Wikipedia
Renfrewshire ( or ; ) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being East Renfrewshire to the east and Inverclyde to the west. It also shares borders with Glasgow, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire. The term Renfrewshire may also be used to refer to this historic county, also known as the County of Renfrew or Greater Renfrewshire, which remains in use as a registration county and lieutenancy area.
Although containing the traditional county town of Renfrew, from which its name derives, the centre of local government in Renfrewshire is found in the nearby town of Paisley, which is the area's main settlement. Renfrewshire borders the south-west of Glasgow, lying on the south bank of the River Clyde, and contains many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages.
Renfrewshire or the County of Renfrew is a historic county and lieutenancy area in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.
The area is occasionally known as Greater Renfrewshire to distinguish it from the modern local authority area. For the purposes of local government, Renfrewshire is now divided into three council areas called Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.
The county borders the city of Glasgow and Lanarkshire to the east and Ayrshire to the south and west. The Firth of Clyde forms its northern boundary, with Dunbartonshire and Argyllshire on the opposing banks.
Renfrewshire's early history is marked by ancient British and Roman settlement. Renfrewshire can trace its origin to the feudal lands at Strathgryfe granted to Walter Fitzalan, the first High Steward of Scotland. Robert III of Scotland, a descendant of Fitzalan, established the shire of Renfrew-based out of the Royal burgh of Renfrew, the site of the House of Stuart's castle and Renfrewshire's county town.
During the Industrial Revolution, many of the larger towns became important centres of commerce and manufacturing. The goods produced were chiefly cottons, calicos and silks building on the county's long weaving heritage. Other industries such as ship building, distilleries and printworks also contributed to the economy. At this time, Paisley was the largest urban and commercial centre in the county by some margin. This distinction saw the emergence of local government focused in Paisley, rather than the county town of Renfrew. Paisley remains the administrative centre of the Renfrewshire council area today.
Parts of the county, such as Govan and Nitshill were incorporated into Glasgow during the early 20th century as the city expanded. Renfrewshire was superseded by the Strathclyde local government region in 1975, until its abolition in 1996. The modern unitary council areas in the county - Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde - were formed as districts within the Strathclyde region.
Renfrewshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 until 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. In 1885 the Renfrewshire constituency area was divided into two new constituencies: Renfrewshire Eastern and Renfrewshire Western.
Before the Acts of Union 1707, the barons of the shire of Renfrew elected commissioners to represent them in the unicameral Parliament of Scotland and in the Convention of the Estates.
From 1708 Renfrewshire was represented by one Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Great Britain.
Usage examples of "renfrewshire".
His elementary education was conducted at the schools of his native town, and afterwards at the manse of Mearns, a rural parish in Renfrewshire, under the superintendence of Dr Maclatchie, the parochial clergyman.