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Writer's pictureGavin Divers

Preserving the Past: Paisley's Rich Tapestry of History Through Its Listed Buildings

Nestled in the heart of Scotland, Paisley stands as a silent testament to the country’s rich architectural and historical heritage. Known for its vibrant past which intertwines with the threads of Scottish history, Paisley holds the prestigious position of having the second-highest number of listed buildings in Scotland, second only to Edinburgh. This recognition is not just a testament to the town’s historical importance but also a commitment to preserving its unique character for future generations.


A Glimpse into Paisley’s Architectural Diversity


Category A Listings: National Treasures

Paisley is home to several Category A listed buildings, a designation reserved for structures of national or international importance. Among these are the iconic Paisley Abbey and the Coats Memorial Church, both of which offer breathtaking examples of historical architecture at its finest. The Abbey, with its origins dating back to the 12th century, continues to dominate the town’s skyline, telling tales of medieval Scotland. The Coats Memorial Church, known for its stunning Gothic Revival architecture, stands as a monument to the town's prosperous past in the textile industry.


The Heart of Paisley: Category B Listings

The bulk of Paisley’s listed buildings fall under Category B, indicating regional or more than local importance. These buildings include a mix of public edifices and private residences, showcasing a range of architectural styles from Victorian to Georgian. Notable among these is the Paisley Arts Centre, originally the Low Church, which now serves as a cultural hub for the community. Another significant structure is the Paisley Grammar School, including its boundary walls and gatepiers, which underscores the town's commitment to educational excellence through the centuries.

Name

Notes

Broomlands Street, Woodside Cemetery, Martyr's Monument (1 Of 2)

Category B

New Street, Paisley Arts Centre (Former Low Church)

Category B

12 New Street

Category B

51-55 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

57 Oakshaw Street

Category B

6 Oakshaw Street Moran's Auction Rooms (Former Oakshaw East U.F. Church)

Category B

20 Oakshaw Street, Former Gaelic Church

Category B

62, 64 Oakshaw Street Former Cameronian Church

Category C(S)

66, 68 Oakshaw Street Former Manse

Category C(S)

Orr Square Church Of Scotland

Category B

86, 88 Renfrew Road

Category B

94 Renfrew Road

Category B

6 St Mirren Street

Category B

14 Shuttle Street

Category C(S)

Stanely Road, Moredun Lodge

Category B

Category B

70-116 (Even Nos) And 55-101 (Odd Nos) Falside Road, Workmen's Cottages

Category B

West End Cross, 2 Broomlands Street

Category B

11 Gauze Street Arnott's

Category B

10, 12 George Street

Category B

42 George Street, Paisley Technical College

Category B

7 Gilmour Street "Clydesdale Bank"

Category A

9 Gilmour Street

Category B

3-19 (Odd) Glasgow Road, Garthland Place

Category B

Gordon Street, Former Fire Station

Category B

Category A

Category B

23 High Street, The Paisley Centre

Category B

28 High Street

Category B

26 Hunterhill Road And Gate Piers

Category B

46, 48 Love Street

Category C(S)

53 Moss Street

Category B

Neilston Road St Luke's Church

Category C(S)

Abbey Close "Alexander Wilson"

Category B

Category A

Alice Street "Rosebank"

Category B

Anchor Mills, Former Domestic Finishing Mill

Category A

Anchor Mills, Mile End Mill

Category A

5 Caledonia Street

Category B

Fountain At Angle Of Calside And Neilston Road

Category C(S)

43 Causeyside Street And 1 Johnston Street

Category B

20 Donaldswood Road, Blacklands Lodge And Gatepiers

Category B

Dunn Square "Dunn Fountain"

Category B

Ne Corner Of Falside Road And Braids Road, Brown And Polson Ltd

Category B

Former Ferguslie Thread Works, Bridge Lane Gatehouse

Category B

Former Ferguslie Thread Works, Tannahill's Bridge

Category C(S)

5-11 (Odd) Forbes Place

Category B

Nos 8, 10, 12 Forbes Place

Category B

Category A

Leitchland Farm

Category C(S)

Auchenlodment House 136 Auchenlodment Road Elderslie

Category C(S)

Category B

Thornly Park, 17 South Avenue, Foxburn Including Boundary Walls And Gatepiers

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, 19 South Avenue, Arthurlie

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, 10 Thornly Park Avenue, Glenarm Including Boundary Walls, Gatepiers And Gates

Category C(S)

215 Glasgow Road, Barshaw House

Category B

22 New Street

Category C(S)

10 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

12, 14 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

Underwood Road, Railway Viaduct

Category B

Park Road, Scotscraig

Category B

4, 6 Gilmour Street

Category B

1 Glasgow Road

Category C(S)

83, Glasgow Road Arthur Allison Memorial Hall

Category C(S)

4 Glen Street

Category C(S)

6, High Road, Castlehead

Category B

39 High Street And 5 New Street, Ymca

Category B

10, 10A And 12 High Street And 2 Moss Street

Category B

18 High Street

Category B

30 High Street

Category B

Category A

Inchinnan Road, Landmark Warehouse

Category B

Nos 17-25 (Odd) Lady Lane

Category B

Fountain Gardens Love Street Fountain

Category A

42, 44 Love Street

Category C(S)

69-83 (Odd) Maxwellton Road

Category B

Moredun Road "Crosbie"

Category A

1-5 (Odd) Moss Street

Category B

6 Moss Street/1 The Cross

Category B

Category B

1-3 (Odd Nos) Causeyside Street And 21 Forbes Place

Category B

Church Hill Former Middle Church Hall

Category C(S)

1-5 (Odd) County Place, 15 Gilmour Street And 20 Moss Street

Category B

Category C(S)

Ralston Golf Clubhouse, Strathmore Ave., Ralston, Paisley

Category C(S)

Caplethill Road, Thorscrag Including Ancillary Structure

Category B

Thornly Park, 43 Thornly Park Avenue, Airdoch Including Boundary Walls, Gatepiers And Gates

Category C(S)

19 Park Road, Makerston House, Including Outbuilding, Gatepiers And Walls To Street

Category C(S)

15 And 17 Marshall's Lane And Cart Walk, Kelvin House

Category C(S)

21 Stonefield Avenue, Littlecroft

Category B

91, 93 New Sneddon Street "Adelphi House"

Category B

19 Oakshaw Street, Paisley High Church Halls

Category B

35 Oakshaw Street

Category B

Category A

6A Oakshaw Street (Former Church Hall)

Category B

60 Oakshaw Street

Category B

Queen Street Tannahill's Cottage

Category B

92 Renfrew Road

Category B

St James Street Procurator Fiscal's Office

Category B

Stanely Road "Sanctuary House"

Category B

Abbeymill, Former Anchor Mills, Seedhill Footbridge And Gate

Category B

11-17 (Odd Nos) George Place

Category C(S)

6, 8 George Street

Category B

3 Gilmour Street "Bank Of Scotland"

Category B

8 Glasgow Road

Category C(S)

Category A

52 Love Street

Category B

Broomlands Martyrs Church

Category B

18-22 (Evens) Causeyside

Category B

Church Hill, Former Grammar School

Category B

Church Hill Christian Social Action Centre

Category A

The Cross, War Memorial

Category A

Dunn Square, Queen Victoria Monument

Category B

Dunn Square, "Sir Peter Coats"

Category B

38 Ferguslie Former Stables And Gatepiers To Ferguslie Gardens

Category B

"West Lodge", (Of Former Ralston House,) 226 Glasgow Road, Ralston

Category B

The Wallace Monument, At No. 243 Main Road, Elderslie

Category B

East Buchanan Street, Cathedral House And St Mirin's Old Academy

Category C(S)

50 High Street And 1 Orr Square

Category C(S)

Penilee Road, Paisley Grammar School, Penilee Sports Pavilion

Category A

North Croft Street, Wallneuk Church

Category B

16 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

6 Orr Square

Category B

90 Renfrew Road

Category B

Category A

10 St Mirren Street

Category C(S)

School Wynd St John's Church (C Of S)

Category B

6, 8 Smithhills Street

Category B

Stevenson Street, "Spiersfield" (Excluding Modern Extensions)

Category B

Stanely Reservoir Stanely Castle

Category B

Station Road Former Stable Block, And Gatepiers Ferguslie Mills

Category C(S)

Glasgow Road Sherwood Church

Category B

Hawkhead House Farm Steading Excluding Later Additions

Category B

Category A

Hawkhead Road, Ross House

Category B

20 High Street Masonic Hall

Category B

24 High Street

Category B

76 High Street Territorial Army Centre

Category B

Lonend, Watermill Hotel

Category C(S)

Fountain Gardens, Love Street: Burns Statue

Category B

Category B

Abbey Close "Robert Tannahill"

Category B

Category B

Blackstoun Road Former Glencoats Hospital East Lodge Including Gatepiers And Railings

Category B

Park Road, St Margaret's (Former Hospital)

Category B

45-47 (Odd Nos) Causeyside Street And Johnston Street

Category B

Category A

Dunn Square, "Thomas Coats"

Category B

13-15 (Odd) Forbes Place

Category B

Thornly Park, 9 South Avenue, Holmhurst Including Terrace Wall

Category B

Thornly Park, 29 Thornly Park Avenue, Lismore Including Arch And Gatepeirs

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, 33 Thornly Park Avenue Including Boundary Walls, Gatepiers And Gates

Category C(S)

6 And 8 High Street, Burton's

Category B

Blackhall Lane, Blackhall House

Category C(S)

Renfrew Road, Abercorn School, Including Entrance Steps And Railings

Category C(S)

4 Sandholes Street

Category C(S)

7 New Street The Bull Inn

Category A

38, 40 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

7, 9 Orr Square

Category B

15 School Wynd

Category B

Storie Street Paisley College Of Technology, Hugh Smiley Annexe Formerly Hugh Smiley Day Nursery

Category B

Underwood Road St James Church

Category B

Walker Street Former Baptist Church

Category C(S)

Greenhill Road, Four Square Tobacco Factory

Category B

Cyril Street, Violet Street, Ralston Uf Church

Category B

3-9 (Odd) Gauze Street Methodist Central Halls And Shops To Ground

Category B

5 George Place

Category B

Glasgow Road Barshaw Park Gatepiers And Gates

Category C(S)

7-9 (Odd) King Street And Sandholes Street "Hayweighs"

Category B

30 Mansion House Road, Greenlaw House

Category B

Acer Crescent Balgonie

Category B

Mile End Mill Chimney Stack

Category B

Ardgowan Avenue Hunterhill House

Category B

20, 22 Back Sneddon Street And 13 Maxwell Street

Category B

Broomlands Street, Woodside Cemetery, Martyrs Memorial

Category C(S)

46 Broomlands Street, Woodside Crematorium

Category B

7 Caledonia Street

Category C(S)

25-29 (Odd) Causeyside And 2 Forbes Place Paisley Co-Op

Category B

4 Dyers Wynd, Good Templar Halls And Terrace Buildings

Category B

Category B

Former Ferguslie Thread Works, Counting House

Category B

Thornly Park, 23 South Avenue, The Gables

Category B

Thornly Park, 12 And 12A Thornly Park Avenue, Thorncroft Including Boundary Walls And Gatepiers

Category B

Thornly Park 22 Thornly Park Avenue, Monimail Including Boundary Walls And Gatepiers

Category C(S)

5 And 7 West Paisley Brae, Paisley

Category B

Manor Park Avenue, Newark House

Category B

96 Causeyside Street

Category B

Glenpatrick Road, Elderslie, East Church

Category C(S)

58 Stock Street And Espedair Street, Monty's Snooker Hall (Former Bath House)

Category B

26 New Street, Conservative Club

Category B

40 New Sneddon Street

Category B

Oakshawhead Former John Neilson Institution And Entrance Lodge

Category A

18 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

42, 44 Oakshaw Street

Category B

56 Oakshaw Street, Peter Brough District Nurses' Home

Category B

72, 74 Oakshaw

Category C(S)

121 Renfrew Road

Category B

13 School Wynd, Oakshaw

Category C(S)

Stanely Road "Middle Park"

Category C(S)

Stanely Road "Moredun"

Category B

Anchor Buildings, Seedhill With Railings

Category B

25 Gauze Street

Category B

27 Gauze Street

Category C(S)

29-31 (Odd) Gauze Street

Category B

14 George Street St George's Church Of Scotland

Category B

10, 12 Glasgow Road

Category B

Gleniffer Road Macdonald's Fountain

Category B

Lounsdale Road Ciba-Geigy Social Club

Category B

7 Moss Street

Category B

49, 51 Moss Street

Category B

28 Arkleston Road

Category C(S)

51 Causeyside Street

Category B

Dunn Square

Category B

15-19 (Odd) Espedair Street

Category B

Ferguslie Threadworks, Stables And Store On Glasgow, Paisley And Johnstone Canal

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, 17 Thornly Park Avenue, Dunard Including Boundary Walls And Gatepiers

Category B

Thornly Park, 2 Thornly Park Avenue, Thornly Park House

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, 24 Thornly Park Avenue, Garail Including Ancillary Structure, Garden Wall And Gate

Category C(S)

17 George Street, New Jerusalem Church (Swedenborgian Church)

Category C(S)

Category B

25-31 (Odd Nos) Weighhouse Close, New Street

Category B

20 New Street

Category B

8 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

Gateway To No 46 Oakshaw Street

Category C(S)

98-100 Renfrew Road

Category B

4 St Mirren Street

Category B

8 St Mirren Street

Category B

82 Stanely Road "Whiteleigh"

Category B

68 Falside Road, Formerly Brown And Polson Worker`S Institute

Category B

23 Gauze Street

Category C(S)

26 High Street

Category B

Love Street, Lodges To Fountain Gardens

Category C(S)

32 Love Street

Category B

34, 36 (Evens) Love Street

Category C(S)

14 Main Road Castlehead "The Old House"

Category B

8-10 Moss Street

Category C(S)

Blackhall Railway Viaduct Over White Cart Water

Category A

Brediland Road Lounsdale House

Category B

8-10 Broomlands Street

Category B

Castlehead, Main Road, Castlehead Church, Tannahill's Monument

Category B

Nos 14-20 (Even) Forbes Place

Category B

Gauze Street George A Clark Statue

Category B

"East Lodge", Darvel Crescent, Ralston, Paisley

Category C(S)

Leethland Glenpatrick Road

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, Stewart Road, Linton Including Terrace Wall

Category B

19 Lawn Street, Abbey Mission Hall

Category C(S)

5 Mansionhouse Road

Category C(S)

15 Abercorn Street, Former Oldfield's Machine Tools Warehouse

Category C(S)

Hawkhead House Farm, Farmhouse

Category C(S)

Cartside Mill Office Block, Milliken Park, Kilbarchan

Category B

4 New Street

Category C(S)

96 Renfrew Road

Category C(S)

St James' Bridge

Category B

2 St Mirren Street

Category B

Stanely Crescent, Stanely House

Category B

42 New Street

Category C(S)

Abbeymill, Former Anchor Mills, Seedhill Gate House Including Gatepiers And Railings

Category B

167 George St St Mary's Church (Rc)

Category B

Greenlaw Avenue Greenlaw Church

Category B

41 High Street And 2 New Street

Category C(S)

32 High Street Liberal Club

Category C(S)

12 Main Road Castlehead The Mound

Category B

38 Mansion House Road, Garage

Category B

85 Maxwellton Road

Category B

68 Maxwellton Road

Category B

Abbey Close Place Of Paisley

Category A

Anchor Mills, Former No 1 Embroidery Mill

Category B

Blackhall Street Anchor Recreation Club

Category B

Castlehead, Main Road, Castlehead Church (Church Of Scotland) With Graveyard

Category C(S)

33 Causeyside Street And 1 Orchard Street

Category B

49 Causeyside Street

Category C(S)

Church Hill And Oakshaw Street, High Church

Category A

Category B

County Square, Head Post Office

Category B

Former Ferguslie Thread Works, North Gatehouse And Gates

Category B

Former Ferguslie Thread Works, Tannahill's Hole

Category C(S)

27 Ferguslie And 78 Maxwellton Road

Category B

Nos 4 And 6 Forbes Place

Category C(S)

Thornly Park,11 South Avenue, Wilmar Including Gates

Category C(S)

Thornly Park, 31 Thornly Park Avenue, Ardyne Including Gates

Category B




The scheme for classifying buildings in Scotland is:






Category C Listings: Local Significance

Category C listings in Paisley, while of local importance, contribute significantly to the town's architectural ensemble. These include various residential buildings and smaller commercial structures that offer a glimpse into the everyday lives of Paisley’s citizens over the decades. Buildings like the simple yet charming worker’s cottages on Falside Road provide a snapshot of the town’s industrial era.


Preserving Paisley’s Heritage


The preservation of these structures is crucial not only for their historical and architectural value but also for the role they play in educating future generations. Each building tells a unique story of the era it was built in, the people who inhabited it, and the events that unfolded around it. Preservation efforts ensure that these stories remain alive and continue to inspire curiosity about Paisley's past.


Challenges and Future Directions


Maintaining these historical edifices presents significant challenges, primarily due to the financial and logistical demands of restoration projects. However, the benefits of such endeavours are manifold, contributing to community pride, tourism, and educational projects. Looking forward, Paisley can leverage its rich architectural heritage to boost cultural tourism, engaging both locals and visitors in the ongoing story of this historic town.

In conclusion, Paisley’s impressive collection of listed buildings is more than just an architectural feat; it is a living museum, a source of community identity, and a continuous inspiration for preserving the unique narratives woven into the fabric of the town. As Paisley looks to the future, it carries forward the legacy of its past, ensuring that its historical landscape continues to enrich the cultural tapestry of Scotland.

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