90-515: Williamsburgh may refer to: Williamsburgh, a residential area of Paisley, Renfrewshire , Scotland, originally a separate village Williamsburg, Brooklyn , originally called Williamsburgh from 1802 to 1855 Rockville, Maryland , called Williamsburgh from 1784 to 1803 Williamsburg, Michigan , originally called Williasmburgh Williamsburgh, North Carolina See also [ edit ] Williamsburg (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
180-430: 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
270-574: 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
360-534: 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
450-669: 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
540-514: 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
630-620: 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
720-604: 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 the Cumbric basaleg , "basilica", (i.e. major church), derived from
810-531: 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
900-517: 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
990-530: Is believed that the pattern was included in the design as early as the 800s when the mosque was built. In early Iranian culture, the design was woven onto Termeh, one of the most valuable materials in early Iran where the design served to make clothing for the nobility. At this time, the Iranian nobility wore distinct uniforms called Khalaat, historically, the design was commonly found on the Khalaat uniforms. It
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#17327662749951080-484: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages 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 the Gleniffer Braes , the town borders the city of Glasgow to
1170-611: 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
1260-473: 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
1350-422: 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
1440-569: Is stated that at some point in the 1400s, Boteh was transported from Persia to Kashmir. In the same century, in the 1400s, some of the earliest recorded Kashmir shawls were produced in India, records from the 1500s, during Emperor Akbar's reign over the Mughal people in this area indicate that shawl making was already fashionable in India prior to Mughal conquest which took place in the early 1400s. It has been stated that during Emperor Akbars reign over
1530-579: Is still used today as the congregating point for the annual Sma' Shot parade which takes place on the first Saturday in July. Paisley (design) Paisley or paisley pattern is an ornamental textile design using the boteh ( Persian : بته ) or buta , a teardrop-shaped motif with a curved upper end. Of Culture of Iran origin, paisley designs became popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, following imports of post- Mughal Empire versions of
1620-652: 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 ,
1710-575: 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
1800-430: 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
1890-511: 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 a Church of Scotland parish church. One of Scotland's major religious houses, Paisley Abbey
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#17327662749951980-586: 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 the name of the town as having its roots in the Gaelic word Baisleac , which is, like
2070-470: The Paisley Park Records recording label and established Paisley Park Studios , both named after his 1985 song " Paisley Park ". The Paisley Underground was a music scene active around the same time. Paisley was a favorite design element of British-Indian architect Laurie Baker . He has made numerous drawings and collages of what he called "mango designs". He used to include the shape in
2160-530: 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
2250-493: 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 the town's museums and civic history. The town now functions as
2340-631: The buta is the convergence of a stylized floral spray and a cypress tree: a Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity . The "bent" cedar is also a sign of strength and resistance but modesty. The floral motif originated in the Sassanid dynasty , was used later in the Safavid dynasty of Persia (1501–1736), and was a major textile pattern in Iran during the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties. In these periods,
2430-566: 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
2520-631: 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 the town's population. The town's associations with political radicalism were highlighted by its involvement in
2610-713: The 1700s, Kashmir shawls were produced in the image that someone today would associate with modern paisley. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the British East India Company introduced Kashmir shawls from India to England and Scotland, where they were extremely fashionable and soon duplicated. The first place in the Western world to imitate the design was the town of Paisley in Scotland, Europe's top producer of textiles at this time. Before being produced in Paisley, thus gaining its name in Western culture,
2700-466: 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
2790-523: 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
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2880-540: 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 is of Cumbric or Gaelic origin, due to the linguistic shift that occurred around this time. The Roman name for Paisley
2970-592: 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
3060-401: The Mughal empire, boteh jegheh shawls were extremely popular and fashionable. While one shawl was traditionally worn previously, it was during the rule of Emperor Akbar that the emperor decided to wear two shawls at a time to serve as a status symbol. Along with wearing the shawls frequently, Emperor Akbar also used the shawls as gifts to other rulers and high officials. It is believed that by
3150-611: The United Kingdom applying their own spin to the design. In the 1800s, European production of paisley increased, particularly in the Scottish town from which the pattern takes its modern name. Soldiers returning from the colonies brought home cashmere wool shawls from India, and the East India Company imported more. The design was copied from the costly silk and wool Kashmir shawls and adapted first for use on handlooms, and, after 1820, on Jacquard looms . The paisley pattern also appeared on European-made bandanas from
3240-533: The United Kingdom. The earliest paisley shawls made in the United Kingdom, in Paisley, Scotland, were of fleece, a material with a soft, fluffy texture on one side. In Asia, the paisley shawls were primarily worn by males, often in formal or ceremonial contexts, but in Europe they were primarily worn instead by women. While still closely resembling its original form, the paisley design would change once it began to be produced in Western culture, with different towns in
3330-488: The buildings he designed also. At the 2010 Winter Olympics , Azerbaijan 's team sported colorful paisley trousers. It was the emblem of the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup , held in Azerbaijan. It was part of the emblem for the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup , held in India. The modern French words for paisley are boteh , cachemire (" cashmere "; not capitalized, which would mean " Kashmir ,
3420-663: The design from India, especially in the form of Kashmir shawls , and were then replicated locally. The English name for the patterns comes from the town of Paisley , in the west of Scotland , a centre for textiles where paisley designs were reproduced using jacquard looms . The pattern is still commonly seen in Britain and other English-speaking countries on men's ties , waistcoats , and scarfs, and remains popular in other items of clothing and textiles in Iran and South and Central Asian countries. Some design scholars believe
3510-599: The design remains common, appearing on jewellery, suit ties, pocket books, cake decorations, tattoos, mouse pads for computers, scarves, and dresses. Paisley bandanas, long a fixture of cowboys , came in the latter twentieth century to be worn by many blue-collar and labor workers as protection from dust and were sported by entertainers popular with such workers, such as the country musician Willie Nelson . The motif also influences furniture design internationally, with many countries applying paisley decoration to wallpaper, pillows, curtains, bed spreads, and like furnishings. In
3600-513: 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
3690-623: 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
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3780-410: The earliest influences for boteh jegheh's design with the shape representing the cypress tree, an ancient Zoroastrian religious symbol. Others contest that the earliest representation of the pattern's shape comes from the later Sassanid dynasty . The design was representative of a tear drop. Some will argue that boteh jegheh's origins stem from old religious beliefs and its meaning could symbolize
3870-470: The early 1800s, the patterns imitating Kashmir shawls. From roughly 1800 to 1850, the weavers of the town of Paisley in Renfrewshire , Scotland , became the foremost producers of Paisley shawls . Unique additions to their hand-looms and Jacquard looms allowed them to work in five colours when most weavers were producing paisley using only two. The design became known as the Paisley pattern . By 1860, Paisley could produce shawls with 15 colours, which
3960-546: 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 the country , although it does not have city status. The town became prominent in
4050-480: 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
4140-406: 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
4230-628: 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
4320-459: 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
4410-485: 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
4500-500: 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
4590-851: 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
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#17327662749954680-533: The mid- to late 1960s, paisley became identified with psychedelic style and enjoyed mainstream popularity, partly due to the Beatles . The style was particularly popular during the Summer of Love in 1967. The company Fender made a pink paisley version of their Telecaster guitar by sticking paisley wallpaper onto the guitar bodies. Prince paid tribute to the rock and roll history of paisley when he created
4770-572: The middle class and boosting the design's popularity even more. While the Western world appropriated much of Eastern culture and design, the Boteh design was by far the most popular. Records indicate that William Moorcroft , an English businessman and explorer, visited the Himalayan mountains in the mid-1800s; upon his arrival, he was enthralled by Boteh-adorned Kashmir shawls and tried to arrange for entire families of Indian textile workers to move to
4860-503: 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,
4950-553: 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
5040-453: 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
5130-501: The paisley design in Western culture. Popular culture in the United States developed a sort of fixation on eastern cultures, including many traditionally Indian styles. Paisley was one of them, being worn by the likes of the Beatles; even the guitar company Fender used the design to decorate one of their most famous electric guitars, the Fender Telecaster . Today, Brad Paisley plays a Telecaster decorated in that pattern, and
5220-472: The paisley motif was originally referred to by Westerners simply as "pine and cone." European technological innovation in textile manufacturing made Western imitations of Kashmir shawls competitive with Indian-made shawls from Kashmir. The shawls from India could be quite expensive at the time, but, with the industrial revolution taking place in Europe, paisley shawls were manufactured on a large scale, so lowering their price that they became commonplace among
5310-571: The pattern was used to decorate royal regalia , crowns, and court garments, as well as textiles used by the general population. Persian and Central Asian designs usually range the motifs in orderly rows, with a plain background. Another likely theory is that is based on the shape of a mango. There is significant speculation as to the origins and symbolism of boteh jegheh , or "ancient motif", known in English as paisley. With experts contesting different time periods for its emergence, to understand
5400-450: 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
5490-420: 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
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#17327662749955580-457: The precursors of the modern bandanna . Printed paisley was cheaper than the costly woven paisley, and this added to its popularity. The key places of printing paisley were Britain and the Alsace region of France. The peak period of paisley as a fashionable design ended in the 1870s, perhaps as so many cheap printed versions were on the market. The 1960s proved to be a time of great revival for
5670-471: The proliferation in the popularity of boteh jegheh design and eventually Paisley, it is important to understand South Asian history . The early Indo-Iranian people flourished in South Asia, where they eventually exchanged linguistic, cultural, and even religious similarities. The ancient Indo-Iranian people shared a religion called Zoroastrianism . Zoroastrianism, some experts argue, served as one of
5760-627: The region") and palme (" palm ", which – along with the pine and the cypress – is one of the traditional botanical motifs thought to have influenced the shape of the paisley element as it is now known). In various languages of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the design's name is related to the word for mango : In Chinese , it is known as the " ham hock pattern" ( Chinese : 火腿纹 ; pinyin : huǒtuǐwén ) in mainland China, or " Amoeba pattern" in Taiwan ( Chinese : 變形蟲 ; pinyin : biànxíngchóng ). In Russia , this ornament
5850-423: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Williamsburgh . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Williamsburgh&oldid=1165028939 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
5940-552: 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
6030-430: The sun, a phoenix, or even an ancient Iranian religious sign for an eagle. Around the same time, a pattern called Boteh was gaining popularity in Iran; the pattern was a floral design, and was used to represent elite status, mostly serving to decorate royal objects. The pattern was traditionally woven onto silk clothing using silver and gold material. The earliest evidence of the design being traded with other cultures
6120-504: 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
6210-635: 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
6300-549: 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
6390-465: 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
6480-579: 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 the Gallow Green. Their remains were buried at Maxwelton Cross in
6570-517: 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
6660-471: 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
6750-458: 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
6840-585: 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 , a major religious centre of the Kingdom of Strathclyde . A priory was established in 1163 from
6930-527: 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
7020-466: 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
7110-533: 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
7200-524: 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
7290-642: 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
7380-570: Was found at the Red Sea, with both Egyptian and Greek peoples trading from the 1400s. In Persian language, Boteh can be translated to shrub or bush, while in Kashmir it carried the same meaning but was referred to as Buta, or Bu. One of the earliest evidence of the pattern as it relates to Islamic culture has been found at Noh Gumba mosque, in the city of Balkh in Afghanistan, where it
7470-419: 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
7560-627: 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 the lands should become a single regality and, as a result, markets, trading and commerce began to flourish. In 1488
7650-435: 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
7740-460: 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
7830-421: 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 ,
7920-498: Was still only a quarter of the number used in the multicolour paisleys then still being imported from Kashmir. In addition to the loom-woven fabric, the town of Paisley became a major site for the manufacture of printed cotton and wool in the 1800s, according to the Paisley Museum and Art Galleries . In this process, the paisley pattern was printed, rather than woven, onto other textiles, including cotton squares which were
8010-519: 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
8100-590: 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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