Volume 6

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3. The burgh of PAISLEY, which now contains three parishes, was formerly a
part of the Abbey of Paisley parish that completely surrounds it. The increase
of population and of opulence induced the magistrates and community to build
a church within the burgh in 1736 (s), and in the same year they obtained a
decree of the lords commissioners for the plantation of churches, whereby the
burgh of Paisley was separated from the old parish of Paisley and erected into
a distinct parish. This new establishment was called the parish of Paisley, and
the old parish has been distinguished by the name of the Abbey of Paisley
parish. The population of Paisley continuing to increase rapidly, another
church of a large size was built in 1756 on the height called the Oakshawhead,
a name which indicates that the site of the populous town of Paisley was in
former times covered with oak wood (t). This church, standing in the highest
part of the town, was distinguished by the name of the Sigh church (u), and
the former church, built in 1736, was, from its relative situation, called the
"Laigh kirk" or Low church. Twenty-five years afterwards, the increased
population of Paisley required a third church, which was built in 1781 near to
the High church, and it was called, from its situation, the Middle church. The
burgh of Paisley, which till now had continued one parish, was on the 20th of
February 1782, divided into three parishes, which were called from their several
churches, the Low church parish, the High church parish, and the Middle
church parish. The patronage of those three parish churches belongs to the
magistrates and council of Paisley (v), and the stipends of the ministers are
paid from the funds of the burgh. Besides the established churches there are
in the town of Paisley and its populous suburbs a number of dissenting estab-
lishments of various sects and denominations. [The three parish churches,
High, Low, and Middle, have 3469 communicants. The quoad sacra church,
Martyr's, North, St. Columba's, and South, have 1757 communicants. Seven
Free churches have 3528, and six U.P. churches 2307 members. There are
also Episcopal, R.C., Evangelical Union, Congregational, Baptist, United
Original Secession, and Reformed Presbyterian churches.]
4. The parish of INCHINNAN acquired its name from a long narrow island in
the river White Cart where it joins the Gryfe, opposite to the church of
Inchinnan. Ynys in the British, and Inis or Inish in the Gaelic, signify an
(s) This church was built in the form of a Greek cross, and judiciously disposed for the accommo-
dation of a great number of people.
(t) This fact we may indeed learn from varions documents in the Chartulary of Paisley.
(w) To this church there was afterwards added a lofty and well-proportioned spire, which rises to
the height of 161 feet, and owing to the elevated site of the church it forms a very conspicuous object.
(v) Preparatory to the ereetion of the burgh of Paisley into a distinct parish in 1736, the magis-
trates and council purchased from the Earl of Dundonald in 1733 the right of patronage of churches
within the limits of the burgh of Paisley, which formed a part of the old parish of Paisley of which
the earl was then patron.