995 the Crichton Development Company was established to regenerate the redundant hospital buildings. The redevelopment has seen several of the campus buildings reused as a business park, while the central area has been maintained as a public park. A golf course was developed to the west of the site, and a hotel and conference centre opened. The Development Company acquired a 125 year lease on the site in 2004.University campus
Dumfries and Galloway College moved in 2008 from their previous site to a brand new purpose-built £40 million building within the grounds. With over 4000 students the campus has grown significantly following the relocation of Dumfries and Galloway College. Its previous student body was made up by around 250 Glasgow University students and 400 UWS students.Collectively known as Crichton University Campus the courses on offer include business, computing and nursing courses. The Crichton Carbon Centre, housed in the Rutherford/McCowan buildings with Glasgow and UWS, is one of only two places where the Carbon Management postgraduate degree is available in Scotland. The University of Glasgow Dumfries also offers an MA in Health and Social Studies; an MA Primary Education course with teaching qualification; an MA in Environmental Sustainability as well as the Master of Arts course MA Liberal Arts at honours level in General Humanities, Philosophy, History and Literature.
External links
- The Crichton, Crichton Development Company website
- Crichton University Campus, Dumfries
- University of Glasgow, Dumfries Campus
- University of the West of Scotland, Dumfries Campus
- Dumfries and Galloway College