109-503: The Russell Institute is a building in Paisley , Scotland . The building was generously donated by Agnes Russell to the Burgh of Paisley as a memorial to her two brothers, Thomas and Robert Russell, who passed away in 1913 and 1920 respectively. Initially, it served as a child welfare clinic, but today, Renfrewshire Council utilizes it as a multi purpose facility. This historic building
218-658: A Church of Scotland parish church. One of Scotland's major religious houses, Paisley Abbey was much favoured by the Bruce and Stewart royal families. King Robert III (1390–1406) was buried in the Abbey. His tomb has not survived, but that of Princess Marjorie Bruce (1296–1316), ancestor of the Stewarts, is one of Scotland 's few royal monuments to survive the Reformation . Paisley coalesced under James II's wish that
327-430: A 19th-century dispute between weavers and employers over payment for "sma' shot" – a small cotton thread which, although unseen, was necessary in holding together garments. A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Paisley Barracks in 1822. The economic crisis of 1841–43 hit Paisley hard as most of the mills shut down. Among the mill owners, 67 of 112 went bankrupt. A quarter of
436-522: A business centre. As the administrative centre of the county of Renfrewshire , Renfrew District and, currently, Renfrewshire council area , Paisley is home to many significant civic buildings. Paisley Town Hall , adjacent to the Abbey, was funded by the will of George Aitken Clark , one of the Clark family, owners of the Anchor Mills. In competition, Sir Peter Coats funded the construction of
545-534: A grocer whose wife started making marmalade from oranges in 1860. This product was successful and a factory was opened in Storie Street, Paisley, to produce it in 1866 and additional factories were later opened in Manchester, London and Bristol. The company was taken over by Rank Hovis McDougall who closed its Stevenson Street factory and transferred production to England in the 1970s. Brown and Polson
654-566: A major religious centre of the Kingdom of Strathclyde . A priory was established in 1163 from the Cluniac priory at Wenlock in Shropshire, England at the behest of Walter fitz Alan, Steward of Scotland (died 1177). In 1245 this was raised to the status of an abbey. The restored Abbey and adjacent 'Place' (palace), constructed out of part of the medieval claustral buildings, survive as
763-615: A number of "decoy ponds" (mock airfields) used by the RAF after the Battle of Britain as part of a project code-named "Starfish Decoy" designed to confuse German spies. Paisley, as with other areas in Renfrewshire, was at one time famous for its weaving and textile industries. As a consequence, the Paisley pattern has long symbolic associations with the town. Until the Jacquard loom
872-514: A precedent was established that manufacturers (and other "neighbours" or fellow citizens) owe a duty not to do foreseeable harm to others by negligence, regardless of contractual obligations, which paved the way for modern tort law. The case is often called the "Paisley snail". Owing to its industrial roots, Paisley, like many industrial towns in Renfrewshire , became a target for German Luftwaffe bombers during World War II . Although it
981-620: A precise location of manufacture. Therefore, in 1973, John Irwin published an update of his book, named as The Kashmir Shawl, in which he removed all the images of the shawls related to a European manufacturing. Monique Lévi-Strauss clearly states that her research led her to focus on the shawls creative industries in France in the 19th century, for the reason that the shawl industries in the United Kingdom (Paisley), Austria (Vienna), Germany (Elberfeld) were inspired by France (Paris) and never
1090-780: A royal Anglo-Saxon wife, Malcolm spent more of his reign conducting slave raids against the English, adding to the woes of that people in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England and the Harrying of the North , as Marianus Scotus tells us: The Scots and French devastated the English; and [the English] were dispersed and died of hunger; and were compelled to eat human flesh: and to this end, to kill men, and to salt and dry them. Malcolm died in one of these raids, in 1093. In
1199-531: A significant collection of the original shawls in this design, and it has been used, for example, in the modern logo of Renfrewshire Council , the local authority. According to Monique Lévi-Strauss, information on the history of Kashmir shawls' weaving techniques had been described in books, but in a very unintelligible language. John Irwin published a book named Shawls, a Study in Indo-European Influences, in 1955, in which he relates
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#17327762590441308-558: A system very closely corresponding with the primogeniture that operated in the French-speaking world. The reigns of both Edgar and his brother and successor Alexander are comparatively obscure. The former's most notable act was to send a camel (or perhaps an elephant) to his fellow Gael Muircheartach Ua Briain , High King of Ireland . When Edgar died, Alexander took the kingship, while his youngest brother David became Prince of "Cumbria" and ruler of Lothian. The period between
1417-670: A traditional Gaelic crechríghe (lit. "royal prey"), the rite by which a king secured the success of his reign with an inauguration raid in the territory of a historical enemy. The reign of Malcolm I (942/3–954) also marks the first known tensions between the Scottish kingdom and Moray , the old heartland of the Scoto-Pictish kingdom of Fortriu . The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba reported that King Malcolm "went into Moray and slew Ceallach." The same source tells us that King Malcolm
1526-517: Is also the site of Dykebar Hospital , a secure psychiatric hospital. Local parks include Fountain Gardens and Barshaw Park . On the outskirts of the town are a number of settlements such as Ralston , a residential area in the far east bordering the city of Glasgow . Ralston was outside the Paisley burgh boundary when constructed in the 1930s, but as a result of local authority reorganisation in
1635-465: Is devoted to this change (especially G.W.S. Barrow), part of a more general phenomenon which has been called the "Europeanisation of Europe". More recent works though, while acknowledging that a great deal of change did take place, emphasise that this period was in fact also one of great continuity (e.g. Cynthia Neville, Richard Oram, Dauvit Broun, and others). Indeed, the period is subject to many misconceptions. For instance, English did not spread all over
1744-561: Is difficult to appreciate fully the importance of Constantine's reign. The period between the accession of Malcolm I (Maol Caluim Mac Domhnuill) and Malcolm II (Maol Caluim Mac Cionaodha) is marked by good relations with the Wessex rulers of England , intense internal dynastic disunity and, despite this, relatively successful expansionary policies. Some time after an English invasion of cumbra land ( Old English for either Strathclyde or Cumbria or both) by King Edmund of England in 945,
1853-611: Is divided into five community policing areas: Paisley North-west (incorporating Glasgow Airport); Paisley South-west; Paisley East and Ralston; Paisley South; Gallowhill (as part of Renfrew and Gallowhill). Gallowhill is covered by the Renfrew Area Command. For judicial purposes, the area forms part of the sheriffdom of North Strathclyde and public prosecutions are directed by the Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde . NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
1962-473: Is listed by the conservation organisation DoCoMoMo as one of the sixty key Scottish monuments of the post-war period. Other civic buildings of interest include the Russell Institute , an art deco building constructed in 1926. Most noticeable among the buildings of Paisley is its medieval Abbey in the centre of the town dating from the 12th century. The earliest surviving architecture
2071-422: Is located within the airport complex. Scotch whisky blenders and bottlers Chivas Brothers , now a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard , are also located in the town. The site of the former Rootes/Chrysler/Talbot on the western outskirts of the town is now home to Phoenix Retail Park. Numerous private developers have invested, creating various retail outlets, vehicle showrooms, restaurants, a cinema complex, hotel and
2180-471: Is more often regarded as a key figure in the formation of Alba. Constantine reigned for nearly half a century, fighting many battles. When he lost at Brunanburh , he was clearly discredited and retired as a Culdee monk at St. Andrews. Despite this, the Prophecy of Berchán is full of praise for him, and in this respect is in line with the views of other sources. Constantine is credited in later tradition as
2289-575: Is no precise Gaelic equivalent for the English term "Kingdom of Alba", as the Gaelic term Rìoghachd na h-Alba means 'Kingdom of Scotland'. English-speaking scholars adapted the Gaelic name for Scotland to apply to a particular political period in Scottish history, during the High Middle Ages . Little is known about the structure of the Scottish royal court in the period before the coming of
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#17327762590442398-556: Is of Cumbric or Gaelic origin, due to the linguistic shift that occurred around this time. The Roman name for Paisley was Vanduara. Paisley has monastic origins. A chapel is said to have been established by the 6th / 7th-century Irish monk, Saint Mirin , at a site near a waterfall on the White Cart Water known as the Hammils. Though Paisley lacks contemporary documentation it may have been, along with Glasgow and Govan ,
2507-466: Is often remembered positively, while Macbeth is villanised. Eventually, William Shakespeare gave fame to this medieval equivalent of propaganda by further immortalising both men in his play Macbeth . Macbeth's reign however was successful enough that he had the security to go on pilgrimage to Rome. It was Malcolm III who acquired the nickname (as did his successors) "Canmore" ( Ceann Mór , "Great Chief"), and not his father Duncan, who did more to create
2616-429: Is protected and listed as Category A listed building . This article about a Scottish building or structure is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Paisley, Renfrewshire Paisley ( / ˈ p eɪ z l i / PAYZ -lee ; Scots : Paisley ; Scottish Gaelic : Pàislig [ˈpʰaːʃlɪkʲ] ) is a large town situated in the west central Lowlands of Scotland . Located north of
2725-479: Is still used today as the congregating point for the annual Sma' Shot parade which takes place on the first Saturday in July. Kingdom of Alba The Kingdom of Alba ( Latin : Scotia ; Scottish Gaelic : Alba ) was the Kingdom of Scotland between the deaths of Donald II in 900 and of Alexander III in 1286. The latter's death led indirectly to an invasion of Scotland by Edward I of England in 1296 and
2834-652: Is the National Health Service Board serving Paisley and the town's main hospital with accident and emergency facilities is the Royal Alexandra Hospital . Strathclyde Fire and Rescue is the statutory fire and rescue service covering Paisley, with one community fire station on the town's Canal Street. Water and sewerage is provided in Paisley by Scottish Water , a public body, and water and sewerage charges are collected alongside council tax by Renfrewshire Council ,
2943-575: Is the Category A listed Anchor Mills, built in 1886. The building was converted in 2005 into residential flats. Textiles have a longer history in Paisley, represented by the Sma' Shot cottages complex on Shuttle Street: a small public museum of weaving from its 18th-century origins as a cottage industry . Another landmark connected with the textile industry is the Dooslan Stane or Stone. The stone
3052-430: Is the south-east doorway in the nave from the cloister, which has a round arched doorway typical of Romanesque architecture which was the prevalent architectural style before the adoption of Gothic. The choir (east end) and tower date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and are examples of Gothic Revival architecture . They were reconstructed in three main phases of restorations with the tower and choir conforming to
3161-570: The Cumbric basaleg , "basilica", (i.e. major church), derived from the Greek βασιλική basilika . Some Scottish placename books suggest "Pæssa's wood/clearing", from the Old English personal name Pæssa , "clearing", and leāh , "wood". Pasilege (1182) and Paslie (1214) are recorded previous spellings of the name. The Gaelic translation is Pàislig . It is worth noting that some sources favour
3270-519: The First War of Scottish Independence . Alba included Dalriada , but initially excluded large parts of the present-day Scottish Lowlands , which were then divided between Strathclyde and Northumbria as far north as the Firth of Forth . Fortriu , a Pictish kingdom in the north, was added to Alba in the tenth century. Until the early 13th century, Moray was not considered part of Alba, which
3379-498: The Gaelic -speaking member of the court whose job was to divide the food. In the 13th century, all the other offices tended to be hereditary, with the exception of the Chancellor. The royal household of course came with numerous other offices. The most important was probably the aforementioned hostarius , but there were others such as the royal hunters, the royal foresters and the cooks ( dispensa or spence ). King Donald II
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3488-591: The Gleniffer Braes , the town borders the city of Glasgow to the east, and straddles the banks of the White Cart Water , a tributary of the River Clyde . Paisley serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area , and is the largest town in the historic county of the same name . It is often cited as "Scotland's largest town" and is the fifth largest settlement in
3597-656: The MacHeths and the Meic Uilleim . The latter claimed descent from king Donnchadh II , through his son William, and rebelled for no less a reason than the Scottish throne itself. The threat was so grave that, after the defeat of the MacWilliams in 1230, the Scottish crown ordered the public execution of the baby girl who happened to be the last MacWilliam. This was how the Lanercost Chronicle relates
3706-634: The Northern Isles did not come for more than another century. The conquest of the west, the creation of the Mormaerdom of Carrick in 1186 and the absorption of the Lordship of Galloway after the Galwegian revolt of 1135 meant that the number and proportion of Gaelic speakers under the rule of the Scottish king actually increased, and perhaps even doubled, in the so-called Norman period. It
3815-474: The Paisley seat . For the House of Commons of the United Kingdom the town is divided between two constituencies covering the whole of Renfrewshire: Paisley and Renfrewshire North ( Alison Taylor MP ) and Paisley and Renfrewshire South ( Johanna Baxter MP ). Paisley lies within the Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Division of the Scottish police service and is one of three Area Commands in that division. Paisley
3924-566: The textile mills of Paisley. The mills in 1861 had a stock of cotton in reserve, but by 1862 there were large-scale shortages and shutdowns. There were no alternative jobs for the workers, and local authorities refused to provide relief. Voluntary relief efforts were inadequate, and the unemployed workers refused to go to workhouses. Workers blamed not the United States, but rather the officials in London for their hardship and did not support
4033-466: The 1930s, there were 28,000 people employed in the huge Anchor and Ferguslie mills of J & P Coats Ltd , said to be the largest of their kind in the world at that time. In the 1950s, the mills diversified into the production of synthetic threads but production diminished rapidly as a result of less expensive imports from overseas and the establishment of mills in India and Brazil by J & P Coats. By
4142-574: The 1990s, it is now a suburb of Paisley. Public sector organisations in Paisley include the headquarters of Renfrewshire Council , the largest campus of the University of the West of Scotland , the Paisley campus of West College Scotland and the Royal Alexandra Hospital . Glasgow Airport , located on the northern edge of Paisley, is also a significant employer and part of the area's transport infrastructure. The airline Loganair 's registered office
4251-459: The Conqueror sent his son on an invasion of Scotland. The invasion got as far as Falkirk , on the boundary between Scotland-proper and Lothian, and Malcolm submitted to the authority of the king, giving his oldest son Duncan as a hostage. This submission perhaps gives the reason why Malcolm did not give his last two sons, Alexander and David, Anglo-Saxon royal names. Malcolm's natural successor
4360-577: The English king handed the province over to king Malcolm I on condition of a permanent alliance. Some time in the reign of King Indulf (Idulb mac Causantín) (954–62), the Scots captured the fortress called oppidum Eden , i.e. almost certainly Edinburgh . It was the first Scottish foothold in Lothian . The Scots had probably had some authority in Strathclyde since the later part of the 9th century, but
4469-451: The French-speaking kings David I and William I , although native reaction to the manner of Duncan II 's (Donnchad mac Máel Coluim) accession perhaps put these changes back somewhat. King Duncan I's reign was a military failure. He was defeated by the native English at Durham in 1040, and was subsequently toppled. Duncan had only been related to previous rulers through his mother Bethoc , daughter of Malcolm II, who had married Crínán ,
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4578-598: The Gallow Green. Their remains were buried at Maxwelton Cross in the west end of the town. This was the last mass execution for witchcraft in western Europe. A horse shoe was placed on top of the site to lock in the evil. A horse shoe is still visible in the middle of this busy road junction today—though not the original. The modern shoe is made of bronze and bears the inscription, "Pain Inflicted, Suffering Endured, Injustice Done". The Industrial Revolution , based on
4687-644: The Kashmir shawl's history and how these shawls spread on the European market during the 19th century. The book showed images of shawls woven in India and also fifteen images of shawls woven in United Kingdom, amongst which is one assigned to a Paisley manufacture, circa 1850. But according to Monique Lévi-Strauss, it resembles by many details a shawl designed by a French designer named Antony Berrus, born in 1815 at Nîmes-France and died in 1883. The designer studied at
4796-457: The King's capture the barbarians at first were stunned, and desisted from spoil; and presently, as if driven by furies, the sword which they had taken up against their enemy and which was now drunken with innocent blood they turned against their own army. Now there was in the same army a great number of English; for the towns and burghs of the Scottish realm are known to be inhabited by English. On
4905-654: The Lowlands (see language section), and neither did English names; and, moreover even by 1300, most native lordships remained in native Gaelic hands, with only a minority passing to men of French or Anglo-French origin; furthermore, the Normanisation and imposition of royal authority in Scotland was not a peaceful process, but in fact cumulatively more violent than the Norman Conquest of England; additionally,
5014-511: The Normans to Scotland, before the reign of David I . A little more is known about the court of the later 12th and 13th centuries. In the words of Geoffrey Barrow, this court "was emphatically feudal, Frankish, non-Celtic in character". Some of the offices were Gaelic in origin, such as the Hostarius (later Usher or "Doorward"), the man in charge of the royal bodyguard, and the rannaire ,
5123-649: The Scandinavian-ruled lands of the west. Uilleam , the native Mormaer of Ross , was a pivotal figure in the expansion of the Scottish kingdom into the Hebrides , as was Ailéan mac Ruaidhrí , the key pro-Scottish Hebridean chief, who married his daughter to Uilleam , the Mormaer of Mar . The Scottish king was able to draw on the support of Alan, Lord of Galloway , the master of the Irish Sea region, and
5232-568: The Scots gathered themselves together, and slew almost all of his followers; and he himself escaped with few. Thereafter they were reconciled on the condition that he should never again introduce English or French into the land. Duncan was killed the same year, 1094, and Donalbane resumed sole kingship. However, the Norman state sent another of Malcolm's sons, Edgar to take the kingship. Anglo-Norman policy worked, because thereafter all kings of Scotland succeeded, not without opposition of course, under
5341-531: The Scottish kings were not independent monarchs, but vassals to the King of the English, although not "legally" for Scotland north of the Forth. The important changes which did occur include the extensive establishment of burghs (see section), in many respects Scotland's first urban institutions; the feudalisation , or more accurately, the Francization of aristocratic martial, social and inheritance customs;
5450-426: The accession of David I and the death of Alexander III was marked by dependence upon, and relatively good relations with, the Kings of the English. It was also a period of historical expansion for the Scottish kingdom, and witnessed the successful imposition of royal authority across most of the modern country. The period was one of a great deal of historical change, and much of the modern historiographical literature
5559-596: The aftermath of his death, the Norman rulers of England began their interference in the Scottish kingdom. This interference was prompted by Malcolm's raids and attempts to forge claims for his successors to the English kingship. He had married the sister of the native English claimant to the English throne, Edgar Ætheling , and had given most of his children by this marriage Anglo-Saxon royal names. Moreover, he had given support to many native English nobles, including Edgar himself, and had been supporting native English insurrections against their Norman rulers. In 1080, King William
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#17327762590445668-504: The conquest and annexation of that province during the Wars of Independence . The period between the accession of King Duncan I (Donnchadh Mac Críonáin) (1034) and the death of Alexander I (1124) was the last before the coming of the Normans to Scotland. In some respects, the reign of King Malcolm III (Maol Caluim Mac Donnchaidh) prefigured the changes which took place in the reigns of
5777-601: The country , although it does not have city status. The town became prominent in the 12th century, with the establishment of Paisley Abbey , an important religious hub which formerly had control over other local churches. Paisley expanded significantly during the Industrial Revolution as a result of its location beside White Cart Water, with access to the Clyde and nearby ore, mineral and agricultural resources. Factories and mills developed leading to an increase in
5886-571: The de-Scotticisation of ecclesiastical institutions; the imposition of royal authority over most of modern Scotland; and the drastic drift at the top level from traditional Gaelic culture, so that after David I, the Kingship of the Scots resembled more closely the kingship of the French and English, than it did the lordship of any large-scale Gaelic kingdom in Ireland. After David I, and especially in
5995-513: The designs of Dr Peter MacGregor Chalmers. The roof in the nave is the most recent of restorations with the plaster ceiling by Rev Dr Boog which was added in the 1790s being replaced by a timber roof in 1981. Former Thomas Coats Memorial Baptist Church , named for the industrialist Thomas Coats (1809–1883), is an example of Gothic Revival architecture . It dominates the town's skyline with its crown spire more than 60 m (197 ft) high. Opened in 1894 and designed by Hippolyte Jean Blanc it
6104-408: The drawing School of Nîmes, before settling in Paris and opening in the French capital his own successful design studio, which employed 200 designers. His textile drawings were sold to Lyon in France, in Scotland, in England, in Austria and also in Kashmir. The fact that shawl patterns drawings were made in Europe, sold there and also to India, made the research work extremely difficult, in order to give
6213-480: The end of the 1993, there was no thread being produced in Paisley. The town also supported a number of engineering works some of which relied on the textile industry, others on shipbuilding . Paisley once had five shipyards including John Fullerton and Company (1866–1928), Bow, McLachlan and Company (1872–1932) and Fleming and Ferguson (1877–1969). A number of food manufacture companies existed in Paisley. The preserve manufacturer Robertsons began in Paisley as
6322-406: The failed Radical War between 1816 and 1820. Through its weaving fraternity, Paisley gained notoriety as being a literate and somewhat radical town. Political intrigue, early trades unionism and reforming zeal came together to produce mass demonstrations, cavalry charges down the high street, public riots and trials for treason. Documentation from the period indicates that overthrow of the government
6431-399: The fate of this last MacWilliam: The same Mac-William's daughter, who had not long left her mother's womb, innocent as she was, was put to death, in the burgh of Forfar, in view of the market place, after a proclamation by the public crier. Her head was struck against the column of the market cross, and her brains dashed out. Many of these resistors collaborated, and drew support not just in
6540-512: The idea of war with the United States. Many of the cotton mills either closed or were converted to thread manufacture which became the main focus of the textile industry in Paisley until the 20th century. Paisley suffered heavy losses in the First World War . Paisley War Memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer (other sources say Harold Tarbolton ) in 1922 and depicts Robert the Bruce going into battle on horseback escorted by footsoldiers dressed as First World War infantry soldiers. It
6649-406: The imitation Kashmir (cashmere) shawls called "Paisley". Under the leadership of Thomas Coats (1809–1893), Paisley became the world centre for thread making. Mills and textile factories grew from the late 18th century, coming to dominate the town in the late Victorian era . These include the Anchor and Seedhill mills, as well as the adjacent Atlantic, Pacific and Mile End mills. Another example
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#17327762590446758-485: The importance of weavers. Politically the mill owners remained in control of the town. However, other industrial development continued in and around Paisley outside of textiles, including the development of ironstone and oil shale extraction at Inkerman . The town also had numerous other industries, examples include numerous engineering works, as well as a distillery, ironwork, dye works and tanneries. The American Civil War of 1861–1865 cut off cotton supplies to
6867-469: The kingdom kept its own rulers, and it is not clear that the Scots were always strong enough to enforce their authority. In fact, one of Indulf's successors, Cuilén (Cuilén mac Ilduilbh), died at the hands of the men of Strathclyde, perhaps while trying to enforce his authority. King Kenneth II (Cionaodh Mac Maol Chaluim) (971–95) began his reign by invading Britannia (possibly Strathclyde), perhaps as an early assertion of his authority, and perhaps also as
6976-415: The kings was matched to a certain extent by their subjects. In the aftermath of William's capture at Alnwick in 1174, the Scots turned on their king's English-speaking and French-speaking subjects. William of Newburgh related the events: When [King William] was given over into the hands of the enemy, God's vengeance permitted not also that his most evil army should go away unhurt. For when they learned of
7085-451: The lands should become a single regality and, as a result, markets, trading and commerce began to flourish. In 1488 the town's status was raised by James IV to Burgh of barony . Many trades sprang up and the first school was established in 1577 by the Town Council. The Paisley witches , also known as the Bargarran witches or the Renfrewshire witches, were tried in Paisley in 1697. Seven were convicted and five were hanged and then burnt on
7194-455: The lay abbot of Dunkeld (and probably Mormaer of Atholl too). At a location called Bothganowan (or Bothgowan , Bothgofnane , Bothgofuane , meaning "Blacksmith's Hut" in old Gaelic, today Pitgaveny near Elgin ), the Mormaer of Moray , Macbeth defeated and killed Duncan, and took the kingship for himself. After Macbeth's successor Lulach, another Moravian, all kings of Scotland were Duncan's descendants. For this reason, Duncan's reign
7303-438: The local authority, on its behalf. Renfrewshire Council is also responsible for the provision of waste management in the area. Paisley's distribution network operator , the organisation licensed to transmit electricity from the National Grid to consumers, is Scottish Power . Paisley sits primarily on an expanse of low ground around 12 metres (40 ft) above sea level surrounding the White Cart Water , which runs through
7412-482: The loss of almost 5,000 jobs. At one time M&Co. (Mackays) had its head office in Caledonia House in Paisley. Paisley had several cinemas in the town, all of which have since closed, including the Palladium (closed 1960s), the Regal, the La Scala Picture House (the B listed art deco 1912 facade of the cinema is now the entrance to the Paisley Centre) and the Kelburne. In 2015, the town launched its bid to become UK City of Culture in 2021. On 15 July 2017 Paisley
7521-530: The man who, with Bishop Ceallach of St. Andrews, brought the Catholic Church in Scotland into conformity with that of the larger Gaelic world, although it is not known exactly what this means. There had been Gaelic bishops in St. Andrews for two centuries, and Gaelic churchmen were amongst the oldest features of Caledonian Christianity. The reform may have been organizational, or some sort of purge of certain unknown and perhaps disliked legacies of Pictish ecclesiastical tradition. However, other than these factors, it
7630-439: The modern Paisley Museum and Central Library (1871), also in a neo-Classical style. The Clarks and Coats families dominated Paisley industry until their companies merged in 1896. Renfrewshire's former County Buildings, Police Station and Jail on County Square were demolished in 1821, and the County Council then met in a newer neo-classical building, completed in 1890, which now houses Paisley Sheriff Court . Renfrewshire House,
7739-498: The modern headquarters of Renfrewshire Council, was constructed as Paisley Civic Centre. Designed by Hutchison, Locke and Monk following a competition, the building was designed to house offices of both the county and town councils. It was intended to become a civic hub for Paisley but the absence of any shops and non-council premises prevented this from happening. It became the home of the Renfrew sub-region of Strathclyde Regional Council in 1975 and of Renfrewshire Council in 1996. It
7848-411: The mutual slaughter that took place, killed their English and French compatriots without mercy or pity, making frequent attacks on them. At that time also there took place a most wretched and widespread persecution of the English both in Scotland and Galloway. So intense was it that no consideration was shown to the sex of any, but all were cruelly killed ... Opposition to the Scottish kings in this period
7957-455: The name of the town as having its roots in the Gaelic word Baisleac , which is, like the Cumbric basaleg , derived from basilika . As Paisley was part of the Cumbric speaking Kingdom of Strathclyde , before being absorbed into the Gaelic speaking Kingdom of Alba in the 11th century, and with Cumbric being considered extinct by the 12th century, it is uncertain whether the name of Paisley
8066-541: The nickname dásachtach . This simply meant a madman, or in early Irish law, a man not in control of his functions and hence without legal culpability. The reason was possibly the restlessness of his reign, continually spent fighting battles against Vikings . It is possible he gained his unpopularity by violating the rights of the church or through high taxes, but it is not known for certain. However, his extremely negative nickname makes him an unlikely founder of Scotland. Donald's successor Constantine II (Causantín mac Aeda)
8175-471: The occasion therefore of this opportunity the Scots declared their hatred against them, innate, though masked through fear of the king; and as many as they fell upon they slew, the rest who could escape fleeing back to the royal castles. Walter Bower , writing a few centuries later albeit, wrote about the same event: At that time after the capture of their king, the Scots together with the Galwegians, in
8284-453: The opposite. The author then invited textile specialists from these countries to conduct research on their own field. Monique Lévi-Strauss notes the large influence that Kashmir had on the French shawl creative industries, narrowly linking the French history of Kashmir shawls to the Indian ones. The high-status skilled weavers mobilised themselves in radical protests after 1790, culminating in
8393-441: The peripheral Gaelic regions of Galloway, Moray, Ross and Argyll, but also from eastern "Scotland-proper", Ireland and Mann . By the end of the 12th century, the Scottish kings had acquired the authority and ability to draw in native Gaelic lords outside their previous zone of control to do their work, the most famous examples being Lochlann, Lord of Galloway and Fearchar Mac an t-Sagairt . Such accommodation assisted expansion to
8502-450: The population was on poor relief. The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel decided to act. He secured additional funds for relief and sent his own representative to the town to supervise its distribution. He convinced Queen Victoria to wear Paisley products in order to popularise the products and stimulate demand. Overproduction, the collapse of the shawl market and a general depression in the textile industry led to technical changes that reduced
8611-420: The post-war period. These include portions of Glenburn (south), Foxbar (south west), Ferguslie Park (north west), Gallowhill (North East) and Hunterhill (South East). Gockston in the far north of the town has many terraced houses, and after regeneration has many detached and semi-detached houses as well as several blocks of flats. Dykebar , to the south east of the town centre, is a residential area which
8720-468: The reign of William I, Scotland's kings became ambivalent about, if not hostile towards, the culture of most of their subjects. As Walter of Coventry tells us: The modern kings of Scotia count themselves as Frenchmen, in race, manners, language and culture; they keep only Frenchmen in their household and following, and have reduced the Scots [=Gaels north of the Forth] to utter servitude. The ambivalence of
8829-552: The shawls, which bore the Paisley Pattern made fashionable after being worn by a young Queen Victoria . Despite being of a Kashmiri design and manufactured in other parts of Europe, the teardrop-like pattern soon became known by Paisley's name across the western world. Although the shawls dropped out of fashion in the 1870s, the Paisley pattern remains an important symbol of the town: the Paisley Museum maintains
8938-529: The successful dynasty which ruled Scotland for the following two centuries. Part of the success was the huge number of children he had. Through two marriages, firstly to the Norwegian Ingibiorg Finnsdottir , and secondly to the English princess Margaret of Wessex , Malcolm had perhaps a dozen children. Malcolm and, if we believe later hagiography, his wife, introduced the first Benedictine monks to Scotland. However, despite having
9047-504: The surrounding areas to carry out historic building repair and traditional shopfront reinstatement. Paisley is the administrative centre for the council area of Renfrewshire Council , and also lies within the registration county of the same name . The town is divided into Community Councils for representation at the most local level. Paisley in represented in the Scottish Parliament by George Adam MSP , who holds
9156-635: The textile industry, turned Paisley from a small market town to an important industrial town in the late 18th century. Initially beginning with small scale weaving (as took place at the Sma’ Shot cottages located in Shuttle Street), Paisley's location and workforce attracted English mill owners; migrants from Ayrshire and the Highlands poured into a town that offered jobs to women and children until silk fell out of fashion in 1790. The mills switched to
9265-549: The town centre. There are some hills and ridges which have been absorbed as the town has expanded. The settlement is historically centred on Oakshaw, an area surrounding a hill to the north of the current High Street. Oakshaw is a conservation area , and on the high ground many of Paisley's significant buildings can be found, such as the High Kirk , the Coats Observatory and the former John Neilson Institution, which
9374-637: The town's key attractions. This includes a £22million refurbishment to the Town Hall which reopened in October 2023, a new £7million Central Library and Learning Hub on the High Street which opened November 2023, and a £45million transformation of Paisley Museum due to be completed in late 2024. Renfrewshire Council also maintains its Townscape Heritage Initiative and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme to provide grants to property owners in Paisley and
9483-544: The town's museums and civic history. The town now functions as a regional centre for local governance and services as well as a residential commuting area within the Greater Glasgow urban region. Formerly and variously known as Paislay , Passelet , Passeleth , and Passelay the burgh's name is of uncertain origin; some sources suggest a derivation either from the Brittonic word pasgill , "pasture", or from
9592-542: The town's population. The town's associations with political radicalism were highlighted by its involvement in the Radical War of 1820, with striking weavers being instrumental in the protests. By the late 19th century, Paisley was a global centre of the weaving industry, giving its name to the Paisley shawl and the Paisley pattern . However, industrial decline followed in the 20th century. By 1993, all of Paisley's mills had closed, although they are memorialised in
9701-517: The town, just off Neilston Road toward Barrhead . It contains a variety of architecture ranging from mock Tudor to Art Deco . Many of the houses were designed by W. D. McLennan, a contemporary of Charles Rennie MacIntosh . McLennan also designed several local churches such as St Matthew's Church. Particularly following the Housing Act 1946, modern Paisley grew into the surrounding countryside, and several large residential areas were created in
9810-578: Was 1018, when King Malcolm II defeated the Northumbrians at the Battle of Carham . In the same year, King Owain Foel died, leaving his kingdom to his overlord Malcolm. A meeting with King Canute of Denmark and England, probably about 1031, seems to have further secured these conquests, although the exact nature of Scottish rule over the Lothian and Scottish Borders area was not fully realised until
9919-458: Was Underwood Mill, a cotton mill founded in the 1780s which was later rebuilt as a thread mill in the 1860s (it fell into disuse in the 1970s). Other thread mills include Oakshaw thread works (later used by Arrol-Johnston car manufacturers) and the Burnside thread works. By the mid-19th century weaving had become the town's principal industry. The Paisley weavers' most famous products were
10028-527: Was a meeting place of the Weavers Union in the south of Paisley; it was also used as a " soapbox " and was originally inscribed with its history (now largely faded). It was moved from its original site at the corner of Neilston Road and Rowan Street to its present location in Brodie Park. Also present, arranged around the Dooslan Stane, are the four original Paisley Tolbooth stones. The Dooslan Stane
10137-618: Was able to make use of the Galwegian ruler's enormous fleet of ships. The Mormaers of Lennox forged links with the Argyll chieftains, bringing a kin-group such as the Campbells into the Scottish fold. Cumulatively, by the reign of Alexander III, the Scots were in a strong position to annexe the remainder of the western seaboard, which they did in 1266, with the Treaty of Perth . Orkney too
10246-466: Was announced as one of five shortlisted candidates, On 7 December 2017 it lost to Coventry . Following the announcement, Renfrewshire Council and the Paisley 2021 Board stated that Paisley's "journey will continue" and that the bid process was "just the beginning" for regeneration processes in the town. Funding acquired during the City of Culture bid has led to multi-million pound regenerations for many of
10355-481: Was built in 1905–07. Dating from circa 1160 Blackhall Manor is the oldest building in Paisley. It was given to the Burgh of Paisley by the Shaw-Stewart family in 1940, but was threatened with demolition in 1978. It was privately purchased in 1982 and fully restored as a private dwelling. As a result of its historic textile industry, Paisley has many examples of Victorian industrial architecture. Most notable
10464-659: Was coming into the Scottish fold. In the 12th century, Mormaer Matad 's son Harald was established on the Orkney Earldom . Thereafter, the Orkney earl (also Mormaer of Caithness) was just as much a Scottish vassal as a Norwegian one. Descendants of the Gaelic Mormaers of Angus ruled Orkney for much of the 13th century. In the early 14th century, another Scottish Gaelic noble, Maol Íosa V of Strathearn became Earl of Orkney, although formal Scottish sovereignty over
10573-524: Was even contemplated by some. The weavers of Paisley were certainly active in the 'Radical War'. The perceived radical nature of the inhabitants prompted the Tory Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to comment "Keep your eye on Paisley". The poet Robert Tannahill lived in this setting, working as a weaver. Paisley's annual Sma' Shot Day celebrations held on the first Saturday of July were initiated in 1856 to commemorate
10682-642: Was formed in Paisley in 1840 and two years later started producing starch for the weaving trades, by 1860 it was making food products including its patent cornflour . It later became CPC Foods Ltd, a subsidiary of Unilever , which produced Hellmann's mayonnaise , Gerber baby foods and Knorr soups. The company ceased production in Paisley in 2002. The Piazza shopping centre was opened by Sean Connery in 1970 and has since been modernised several times. In 1981 Peugeot Talbot , formerly Chrysler and before that Rootes , announced that its Linwood factory just outside Paisley would cease production. This led to
10791-554: Was his brother, Donalbane (Domhnall Bán Mac Donnchaidh), as Malcolm's sons were young. However, the Norman state to the south sent Malcolm's son Duncan to take the kingship. In the ensuing conflict, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle tells us that: Donnchadh went to Scotland with what aid he could get of the English and French, and deprived his kinsman Domhnall of the Kingdom, and was received as King. But afterwards some of
10900-504: Was indeed hard. The first instance is perhaps the revolt of Óengus of Moray , the Mormaer of Moray , the crushing of which led to the colonisation of Moray by foreign burgesses, and Franco-Flemish and Anglo-French aristocrats. Rebellions continued throughout the 12th century and into the 13th. Important resistors to the expansionary Scottish kings were Somhairle Mac Gille Brighdhe , Fergus of Galloway , Gille Brigte of Galloway and Harald Maddadsson , along with two kin-groups known today as
11009-419: Was introduced in the 1820s, weaving was a cottage industry . This innovation led to the industrialisation of the process and many larger mills were created in the town. Also as a consequence of greater mechanisation, many weavers lost their livelihoods and left for Canada and Australia. Paisley was for many years a centre for the manufacture of cotton sewing thread . At the heyday of Paisley thread manufacture in
11118-646: Was killed by the Moravians. This is the first definite sign of tension between the Cenél nGabráin and Cenél Loairn , two kin-groups claiming descent from different ancestors of Erc . During the reign of Macbeth (Mac Beathadh Mac Findláich), and his successor Lulach (Lulach Mac Gille Comhgháin), the Moray-based Cenél Loairn ruled all Scotland. The reign of Malcolm II saw the final incorporation of these territories. The critical year perhaps
11227-435: Was not bombed as heavily as nearby Glasgow (see Clydebank Blitz ), air raids still occurred periodically during the early years of the war, killing nearly a hundred people in several separate incidents; on 6 May 1941, a parachute mine was dropped in the early hours of the morning claiming 92 victims; this is billed the worst disaster in Paisley's history. The Gleniffer Braes , on the southern outskirts of Paisley, are home to
11336-460: Was once a school and is now converted into residential flats. Paisley expanded steadily, particularly in the Victorian and Edwardian eras , creating many suburbs. Castlehead is a wooded conservation area primarily made up of Victorian villas where many of the town's leading industrialists made their homes in the late 19th century. Thornly Park is another conservation area, to the south of
11445-421: Was sculpted by Alice Meredith Williams . Paisley was also the site of an incident that gave rise to a major legal precedent. In a Paisley cafe in 1928, a woman claimed to find a dead snail in a bottle of ginger beer, and became ill. She sued the manufacturer for negligence. At the time a manufacturer was considered liable only if there was a contract in place with the harmed party. After Donoghue v Stevenson ,
11554-605: Was seen as extending only between the Firth of Forth and the River Spey . The name of Alba is one of convenience, as throughout this period both the ruling and lower classes of the kingdom were predominantly Pictish-Gaels, later Pictish-Gaels and Scoto-Normans . This differs markedly from the period of the House of Stuart , beginning in 1371, in which the ruling classes of the kingdom mostly spoke Middle English , which later evolved into and came to be called Lowland Scots . There
11663-519: Was the first Catholic church to be built in Scotland since the Reformation . With the erection of the Diocese of Paisley in 1947 the church was raised to cathedral status. St Matthew's Church ( Church of the Nazarene ) at the junction of Gordon Street and Johnston Street is Art Nouveau in style. Designed by local architect William Daniel McLennan, a contemporary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh , it
11772-483: Was the first man to have been called rí Alban (i.e. King of Alba ), when he died at Dunnottar in 900. This meant king of Caledonia or Scotland. All his predecessors bore the style of either King of the Picts or King of Fortriu . Such an apparent innovation in the Gaelic chronicles is occasionally taken to spell the birth of Scotland, but there is nothing special about his reign that might confirm this. Donald had
11881-643: Was the largest Baptist church in Europe. The exterior is made of old red sandstone. Inside, the church is decorated with wood carvings, mosaic floors and marble fonts. The church also contains a 3040 pipe Hill Organ. The St Mirin's Cathedral in Incle Street is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Paisley . The church was completed in 1931 to replace an earlier building, in nearby East Buchanan Street, which dated from 1808. The original St Mirin's church
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