This is a slide show (thumbnails and larger versions) of pictures of Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area and is situated on the northern edge of the Gleniffer Braes, straddling the banks of the White Cart Water, a tributary of the River Clyde.
The town, a former burgh, forms part of a contiguous urban area with Glasgow, whose centre is around 7 miles (11.1 km) to the east. The town came to prominence with the establishment of Paisley Abbey in the 12th century, an important religious hub in mediaeval Scotland which formerly had control over the other churches in the local area.
By the 19th century, Paisley had established itself as a centre of the weaving industry, giving its name to the Paisley Shawl and the Paisley Pattern. Paisley was for many years a centre for the manufacture of cotton sewing thread. At the heyday of Paisley thread manufacture in the 1930s, there were 28,000 people employed in the huge Anchor and Ferguslie mills of J & P Coats Ltd, said to be the largest of their kind in the world at that time.
Despite its dominance in weaving and thread making, Paisley became overshadowed by its larger neighbour Glasgow, which grew at even faster rate in the 19th century. But the Paisley "Buddies" (thought to be a corruption of the word "bodies") are staunchly proud of the town and its football (soccer) team - St Mirren, winners of the League Cup in 2013.
The creation of the large retail shopping centre at Braehead on the banks of the river Clyde, has had a severe impact on Paisley town centre, with many shops being forced to close. There are plans for a major redevelopment, however.
From the tourist point of view, many of Paisley's attractive buildings (many of which are illustrated below) are concentrated in a small area within easy walking distance of the town centre
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