Situated 10 minutes from Glasgow, Paisley is Scotland’s largest town with a rich history especially in textiles.
Surrounded by rolling countryside, Paisley is home to a host of architectural treasures, hidden gems and a vibrant cultural scene.
The easily walkable historical centre has Scotland’s largest concentration of listed buildings outside of Edinburgh including the iconic 850-year-old Paisley Abbey and Scotland’s oldest public observatory, Coats Observatory.
Come and discover Paisley’s rich heritage stretching back over 1,000 years and which takes in royalty, radicalism and national heroes.
The first Stewart king, Robert II, the grandson of Robert the Bruce, was born inside Paisley Abbey in 1316 and our late Queen was descended from him. William Wallace was born in nearby Elderslie and folklore has it he was educated by the monks at the Abbey. Visit Paisley Abbey for more history and fascinating facts.
Paisley was transformed by the industrial revolution into an economic powerhouse between the late 18th and mid-19th century, when it catapulted to the forefront of the thread industry and was home to many mills and weavers. The Anchor Mills produced the world famous threads and rochet cotton, and was the home to the merged Coats and Clark dynasties, J&P Coats – still the world’s largest thread manufacturer and distributor today.
The iconic Paisley Pattern design was favoured across the world and worn by figures from Queen Victoria to the Beatles. Paisley Museum is home to a Recognised Collection of National Significance including Paisley shawls, working looms and pattern books.
A stroll around the town centre reveals how the cotton and silk thread mills brought vast wealth to the town, still evident in its array of magnificent civic buildings and churches.
Paisley offers a wide variety of places to eat and drink and local attractions include, Paisley Abbey, Sma Shot Cottages, The Secret Collection museum store, Lagoon Leisure Centre, Oakshaw Trinity Church, Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley Farmers Market, Paisley Thread Mill Museum, Robert Tannahill’s Cottage, St Mirin Cathedral, The Wynd Centre, The Threadmill Museum and Thomas Coats Memorial Church amongst others.