Information AboutPaisley |
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The Town of Paisley ('''''Pàislig''''' in Scottish Gaelic ) is a large Town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland . It is the administrative capital of the Renfrewshire authority. The town is situated on the northern edge of the Gleniffer Braes on the banks of the River Cart , approximately 8 miles west-southwest of Glasgow . Glasgow International Airport , despite its name, is in fact located in Renfrewshire, and sits equidistantly between Paisley and neighbouring Renfrew . Paisley is the largest town in Scotland (below four of the country's five main cities). Towns and settlements surrounding Paisley include:
History Formerly known as ''Paislay'' (and still known as ''Pàislig'' in Gaelic), the town's name is derived either from the Brythonic word, ''Pasgill'', 'pasture', or more likely, ''passeleg'' 'basilica', (ie. major church), itself derived from the Greek ''basilika''. Paisley had monastic origins, due to a site near a waterfall, where a chapel is said to have been established by the 7th Century (?) Irish monk, Saint Mirin . It may have been a major religious centre of the Kingdom Of Strathclyde , along with Glasgow and Govan , though Paisley lacks contemporary documentation. A Cluniac priory was established in 1163 by Walter Fitz Alan (d. 1177 ), High Steward Of Scotland . 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 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 ), ancestess 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. Many trades sprung up and the first schools were established; and by the mid-nineteenth century, weaving had become the town's main industry. Paisley is still very well-known for the Paisley Shawl and its distinctive Pattern , which originated around this time. Mainly on account of the weaving fraternity, Paisley gained notoriety as being a literate and somewhat radical town, although it could be argued in a fiercely positive direction, by this time there was a real mixture of religious opinions and healthy drink-fuelled debate raged at night amongst the weavers, poets, merchants, masons and others. The poet Robert Tannahill lived in this setting, working as a weaver. The weavers of Paisley were also active in the Radical War of 1820. Currently Paisley suffers many problems common to towns throughout central Scotland. In the last 10 years, the development of out-of-town retail sites, in combination with a poorly-planned town centre pedestrianisation and an unfathomable one-way road system around the town centre, has led to a loss of many retail outlets and poor access to the town centre. The once bustling High Street of Paisley is a shadow of its former self. This is a result of unimaginative local government-sanctioned town planning. Many of the town's citizens feel that they deserve better. St. Mirren F.C. , the local Paisley Scottish Premier League football (soccer) team, have currently been given planning permission to move to a new 10,000 seater stadium from their home on the towns Love Street to one located on Greenhill Road to help regenerate the deprived Ferguslie Park area. Despite their last major success being the Scottish Cup of 1987 where thousands crowded the streets to see the team and having only enjoyed a brief spell in the SPL in recent memory, the support in the town for the team is still good and attendances are among the highest in the First Division. They have a very active youth development system and are part of the social fabric of the town. This was demonstrated when at a Renfrewshire Council planning committee board meeting on the new stadium and supermarket to replace Love Street came to be heard. With the initial recommendation that St.Mirren be denied permission for the supermarket but allowed the stadium, something that threatened the future of the club due to the supermarket being only solution to clear its debts, some 300 buddies stood outside the final meeting of Renfrewshire Council in Cotton Street on a dry Tuesday Morning in support. The club was granted permission at this meeting with a majority vote of 9-5 in favour. Paisley folk, or 'Buddies', as they refer to themselves, are very proud of their town and are fiercely loyal to it. In recent years, support for full city status has been gathering momentum. The town already meets the criteria for city status, boasting both a Cathedral and a University . Rivalry with the town's larger and more dominant west coast neighbour, Glasgow, runs strong, and to call a Buddie a Glaswegian is met with a similar reaction to a Scot being called English. Buddies are also very friendly and pragmatic people. Perhaps traces of the radical working class thinkers remain. John Wilson, the maternal great-grandfather of US President Ronald Reagan , was born in Paisley in 1812 . The former President visited Paisley in 1991 and attended a service at Castlehead church, where some of his Scottish ancestors were married and are buried. Areas of Paisley The town of Paisley is divided into the following districts and communities:
See also
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