PAISLEY, Renfrewabire, Scotland, a parliamentary burgh and market-town, situated on both banks of the White Cart, about 3 miles above the junction of that river with the Clyde, 8 miles W. by S. from Glasgow, in 55° 53' N. lat., 4° 26' W. long. The population was 47,952 in 1851. The town is governed by 4 baffles and 12 council lore, of whom one is provost. It returns one member to the Imperial Parliament.
In the time of Agricola, the Romans had a station here, but the town of Paisley owes its existence to the priory, founded in 1160, on the eastern bank of the Cart, by Walter, high-steward of Scotland. In 1219 Pops Honorius raised the priory into an abbacy. With the growth of this establishment there arose a small town on the opposite bank of the Cart, which James IV., in 1488, erected into a free burgh of barony. The town contains several good streets, and is lighted with gas. Of the public buildings the moat interesting is the nave of the old abbey church, which is all that remains of the ancieut monas tery. It was repaired in the last century, and is now used as the parish church of the Abbey parish. Its style is partly of the middle of the 14th century. The Abbey of Paisley was the family burial place of the High Stewards of Scotland before their accession to the throne. At the south aide of the nave is a small chapel, which con tains a tomb surmounted by the recumbent figure of a woman, said to represent Marjory, daughter of Robert the Bruce, wife of the founder of the abbey, and mother of Robert II. The great extent of the ancient abbey can be traced by the remains of its fouudation. The other churches of the establishment are—the High church, the Middle church, St. George's, the Gaelic church, and three chapels of ease. The Free Church and United Presbyterian bodies each possess six places of worship. There are chapels for Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and others. Between the old and Sneddon bridges, on the western bank of the river, is situated the county-hall, a atone building erected in 1518; it comprises a court-house, council-chamber, a debtor's prison, a bridewell, and a chapeL The municipal corporation undertook the improvement of the navi gation of the Cart, in the year 1787. The bed of the river was
deepened, a abort canal constructed, and the Cart is now navigable up to the town for vessels of 180 tons burden. The town is connected with Glasgow by the Glasgow, Paisley, and Ardrossan Canal. A short railway extends to a steamboat pier on the bank of the Clyde, a little above the mouth of the Cart, and by the Glasgow and Paisley railway the town has direct communication with all parts of the kingdom.
In 1707 the principal articles made in the town were coarse linen and chequered cloths ; the making of thread, the manufacture of silk gauze, of crape dresses, and of damask and embroidered shawls, were subsequently introduced. Many of the principal establishments of the town are now exclusively engaged in the various branches of the cotton manufacture, particularly mnsliee. The staple manufactures are now shawls of silk and cotton, plaids, scarfs, chenille and Canton crape shawls and handkerchiefs. There are several brass foundries, breweries, distilleries, a large soap-work, several bleach-fields, a large silk-throwing mill, dm.
Although Renfrew is the county town, Paisley has long been the sett of the sherifra court. There is a weekly market on Thursday, and several fairs aro held in the course of the year. Besides the parochial and burgh schools, there are—an academy, an Infant school, and an Endowed school. There are in the town a provident bank, established in 1815; a public dispensary; an infirmary; a mechanical institution ; and several subscription libraries.
PAKS. [HVNOas7.]