In the town are three parishes, named from their re spective churches. The High Church occupies a manding situation towards the eastern extremity of a long terrace-shaped hill. The church, built in is adorn ed with a lofty spire. Near it is the Middle Church, built in1781. In the lowest part of the town, towards the south, isthe Low Church. This edifice was built in 1736-7. It is now occupied by a dissenting congregation ; a new church, called St. George's, having been opened in 1819 for the Low Church parish. The new building is large, and has a front in a degree ornamental. The remaining place of worship of the Establishment is the Gaelic cha pel. Other places of warship are as follows: two for United Associate Dissenters; two for members of the Church of Relief; two for Baptists; and one each for Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Original Burghers, (this is now, 1822, rising,) Congregational Independents, Eng lish Independents, Methodists, Reformed Presbyterians, and Peculiar Independents of two distinct sorts.
Of minor sectarians, about five different bodies, gene rally very small, assemble for worship in rooms. In the churches, (the Gaelic one included,) about 8500 people may be accommodated with seats; in the other places of worship, of all sorts, about Of the other public buildings, the Castle, founded in 1813, and first occupied about two years ago, is at once the largest and finest. It stands on the western margin of the Cart, between the Old and Sneddon Bridges. The general form of the edifice is quadrangular ; the material used in its construction excellent freestone ; the style adopted in its exterior at once imposing and appropriate. It exhibits two "corps de logis," as the French style them; the western and front one comprehending a corn t house, council-chambers, and a number of offices for dif ferent departments of public business. The eastern one, a prison for debtors, another for criminals, a 13ridewell, and a chapel. The regulations in these prisons arc at once humane and judicious. Round them is a lofty and strong quadrangular wall ; armed, where necessary, with chevaux de frise„" Between the prisons and the front pile are two courts for air and exercise. The front build
ing has a noble facade, adorned with projecting hexa gonal turrets, that rise considerably above the prison roof. Over the great arched entrance, which is formed between two of these, an exterior gallery or balcony, supported on corbels, and adorned by a perforated parapet, has been constructed. The entire fabric is embattled, and the pri son summits display an imitative machicolation. The building is appropriated to county as well as burgh uses.
The steeple of the former town-house yet remains, and graces the cross. Opposite to it is a handsome structure, the upper part of which, adorned exteriorly with Ionic pilasters, includes a public coffee room, alike distinguish ed for size, elegance, accommodation, and comfort. On its tables, newspapers, reviews, and magazines abound. The markets, conveniently situated near the cross, are on a respectable scale. They are for butcher's meat and fish. Behind them are slaughter-houses. At Williams burg were completed, this summer, barracks adequate to the accommodation of half a regiment of foot.
The grammar school of Paisley boasts a royal founder. From the institution charter, it appears to have been founded by King James VI. then in his eleventh year, and by him endowed with sundry former church revenues, chiefly altarages. One of the witnesses to this charter is described as his Majesty's " familiar counsellor, Mr.
George Buchanane, Pensioner of Corsragucl," and " Keeper of the Privy Seal." There are in the town four other burgh schools; five established by subscription, or by mortuaries; Hutche son's, and seven other charitably supported ones ; about forty private ones, and also about forty Sunday schools. The principal manufacture in Paisley is that of fancy mus lins, which have long been unrivalled. Cotton spinning and thread-making are also carried on to a great extent. See RENFREWSHIRE, for an account of the present state of the manufactures in Paisley.
In 1821, Paisley contained 1616 houses, 5730 families; of whom 357 were employed in agriculture, and 4541 in trade and manufactures. The males were 12,133, and the females 14,295, and the total population 26,428, or 28,000, which is reckoned more accurate.