Renfrew (district)

Renfrewshire or the County of Renfrew is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The lieutenancy area covers the three modern council areas of Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, and this area is occasionally termed Greater Renfrewshire to distinguish it from the modern council area called Renfrewshire. The historic county additionally included territory on the south-western edge of Glasgow which was gradually transferred to the administrative area of the city as it grew. The county borders Glasgow and Lanarkshire to the east and Ayrshire to the south and west. The Firth of Clyde forms its northern boundary, with Dunbartonshire and Argyll on the opposing banks. Renfrewshire's early history is marked by ancient British and Roman settlement. Renfrewshire can trace its origin to the feudal lands at Strathgryfe granted to Walter FitzAlan, the first High Steward of Scotland. Renfrewshire was created as a shire in the early fifteenth century, having previously been part of Lanarkshire. The county was named after its original county town, the royal burgh of Renfrew. During the Industrial Revolution, many of the larger towns became important centres of commerce and manufacturing. The goods produced were chiefly cottons, calicos and silks building on the county's long weaving heritage. Other industries such as ship building, distilleries and printworks also contributed to the economy. Paisley grew to become the largest urban and commercial centre in the county by some margin. Renfrewshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, and was based in Paisley. Parts of the county, such as Pollokshaws in 1912 and Nitshill in 1926, were incorporated into Glasgow during the early 20th century as the city expanded. Renfrewshire was abolished for local government purposes in 1975, being replaced by the Strathclyde region and three lower-tier district councils. These were in turn abolished in 1996, since when the Renfrewshire area has been governed by the three council areas of Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

Johnstone (Scots: Johnstoun, Scottish Gaelic: Baile Iain) is a town in the administrative area of Renfrewshire and larger historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town lies 3 miles (5 km) west of neighbouring Paisley, 12 miles (19 km) west of the centre of the city of Glasgow and 12 miles (19 km) north east of Kilwinning. Part of the biggest conurbation in Scotland, Johnstone is at the western edge of the Greater Glasgow Urban Area.

Johnstone Burgh Football Club is a Scottish football club based in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, and play in West of Scotland League First Division.

Johnstone railway station serves the town of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line 10+3⁄4 miles (17.3 km) south west of Glasgow Central. Johnstone has no ticket gates but ticket checks take place occasionally.

Johnstone Castle (Scots: Johnstoun Castle) is a structure and former mansion in the town of Johnstone in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It belonged to the Houstons of Milliken, who acquired the estate of Easter Cochrane in 1773. The original structure was substantially enlarged in 1771 and 1812 by George Houston, who had the structure remodelled in a castellated style complete with a turret at the left hand of the front elevation, possibly by the architect James Gillespie Graham.The most notable features were barrel vaulted rooms in the ground floor. Externally in addition to the battlemented decoration there was a rope-styled string course. Although the castle and policies were considered particularly picturesque, the continued growth of the town of Johnstone reduced its size and the estate had largely disappeared by the start of the 20th century. Much of the house was demolished in 1950, and most of the remainder of the grounds was purchased by the local authority for housing in 1956.Today all that remains is the central square tower along with a crow-stepped bartizaned section of an older date. The tower lay in disrepair until being purchased in 2001, and is now a private residence. It is a protected category B listed building.

Linwood (Scots: Linwuid) is a small town in Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland, 14 miles (23 kilometres) west of Glasgow. It is about 1+1⁄2 miles (2.5 kilometres) northeast of Johnstone and west of Paisley close to the Black Cart Water and the A737 road.

Johnstone North railway station was a railway station serving the town of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland as part of the Dalry and North Johnstone Line on the Glasgow and South Western Railway.

Elderslie (Scottish Gaelic: Achadh na Feàrna) is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in west central Scotland. It chiefly serves as a commuter village, situated midway between the towns of Paisley and Johnstone, and lies 11 miles (18 km) west of Glasgow city centre. Elderslie is most famous as the assumed birthplace of Scottish hero Sir William Wallace, a knight born around 1270 who served as a military leader in the Wars of Scottish Independence before being captured and executed. There is a monument to him in the village, alongside what is believed to be his home.

St Benedict's High School is a Catholic high school in Linwood, Renfrewshire, in the west of Scotland.

Newfield Park was a football ground in Johnstone, Scotland. It was the home ground of Johnstone F.C. from 1894 until the club folded in 1927.

Linwood High School is a non-denominational comprehensive state secondary school in Linwood, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The original school building was constructed in 1965 and demolished in 2006 for a new school to be constructed on the same site.Originally Renfrewshire council had planned on merging Linwood High school with nearby Gryffe High School in Houston to form a 1500 pupil campus, but plans were rejected after local protests by parents. The councillors are reported to have received over 2600 responses, mostly opposing the plan.The new school was part of Renfrewshire Council's £100 million Private Public Partnership (PPP) agreement, with Amey / Carillion Building being announced as preferred bidder in March 2005.The £11.1 million construction was fully completed with the official opening in April 2008 by Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.In 2008, the school was one of four in the Renfrewshire area to have a Strathclyde Police officer on the premises with the key aim of "building stronger and safer communities". Strathclyde Police stated that the schools were chosen "because they are the ones with the biggest intake and catchment areas in Renfrewshire"

Paisley and Renfrewshire South is a constituency of the House of Commons, located in Renfrewshire, Scotland to the southwest of Glasgow. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the first-past-the-post system of voting.