Eganville – Renfrewshire Scotland and the County of Renfrew recently entered into a twinning relationship and a quick trip across the ocean shows a community of rich history as well as a tourism and travel hub with a fascinating town centre in Paisley and the historic town of Renfrew.

“Paisley is Scotland’s largest town,” Andrew Ferguson, the communications officer for Renfrewshire council, noted. “The town sits a 10-minute train ride west of Glasgow and is the administrative centre for Renfrewshire council.”

He answered some of the Leader’s questions about Renfrewshire, Paisley, the town of Renfrew and more as the bonds between Renfrew County and Renfrewshire are strengthened with the twinning partnership. Renfrewshire is home to 18 towns and villages. The area has wonderful transportation links including being home to Glasgow International Airport and Scotland’s fourth-busiest rail station – Paisley Gilmour Street.

“Renfrewshire council host a wide-ranging programme of popular annual events across the area, including Paisley Food and Drink Festival, the Spree music and arts festival, Sma’Shot Day in Paisley to celebrate the historic victory of local weavers and the award-wining Paisley Halloween Festival.

“Paisley’s name is known around the world as the home of the global fashion icon, the Paisley Pattern, popularized by the shawls made by the town’s weavers in the 19^th century,” he noted.

That Paisley Pattern “changed everything” for the Scottish town because it is instantly recognized around the world. It remains as iconic today as when it first originated in Kashmir shawls in the 11^th century in India. The designs came to western Europe in the 18^th century where they became a symbol of wealth and status among upper class women. Then European manufacturers began to try to imitate this rare and expensive product. According to information from Paisley, producing the shawls on looms required an extremely high level of skill and technology and Paisley was one of the few weaving centres in Europe prepared to meet the challenge. Paisley weavers had developed the expertise and technical skill while producing fine silk gauzes and figure muslins. With the improvement of the loom process and using five colours rater than two, the shawl manufacturers opened factories. By 1834 shawls were being produced in Paisley and they gained more popularity when Queen Victoria began wearing them. It is said she purchased 17. By the 1860s there were 71 shawl manufacturers operating in town and the “Paisley” shawl became more affordable and accessible.

The town was later the centre of the global thread industry with the firm of J&P Coats Ltd., which has its origins in the town and where at one point 90 percent of the world’s sewing thread was produced.

“The thread mills employed thousands well into the 20^th century, but the last one closed in the 1990s,” Mr. Ferguson said.

Because of the wealth in Paisley due to the textile industry, there is a stunning architectural legacy, he said.

“The town centre has the highest concentration of listed buildings in Scotland outside Edinburgh,” he noted.

These include Paisley Abbey, Paisley Town Hall, Scotland’s oldest public observatory – the Coats Observatory and the Thomas Coats Memorial Church – known as the Baptist Cathedral of Europe – which is now a wedding and events venue, he said. As well, the Sma’ Shot Cottages are a tourist attraction of historical significance in Paisley, offering a unique insight into two distinct periods of Paisley’s rich textile history. Featured is a fully restored and furnished 18^th century weaver’s cottage with artifacts of local interest and a tearoom. The weaver’s cottage was built in the 1740s and the layout matches written descriptions of the time. The cottage was a workshop as well as a home. There is also a row of mill workers houses from the 1840s.

The town of Renfrew itself has the distinction of being known as the Cradle of the Stewarts for its link with Scotland’s former royal house.

“One of the town’s most eye-catching sights is Renfrew Town Hall, a Category A listed mid-Victorian building often referred to as the Disney Castle in the centre of the town,” Mr. Ferguson said. “It also houses the Visit Scotland four-star Community Museum which tells the story of Renfrew’s rich heritage.”

Visitors to Renfrew can enjoy shops, restaurants, takeaways (take out), bars and leisure activities, he noted. As well, Braehead Shopping Centre and XSite is located in Renfrew and is one of Scotland’s leading shopping and entertainment destinations, with over one million square foot of retail space and a fantastic arena for events, he said.

Hockey fans would also feel at home in Renfrew, he added.

“The arena is home to the Glasgow Clan ice hockey team of the Elite Ice Hockey League,” he said.

Other attractions in Renfrew include the Renfrew Golf Club, the Inchinnan Bascule Bridge, which is the only surviving rolling lift bridge in Scotland and Robertson Park which offers various amenities and activities, he said.

“The town is also ideally placed for exploring the Renfrew Riverside area along the River Clyde,” he said.

For those who want to explore the great outdoors, there are a variety of options, including Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Barshaw Park and the Castle Semple Visitor Centre. There are also cycling routes. Someone planning a quick trip to Scotland might want to take in the Paisley Food and Drink Festival at the end of April.

More information on Paisley can be found at www.paisley.is.