About Paisley

With a population of nearly 100,000 Paisley sits on the River Cart, 8 miles south west of Glasgow. Its traditional industries of thread-making, engineering and food processing have ceased. The dominant employers in the area now are educational establishments like Paisley University (now University of West of Scotland) and Reid Kerr College (now West College Scotland ), and the ever-growing Glasgow Airport, located right on Paisley’s doorstep. Paisley grew from a small hamlet in the 17th century to a sizeable town in the 19th , driven by the weaving trade. The famous Paisley shawl was a world renowned product made by weavers in cottages exactly like the one where Robert Tannahill ( the founder and first secretary of Paisley Burns Club) lived and worked. The cottage is today owned by the club and is used for its regular monthly meetings. For more information on some aspects of the town, see below…

Paisley Abbey

Paisley Abbey was founded in 1146, and sits on the banks of the River Cart, in the heart of Paisley.
The Abbey was a centre of learning in its early years and it is believed that William Wallace, who played a prominent part in the Wars of Independence in the 13th century, was educated by the monks of Paisley Abbey.

More information on the Abbey and its history is available at: http://www.paisleyabbey.org.uk