Today not many people think of Neilston as being part of Renfrewshire. It sits in the modern day council area of East Renfrewshire, which was separated from the old county of Renfrew along with inverclyde at the last local government reform.
It is said that Neilston derrives its name for a person called Neil, who settled in the4 vicinity of the parish church in antiquity and called his settlement ‘Neils-toun’. One of the first written records for Neilston comes in 1227 when the church of Neilston is granted to Paisley Abbey by William de Hertford (any guesses as to where he was from?) in return for half of the corn tithes of Thornton. This grant was confirmed in 1227 by the Bishop of Glasgow and Pope Honorius. An agreement between the Paisley monks and the Bishop of Glasgow allowed the church to be used by the Abbey for its own purposes exempt any financial demands from the Bishop or See of Glasgow.
The Abbey held the church of Neilston until the reformation. They employed a curate to hold regular services and took the income from the church to help support the Abbey. The surviving rental books for Paisley Abbey show that the properties of the church of Neilston were leased out to the value of £66 13 shillings and 4 pence per year. From the reformation, until 1587 it was held by Claud Hamilton, the last Commendator (Lay Abbot) of Paisley Abbey. In 1587 the entire estate of Paisley Abbey was given to Claud Hamilton as a heritable Estate, and he took the title Lord Claud Hamilton. The estate of Paisley Abbey, including Neilston, was inherited by Claud’s grandson, James Earl of Abercorn who then sold the estate in 1652 to the Earl of Angus. Within a year the lands had been sold on again to William, Lord Cochran in 1653.. The patronage of the church at Neilston was acquired by Alexander Speirs of Elderslie in 1775.
The current Parish Church was built in 1762, with it’s spire and clock. The Village held four annual fairs and was home to 472 individuals in 1791, by 1821 the population had almost doubled to 800. Within the parish itself, there were other manufacturing villages, with the population of Parish in 1755 being 1299 individuals, rising to 6548 individuals in 1821.
The Weavers of Kilbarchan project aims to investigate the weavers of Kilbarchan Parish from the 17th Century through until the 1921 Census. In addition to the census information the project will also use contemporary 17th & 18th Century records such a Poll Tax, Hearth Tax and other Tax rolls to trace the rise and fall of the weaving industry within the parish.
As you can see from the map above Kilbarchan is a fairly large parish. The parish is enclosed by the red line.
Weaving became the main industry of Kilbarchan during late 18th and early 19th Centuries and many of the houses in Kilbarchan village today have ther origins as wavers cottages, though only one still survives witha working loom – the National Trust for Scotland’s Weavers Cottage on Church Street.
Entrance to the NTS Weavers cottage with a 1723 date stoneabove the door.
This is a smal window looking into the loom room at the weavers cottage, but it was originally a door into the wesving shop, with a marriage lintel for Robert King & Grizal Marshal above it.
The Weavers of Kibarchan historical research project aims to investigate everyone in the parish of Kilbarchan who worked as weavers and where they lived.
Funds received will go directly to the research and support of project website. To access the Scottish Census records at the ScotlandsPeople centre in Edinburgh costs £15 per day along with travelling expenses of around £25 (£40 in total per day) It is hoped that once the pandemic restrictions are relaxed, and the ScotlandsPeeople centre reopens most of the research can be carried out there.
Research can be carried out online via scotlandspeople.gov.uk at £40 or 160 Credits which allows 27 census records to be looked at, compared to unlimited views in the centre.
Funds will also be used to produce a final publication.
The start date for the project will be the 1st April 2021 with the intention to complete the project with 2 years.
Why we want to do this project While preparing a talk on the weavers of Kilbarchan in 2019 it became very apparent that previous research has focused on the weaving processes and the buildings associated with the industry and not the people. Being a genealogist as well as a historian made me start thinking of the people themselves – who were they? Can we put names to properties in the parish/ village? Can we trace the family connections such as children following in their parent’s footsteps or did they move into different parts of the textile industry in the area?
Through the project I hope to answer these questions.
About The Urban Historian
Stephen, The Urban Historian, graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in History, and went on to complete a Masters in Multimedia from the then University of Paisley. Stephen has worked as an archaeologist on many archaeological digs in Paisley, Renfrewshire and beyond, and has taught local history, archaeology and family history at the University of the West of Scotland and the University of Dundee.
Stephen is a former chair of Paisley Thread Mill Museum and former member of the Renfrewshire Local History Forum. In addition to this he has also advised the Renfrewshire Tapestry Group on historical aspects of the old County of Renfrew along with other historical projects for Renfrewshire Council.
Stephen’s personal research interests include the rise of linen and cotton thread manufacturing industry in Renfrewshire & Paisley along with the history of the Anchor and Ferguslie Thread Mills in Paisley and their national & international domination.
Everyone who supports the fundraiser will receive the final report and updates on the project.
We appreciate the support of the community.
The Urban Historian’s website is www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk
A brief history of the medieval estate to the 20th Century
Ferguslie today is seen as a large housing scheme – totally unrecognisable from its medieval origins. The name Ferguslie is most likely derived from “the meadow of Fergus” but who was this Fergus? We will probably never know.
The lands that comprise Ferguslie were given to Paisley Abbey, possibly around 1220 when Walter, The Steward granted the lands of the Forrest of Paisley to the Abbey. The grant included the forest that lay between the Black Cart & White Cart.
The link below shows the area as it was in the mid 18th Century in General Roy’s Map of Scoland.
The earliest recorded name with Ferguslie comes from the Abbey Rental book in 1460 when a widow, Matilde de Craig pays the Abbey £3 along with Cart Service on lands worth £6. (As a widow she would have been given a discount). It is highly possible that area Craigielea takes its name from her family.
The next named tenant is a Ninian Wallace paying rent in 1522 and 1523. In 1544 the Registrum de Monasterii de Paslet records John Hamilton obtaining the grant of the lands from John Hamilton, Abbot of Paisley – possibly a relation. The John Hamilton who obtained the lands was a descendant of the Hamiltons of Orbieston. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland records John renting the lands in 1547 and becoming the owner of the lands in 1551. John Hamilton, Laird of Ferguslie died in 1557.
On Johns death his granddaughter, Margaret Wallace, inherited the estate. Margaret was married to a John Wallace of Elderslie – son of William Wallace of Elderslie who was Chamberlain to James, Earl of Abercorn. A condition of the inheritance was that Margaret was to change her surname to Hamilton which she duly did in 1609. She became better known as ‘Margaret Hamilton, The Guidewife of Ferguslie‘
By 1710 the estate had been sold to William Cochran, son of Colonel Hugh Cochrane, a younger brother of the Earl of Dundonald. The last Cochrane to live in the Castle or house of Ferguslie was Mrs Grizel Cochrane, sister of the 6th Earl of Dundonald. Grizel died on the 12th September 1753 at Cardonald, but on the 6th July 1748 her brother-in-law, put the Ferguslie Estate up for auction in Edinburgh. John Hare and Robert Fulton bought the estate on behalf of the Town Council of Paisley for £33,000 Scots or £2,700 Sterling. The town council held the estate until around 1800 when they sold the estate along with that of Carriagehill for the grand sum of £12,000, giving a nice cash boost to the town.
Until this time the Castle or House of Ferguslie lay to the north of the estate, close to the site of the much later Ferguslie Park House (known later as the Glen-Coats Hospital) of which only the gatehouse still survives.
The new owner of the Estate was Thomas Bisland, a wealthy Paisley Merchant, and son of the Town Treasurer. Thomas constructed a new manor house to the extreme south of the estate, naming it Ferguslie House. In 1811 Thomas became bankrupt and the estate was divided into two, along the route of the later railway. The northern portion of the estate with the old castle or house was purchased by John Campbell of Edinburgh. The southern portion centered on Ferguslie House was purchased by Miss John Maxwell of Williamwood, who in 1818 sold it on to Lorrain Wilson another Paisley Merchant. Lorrain Wilson upgraded the house and it passed to his son and then grandson in sequence. James Wilson, the grandson, sold it in 1845 to Thomas Coats.
Ferguslie House
The northern portion of the estate was passed to John Campbell’s widow – Elizabeth Barr in 1853 and when she died the property was sold to Thomas Coats on the 16th Feb 1872. The purchase by Thomas reunited the northern and southern estates of Ferguslie under one owner, but the northern estate was renamed Ferguslie Park, and in 1890 a new mansion was constructed for Thomas’ son, Sir Thomas Glen-Coats.
Ferguslie Park House often hosted large parties. In 1926 when Lord Asquith stood as the Liberal candidate in a Paisley parliamentary election the house hosted a large party where Lord & Lady Asquith, David Lloyd George and his daughter Megan along with Lady Bonham Carter.
Fergusie Park House
Sir Thomas Glen-Coats died in 1922 to be succeeded by his son Sir Thomas Coats Glen Glen-Coats.
In 1931 Woodside House, the neighbouring estate to Ferguslie House, also in possession the Coats family was given to Paisley as a home for mothers and children. This was through the will of W H Coats, another of the Coats brothers. W H Coats died in 1928 and his will stated the house should be transferred to the town council on the death of his wife.
Woodside House
The donation of Woodside in 1931 led to an article in the Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette on the 23rd May 1931 calling on Ferguslie Park House to be given to Paisley as a replacement for the Barshaw Nursing Home (Maternity). It wasn’t until 1933 when Major A Harold Glen-Coats died that Ferguslie Park House was offered to the trustees of the Royal Alexandria Infirmary in memory of his parents, Sir Thomas & Lady Glen-Coats and Major Harold.
In 1934 the trustees of the Royal Alexandria Infirmary decided to convert the house into a 14 bed hospital with provision made for the number of beds to be increased or decreased as funds permitted. The Glen-Coats Auxiliary Hospital opened on the 19th July 1934 with 25 beds, due to a donation of £5,000 from Sir Thomas Glen Glen-Coats, his sister Mrs E H T Parsons and Major Harold’s widow. The hospital operated until 1973, and was demolished in 1982 after 9 years of dereliction and vandalism. Today the gatehouse and part of the garden survive.
Also during the 1930s the Ferguslie Houe Estate was given to the Town of Paisley by Miss Margaret & Miss Lily Coats, two of Thomas Coats’ daughters. The house was demolished and the estate was turned into the park we know today.
Based on work researched by Stephen Clancy & David Campbell in 1997 as part of the ‘Ferguslie Park History Project’ based in the former Fergulsie Park House / Glen Coats Lodge on Blackstone Rd, Fergusie Park, Paisley.
Paisley Canal Disaster 1810, list of those who died & survived
On the 10th November 1810, 10 days afte the canal opened, the duchess of Eglington, skippered by Thomas Rhodes was returning from Johnstone with an excursion.
_____
Awaiting the arrival of the boat from Johnstone, there was, in the forenoon, a large assemblage of people, mainly youths and children, who, in the enjoyment of their holiday, had been drawn to the Canal Basin, either from curiosity or with the intention to take a passage in the fly boat to Johnstone. As those desirous to go in the boat far exceeded in number its capacity to carry them, the crowd got excited and unruly, and to secure a passage pressed forward towards the banks of the Canal. No sooner did the boat touch the bank than attempts were made by many, before the Johnstone passengers were landed, to force their way into the boat; and in a few minutes every part of it was filled, and particularly the top deck, where, reckless of all consequences and not for a moment dreading danger, a number far in excess of what the boat could safely carry, were densely packed together, while other parts of the boat were equally overcrowded. The crowd on the banks seeing that the boat was in danger of being overturned from an excess of top-weight, shouted to the crowd of young persons to keep back, and to the boatmen to push the boat away from the warff; but some time before this could be done the boatmen found that they were quite unable to control those already on board, or to prevent others from forcing there way into it. But, alas, it was too late for the safety of those on board, the ropes fastening the boat to the bank were unloosed, and, being pushed a few feet off, the boat instantly capsized, and all the passengers who were on the top deck were thrown into the water, and the cabin was filled with water through the windows, those who were in there were thus also put in great danger, and some were drowned.
The list presented below shows those who died, occupation, address and age. The 2nd table shows those who survived with notes about those who escaped by swimming, and those who were seriously ill follwing the accident. (note s. is son of & d. is daughter of)
Name
Occupation
Address
Age
1
Thomas Crawford
weaver
Corse st.
47
2
Jean Craig, wife of Robert Andrew,
do.
46
3
Helen Andrew, d. of Robert
tambourer
do.
15
4
Janet Andrew, d. of Robert
do.
4
5
Ann Andrew, d. of Robert
do.
1
6
Jean Hill, d. of John,
do.
17
7
Janet Hill, d. of John
4
8
John Warnock, s. of Andrew,
drawer
do.
11
9
Agnes Warnock, d. of Andrew
do.
16 months
10
John Baird, step-sisters. of Wm. Nish
drawer
Cotton St.
11
11
William Parker
weaver
Gauze st.
22
12
James Baillie
weaver
Williamsburgh
24
13
Catherine Wright, d. of Duncan,
Pollockshaws
14
14
John Finlayson
weaver and florist seedsman
Seedhills
63
15
William Smith, s. of Robert,
weaver
New st.
12
16
James Devatt, s. of Widow,
drawer
New st.
10
17
James Craig Barr, s. of Allan,
weaver
Shuttle st.
13
18
Jas. Pinkerton, s. of James,
drawer
Canal st.
13
19
Matthew Morris, s. of Alexander,
weaver
do.
13
20
Duncan Keith, or McGee, s. of Duncan,
weaver
do.
12
21
Jean Ronald, d. of John,
manufacturer
do.
11
22
Agnes Ronald, d. of John.
do.
do.
9
23
Andrew Brown, s. of Thomas,
weaver
Storie st.
13
24
John Fisher, s. of Hugh,
weaver
do.
12¾
25
John Shedden, s. of Robert,
weaver
do.
13½
26
Jean Colquhoun, d. of James,
clipper
do.
14
27
Betty Ewing, d. of Robert,
do.
5
28
Janet Thomson, step-d. of Robert Ewing,
clipper
do.
14
29
Isabella Boag, d. of George,
clipper
do.
12
30
Jean Boag, d. of George,
clipper
do.
10
31
Jean Whitehill, d. of James,
clipper
High st.
16
32
John Anderson, s. of James,
drawer
do.
9½
33
Alexander Calder, s. of Davd,
drawer
do.
12
34
James Campbell, s. of Widow,
drawer
do.
9
35
Alexander Brown, s. of Widow,
weaver
Wellmeadow
14
36
Mary McKegg, d. of John,
darner
Lady Lane
21
37
James Lochhead, s. of Widow,
do.
13
38
Jean Robertson, d. of Robert,
clipper
Wellmeadow
14
39
Barbara Mitchell, d. of William,
tambourer
Westbrae
15
40
Archibald Combe, an orphan,
Lonewells
10
41
William Smith, s. of Thomas,
drawer
do.
11
42
Michael Houston, Backrow,
weaver
Sandholes
60
43
Margaret Turnbull, d. of James,
Broomland st.
14
44
George Turnbull, s. of James,
do.
10
45
Robert Stevenson, s. of Robert,
cooper
do.
15
46
Margaret Elliot, d. of William,
clipper
King st.
14
47
Margaret Russell, d. of Malcolm,
Broomlands
13
48
Eliz. Neil, d. of John,
tambourer
do.
14
49
Joseph Wilson, s. of Joseph,
weaver
Millerston
12
50
William Hamilton, s. of William,
weaver
do.
13½
51
Peter Burgess,
weaver
Maxwellton
24
52
Janet Beith, wife of J. Hopkins,
weaver
Maxwellton
22
53
Margaret McGregor, d. of Walter,
clipper
do.
10
54
William Beith,
weaver
do.
50
55
John Beith, s. of William,
drawer
do.
11
56
Agnes Beith, d. of William,
drawer
do.
9
57
Peter Livingstone, orphan,
weaver
do.
15
58
John Tunks,
weaver
Newton st.
20
59
Thomas Tudhope, s. of William,
weaver
do.
16
60
James Gibb, s. of Widow,
weaver
West st.
16
61
David Kirkwood, s. of Wm.,
weaver
Maxwellton st.
18
62
Ann Niven, step d. of D. McIntyre,
clipper
Queen st.
17
63
Mrs. Peacock, wife of Allan,
Castle st.
50
64
Allan Peacock, s. of Allan,
drawer
do.
11
65
William Peacock, s. of Allan,
do.
6
66
Robert Watson, s. of Robert,
do.
13
67
John Rowand,
weaver
Ralston square
29
68
Agnes Rowand, d. of John
6 months.
69
Elizabeth Downie, d. of William,
clipper
George st.
15
70
John Douglas, s. of Hugh,
drawer
Carriagehill
10
71
David Gilmour, s. of William,
weaver
do.
20
72
James Kennedy, s. of George,
weaver
Lylesland
16
73
Robert Sproul, s. of John,
weaver
Lylesland
16
74
James King, s. of James,
do.
13
75
William Dunn, s. of Alexander,
drawer
do.
10
76
Maxwell Cunningham, d. of Robert,
Causeyside
14
77
Thomas Watson, s. of Thomas, soldier in the Argyleshire Militia.
drawer
Causeyside
9
78
John Allison, s. of John,
weaver
Gordon’s lone
14
79
Janet Morrison, d. of widow,
clipper
Prussia st.
30
80
John McDonald, s. of widow,
weaver
do.
23
81
John Blair, s. of John,
manufacturer,
Orchard st.
5
82
Walter Carswell, s. of Robert,
merchant,
Moss st
12
83
Alexander Biggar, s. of John,
stocking maker
do.
13
84
John McLachlan, s. of Peter,
weaver
do
14
85
Margaret Craig, d. of James.
Uplay Muir, Neilston
22
Additional list of people who were on the deck of the COUNTESS OF EGLINTON when she capsized, on the 10th November, 1810, and were saved.
Name
Occupation
Address
Related to Person No.
86
ɤ Mrs Crawford, wife of Thomas,
1
87
Robert Andrew, husband of Jean Craig,
2
88
Jean Andrew, daughter of Robert,
87
89
John Hill, wife (90), and d. Margaret (91),
6
92
Andrew Warnock, wife (93), and d. Elizabeth (94),
8
95
Robert Finlayson, s. of William,
Lawn st.
96
Ϯ Robert Lang,
weaver
Cotton st.
97
Ϯ Mrs. Robert Lang and Ϯ child (98),
96
99
Robert Boyd,
weaver
Cotton st.
100
James Robertson,
weaver
Thread st.
101
֍ John Sclater,
starcher
Abbey st.
102
Allan Clark,
do.
103
Ϯ John While,
weaver
Croft st.
104
James Reid, s. of James,
do.
105
Ϯ Christian Thomson,
Sneddon.
106
Daniel McKellar,
weaver
Love st.
107
James Parker, s. of James,
Glen st.
108
Rachel Wright, d. of Peter,
Canal st.
109
James and Robert Barrie (110), sons of John,
do.
111
Alexander McIntyre,
weaver
Storie st.
112
Hugh Boyd,
do.,
113
Alexander Monro,
do.,
114
James Thomson,
do.,
115
Robert Fulton,
do.,
116
Robert Ross,
drawer
do.
117
Peter M’ Alpine,
do.
118
Allan McFarlane, s. of Dugald,
do.
119
Andrew Sheddan, s. of Andrew,
High st.
120
Ϯ Lydia Lang, d. of Robert,
do.
121
Humphry Wilson, s. of Mrs. W.,
do.
122
William, Robert (123), and Adam (124) McGibbon,
do.
125
Jean Cleland, d. of John,
do.
126
Margaret Wilkie,
do.
127
Edward Graham,
drawer
do.
128
David and John Fisher (129), s. of David,
do.
130
Alexander Smith, s. of William,
Lady-lane.
131
Ϯ James Adam,
weaver
do.
132
Robert Adam, s. of James,
129
133
֍ Robert Erskine, s. of James,
Lady-lane.
134
John Auld, s. of Thomas, do.
135
AlexanDer Kerr, s. of John,
Ferguslie.
136
֍ Thomas Rhodes,
captain of the boat.
137
֍ Archibald Storie,
assistant
do.
138
Rt. and Wm. (139) McMillan, s. of James.,
Lonewells.
140
Daniel Young,
weaver
do.
141
James Millar, s. of John,
weaver
Sandholes.
142
Ϯ Janet Henderson, d. of Mrs H.,
do.
143
John Wright, s. of Walter,
Broomland st.
144
Peter Milton, s. of Peter,
do.
145
Andrew Chirrey, s. of James,
do.
146
Alexander McMath, s. of James,
do.
147
John Remy, s. of John,
do.
148
Ϯ Peter McAlpin, s. of Alexander,
John st.
149
James, Ann (150), and Helen (151) Hamilton,
King st.
152
Janet Thomson, d. of James,
do.
153
Ϯ Mary Leckie, d. of John,
John st.
154
William Wallace, s. of William,
Broomlands.
155
Mary Crawford, d. of James,
Ferguslie.
156
Wm. Mitchel, weaver
burnlip, Millerstone.
157
John Smith, s. of John,
do.
158
John Millar, s. of John,
do.
159
James Beith, s. of John,
Maxwellton.
160
Ϯ Elizabeth Boag,
do.
161
Mary and Ϯ Helen (162) McFarlane,
do.
163
Janet Chalmers, d. of Tarbet,
do.
164
Agnes McGregor, wife of Peter Burgess.
165
John Hopkins, husband of Janet Beith.
166
James Wood, grandson of David Gordon.
167
Andrew Cochran, s. of John,
Maxwellton st.
168
Jean Gibson, d. of John,
do.
169
֍ Allan Peacock,
weaver
Castle st.
63
170
Ϯ Jean Peacock, d. of Allan,
do.
63
171
Ann Whiteford, d. of Mrs. W.,
do.
172
Mrs. Rowand, wife of John,
67
173
Ϯ John Rowand, s. of John,
67
174
Ϯ James Morrison, s. of Wm.,
Ralston sq.
175
֍ David Patterson,
weaver
do.
176
֍ Alexander Laird, s. of Alex.,
George st.
177
֍ Finlay Kerr,
weaver
do.
178
Ϯ James Tannahill, s. of Matthew,
do.
179
William Grierson,
weaver
Carriagehill.
180
John Lambie, s. of William,
Causeyside.
181
Isabel Brown, d. of Archibald,
do.
182
Ϯ Andrew McAlpin, s. of Mrs. McA.,
do.
183
William Pullar, s. of William,
do.
184
֍ William Rowand,
weaver
Causeyside.
185
John Bryson,
drawer
do.
186
John Fyfe, s. of the late Archd.
do.
187
Jean Allison, d. of John,
78
188
Mrs. Murdoch M’Donald,
Prussia st.
189
Jean and Margaret (190) Swan, d. of Robert.
191
Ϯ John Murray,
Taylor
Moss st.
192
֍Robert Walker, ,
reed-maker
Moss st.
193
John Stevenson,
Moss st.
194
֍ Alexander Whitehill,
weaver
Sclates.
195
John Clark,
weaver
do.
196
Hugh Aitken,
weaver
Johnstone.
197
John Rowand, do.
do.
198
Margaret Craig,
do.
199
John Robertson,
drawer
Canal st.
200
John Rowand,
weaver
Johnstone.
Those marked Ϯ were extremely ill; those marked ֍ made their own way out by swimming; and those marked ɤ later died.
The information presented her was originally published in Vanduara, or Odds and Ends published by William Hector in 1880.
Please feel free to share the page, but please do not extract or copy the information in this format.
Today when the name Bargarran is mentioned, we always turn our mind to 1696 and the last mass witch hunt in Scotland that led to the execution of 7 people in Paisley on the 10th October 1697. But the events that unfolded there in 1696 were preceded by a mysterious death in 1676.
In the Winter of 1676, John Shaw (Christian Shaw’s grandfather) died in mysterious circumstances, with his body being discovered the following spring, as though he had died the day before.
The account was described by Robert Law the son of the minister of Inchinnan Church, the neighbouring parish to Erskine.
There was a gentleman, John Shaw of Bargarran, in Erskine Parish. He always used to ride across the water of Gryfe, which was between his house and Paisley. The River Gryfe was often deep late at night. Being at Paisley one night, he came late out of the town to go home, something ordinary to him, and it being very dark, he came to the water side at the ford, (Allan’s ford). He called to his servant that was riding with him to cross the water first. The servant told him it was deep, due to high tide, and that it was also very dark. John Shaw believed he could cross and set his horse to begin crossing the river.
The servant thinking Shaw was too adventurous stayed behind, waiting to see what would become of him. When Shaw was halfway across, the other man heard him groan heavily, and then nothing more. Suspecting Shaw might have been thrown from the horse the servant then went to the nearest house and stayed all night.
Meanwhile, ‘Bargarran’, Shaws horse returned home, alone with bridle and saddle still intact but without his master around 11 or 12pm. Shaws Lady and children were amazed at this and concluded that he had perished crossing the water.
Early the next morning his family and neighbours began to look for him, and not only seek him between the house and the river, but also by boat searching all the river to the Clyde and along the Clyde along the Bargarran Estates River Bank. He was not found, and they gave up searching for him.
Four months later, in the spring, his body was found near two miles of the water, and a mile from Bargarran House, in a ditch at the end of a moor. (Those gentlemen who had searched the area in the winter declared that in their searching during the winter they had searched that area “and found nothing like him in it).
What was remarkable, was that his right hand had been cut off; his private members were cut off; his cloths and boots not wet, nor in anyway spoiled. Papers in his pocket were bone dry, his gold that wore was found on him. (Among which papers there was a discharge of an account he had just received from a Paisley merchant, who, ‘believing that his payment had been lost with John Shaw in the river, had again paid his son for the same count already payed). Shaw’s hat Iay beside him, and his leather-cap was in place on his head with the string of his hat around his collar, which was normal for him when he was riding in dark nights or on windy nights. Shaw’s body found, fresh, as if he were newly deceased. When his boots were taken off, one of his heels bled.
All men were sensible that he was brought to that untimely death by the hidden works of darkness (witchcraft) but how to investigate this, his relations knew not.
Where did the event take place?
In the early part of the story it is said that Shaw crossed the River Gryffe at Allans Ford. Alans Farmstead is shown on Roy’s Military Survey Map on what we now know as the Black Cart Water, below the confluence of the River Gryffe with the Black Cart. It is assumed the Ford named after the farm, would be in close proximity to the property. See https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=55.88360&lon=-4.43515&layers=4&b=1. If you look at the Ordnance Survey 6 inch map of 1843 – 1882 there is a track running from Easter Yonderton Farm toward the Black Cart Water and terminates on the river bank beside a small island. On the opposite bank there appears to be the remains of a track running along the land boundary between Allans Farm and Townhead of Inchinnan. It is very possible this is the route Shaw had taken, and the site of Allans Ford. See https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=55.88139&lon=-4.43411&layers=5&b=1.
Today the site of Allans Farm is off Inchinnan Drive, with the Rolls Royce factory sitting on the norther end of the farmstead. The present open farmland between Inchinnan Drive and the Black Cart Water would be part of the original farm. See https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.8800711,-4.4325068,1082m/data=!3m1!1e3. If you zoom in on the island at the centre of this satellite image, you can see possible remains of two fords on either side of the island.
The site of the location of Shaw’s remains, remains a mystery. Described as “near two miles of the water, and a mile from Bargarran House, in a ditch at the end of a moor” would imply to me that his remains were found along the banks of the River Clyde, having been washed down river as the tide went out. Allans Ford/ Farm is 2.5 miles from Bargarran House, and if you go upriver from the ford, you are further away from the house. To be around a mile from the house means the only possible water he could have been found in is the Clyde, somewhere around Newshot Island or in front of Erskine House.
I will leave it to you to decide what really happened.
The information presented in this blog is (c) Stephen Clancy, The Urban Historian – 20 October 2020
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Improvements around Abbey Close, 1860 – 1933 is a short book talking about the removal of post reformation housing around Paisley Abbey and is accompanied by many before and after pictures. This volume (aIT-RH3) is currently out of print, and has been made available for consultation for a few weeks.
If you download please make a donation through Buy Me a Coffee on the right hand side of the page. This book normaly sells for £6 in print.
Today withing the Choir of Paisley Abbey sits the “Tomb” of Marjory Bruce, daughter of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland and wife of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland.
While researching a Walter Stewart for a chapter in ‘Conquered by No One’ on the Declaration of Arbroath, my attention was once again drawn to Marjory.
Marjory was Robert Bruce’s only daughter of Robert Bruce and Isabella of Mar. She was born around 1296. In 1306, Robert sent his wife, daughter and other female members of his family to the North of Scotland for safety. Unfortunatly they were captured and sent South to Edward of England, who was then at Lanercost Priory in Cumberland. Elizabeth de Burgh , Bruce’s second wife, was placed under house arrest in a manor house in Yorkshire along and Marjory was sent to the Gilbertine Nunnery at Watton.
Following the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Walter Stewart was sent to England to negotiate for the released of Elizabeth de Burgh, Marjory, and others including the Bishop of Glasgow. Walter was successful, and he escorted the group back to Scotland.
Within a year Marjory had married Walter, gaining her hand no doubt due to his actions at the Battle of Bannockburn and in the successful release of the prisoners from England.
Spending a lot of time with Walter in the Castle of Renfrew, Marjory fell pregnant. At this point in time in Medieval Europe it would be common for a lady of her status to be confined to here rooms within the Castle, or within quarters at the local Monastery for her own safety during pregnancy. So the story I’m about to tell must be taken as local folklore –
It is said that while out hunting or riding near the ‘Knock’ what was a low hill between Paisley and Renfrew, (now the site of Gallowhill Housing Estate) Marjory fell from her horse, possibly breaking bones in her neck. It is said that Monks from Paisley Abbey tended her, and seeing that her life was in danger, performed a cesarean birth, bringing her son Robert Stewart, later to be King Robert II of Scotland, into the world. Within a few hours, Marjory had died of her injuries. Her body was buried within the Monastery of Paisley along with the remains of all of the other High Stewards of Scotland and their families.
Burials of the Fitz Alans
All of the High Stewards of Scotland from the founder of Abbey were buried withing the Monastery of Paisley. Today we have two memorials within the Choir of the Abbey, one for Marjory Bruce and one for King Robert III, her grandson. But it is most likely that they were not buried within the Priory/ Abbey building at all.
The earliest burial recorded for the family is c.1177, 15 years after the foundation charter was signed at Fotheringhay Castle. By 1177 the initial monastic buildings (built of timber) would have been constructed. these would most likely have included a chapel, hospital, dormitory and kitchens – enough to keep the community of 13 monks sheltered while construction of the main Priory buildings proceeded.
A charter of 1177 by Eschina, Walter Fitz Alan, 1st High Steward of Scotland’s wife says :
… Margaret, the daughter to my soul, and such as they Paisley in the chapter lies, and was buried…
Register of the Monastery of Paisley, p74 forgive my crude translation. See end for the full charter in Latin
It would appear that Walter & Eschina’s daughter, Margaret had died at a young age and was buried within the Monastery of Paisley. The charter refers to the Chapter of Paisley. This could refer to the Chapter House, roughly where the shop is today within the Abbey. It is more likely though the early Chapter House would have been elsewhere, maybe not even constructed by then. It is fairly possible that Margaret’s burial may have taken place in the Lady Chapel which would have been close to the Hospital. I’ve included a map produced by the late Philip Edward McWilliams in 1988 as part of his PhD, and highlighted the position of the Hospital and Lady Chapel below. Today the location of the Lady Chapel would be under Cotton St., close to the entrance of the Council Offices car park.
Hospital is G – Lady chapel is N (Purple)
The monument in the choir to Marjory, as pictured below, has had a chequered history. Rev Cameron Lees in his definative history of the Abbey in 1878 states:
There has been considerable controversy as to the credibility of the tradition which assigns this tomb to Marjory Bruce
Lees, Abbey of Paisley, p221
a lot has been written about the ‘tomb’ in the Society of Antiqaries ‘Archaeologia Scotica’ published in 1822 (see link below)
The tomb was said to reside in the St Mirin Chapel but sometime after the reformation it was dismantled and placed within the cloister garden. The Rev Boag, then found the architectural fragments and proceeded to ‘restore’ Marjory’s tomb. It is most likely that he found fragments of architectural stonework deemed to be important that had been discovered post collapse of the tower of the Abbey, creating the tomb we know today.
In 1956 the ‘tomb’ was moved from the St Mirin chapel to the Choir of the Abbey. Images taken at the time show the scale of the stones used to create the tomb. The effigy which sits on top of the tomb, is later than the 14th Century, and probably is of another person of note in Paisley.
The surrounding stones are very reminiscent of the timber rood screen of Glasgow Cathedral the screen is shown below. In Marjory’s tomb at Paisley are we actually seeing the remains of a stone rood screen that would have divided the Nave from the Choir? I believe this may well be the case. The images below that of Glasgow Cathedral are of the tomb being De-Constructed in 1956 – the stones are more than decorative from their size – They are more structural, and would have made an impressive rood screen within Paisley Abbey.
Have you ever walked down Weighhouse Close in Paisley and wondered what the old single story building and yard between the Private Car park and the Mrs Coats Home for Girls used to be?
Weighhouse Close, Paisley
After doing some investigation, i have realised that this and the associated buildings probably make up one of the last complete mid 19th Century industrial works in Paisley that are still in existence today.
The property is fronted on New Street by number 12 – now the ‘Gantry’ Restaurant and the former Pend which used to run through to the yard is now a body builders shop. This building was most likely the offices and outlet for for the works.
No 12 (40) New Street, Paisley
In the 1862 Trade Directory the occupier of the site is John Stevenson & Sons – Soap & Candle Makers. The owners lived at No. 37 on the corner of New Street/ Weighhouse close and is long gone..
Lobnitz shipyard in Renfrew mostly built and specialised in Dredgers and Dregde equipment for clients worldwide. During World War II the construction of dredgers contunued, though mostly for Admiralty contracts. This article looks at the Mulberry Harbours and HMS Pelorus.
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