Counties > Renfrewshire > 1832-1833 - Historical and descriptive sketches of the towns and principal villages in the Upper Ward of Renfrewshire

SKETCH OP PAISLEY.
might there present their prayers when going, to -and. from.
Glasgow.
In Paisley, besides the Abbey Church, are four places of
worship belonging to the Establishment. These are — the
High Church,. adorned with a lofty spire, conspicuous many
miles off; the Middle Church ; St George's ; aud the Gaelic
Chapel. The town also contains the following houses of pub-
lic worship; three for members of the United Secession
Church ; two for those of the Relief persuasion ; and one each
for Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Burghers, Congrega-
tionalists, Reformed Presbyterians, Wesleyan Methodists,
Baptists, and Primitive Methodists, who have but lately
appeared among us. Some congregations also assemble of
Methodists of the New Connexion, called in England, from
their founder, Kilhamites ; Independents of two sorts ; Glas-
sites : Particular Baptists ; Universalists ; Unitarians; Swe-
denborgians ; and, perhaps, some others of the multifarious
denominations of worshippers.
On the banks of the Cart, and eastern side of a large open
space near the centre of the town, is the Castle ; a large, em-
battled, but quite modern fabric, containing, besides public
rooms and offices, a county goal, a debtors' goal, a bridewell,
and a chapel. Opposite to this edifice it was once intended
that a handsome row of buildings should be constructed, with
an Athenaeum in the centre. — The steeple at the Cross, and
the Coffee-room buildings, are ornamental to the town. The
Coffee-room itself, a noble apartment, well provided with
newspapers, and with the larger periodicals, is liberally thrown
open to strangers. In Paisley are, besides a Town Hospital,
or Poor-house, a House of Recovery; a Flesh, and a Fish
Market; a Grammar School, royally founded; four other
Schools under the public authorities ; a free School, endowed
(Hutcheson's) ; four other Schools, either with endowments,
or supported by subscription ; an Infant School, established
in 1828 ; numbers of private, and of Sabbath Schools ; a Phi-
losophical aud Mechanic's Institution, with an attached libra-
ry ; three Subscription Libraries, one of them theological ; a
Provident Bank; a Theatre ; and the following Societies,
among, it is not unlikely, others :— Sabbath and Week Day
Evening School — Roman Catholic School — Auxiliary Bible,
(the Paisley and Eastern Renfrewshire,) — Female Bible —
Female Benevolent — Missionary to the Highlands and Islands
of Scotland — Youths', for religious purposes — Medical and
Surgical — Faculty of Procurators' — Merchants'— Episcopa-
lians' — Teachers'— and several other Friendly or Benefit
Associations.
In the year 148S, James IV. by a charter granted in favour