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Bridge of Weir
Home > About Renfrewshire > Our history and heritage > Towns and Villages > Bridge of Weir
Bridge of Weir lies 7 miles west of Paisley on the River Gryffe.
Ranfurly Castle in Bridge of Weir was probably built in the 15th century. The castle consisted of a thick-walled keep,
two or three storeys high, with a courtyard, houses and outbuildings. It was once the stronghold of the Knox family,
but has not now been lived in since 1665. The remains of Ranfurly Castle can still be seen on the Old Course of Ranfurly Golf Club.
two or three storeys high, with a courtyard, houses and outbuildings. It was once the stronghold of the Knox family,
but has not now been lived in since 1665. The remains of Ranfurly Castle can still be seen on the Old Course of Ranfurly Golf Club.
The name "Bridge of Weir" was first used in the early 18th century before the village existed. The weir was a dam built across the River Gryffe to trap salmon. The village of Bridge of Weir grew up along Main Street in the late 18th century, when cotton mills were built on the River Gryffe.
In 1864 the railway arrived in the village. This made Bridge of Weir attractive to businessmen who wanted to live in a country location and travel to work in Paisley or Glasgow, and many built large houses in the Ranfurly area at this time. The Ranfurly Hotel was built in 1882 to accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors to the area.
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Industries
Cotton mills were set up along the River Gryffe to use the strong current to power their water-wheels. The Old Mill was the first to be built and by 1792 employed 79 spinners and 56 other workers. This was followed by the New Mill and the Gryffe Mill. As the cotton industry declined, the Gryffe Mill turned to weaving blankets.
Leather tanning and shoemaking had been a feature of Bridge of Weir for a long time, and in 1770 the Speirs family established the Burngill Tannery. This was later taken over by Andrew Muirhead and Sons and renamed the Gryffe Tannery. Leathermaking continued in Bridge of Weir for many years: in 1989 the seats of the House of Commons and the House of Lords were reupholstered with green and red Bridge of Weir leather.
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Quarrier's Homes
William Quarrier was a successful shoemaker and a devout Christian who became concerned about the plight of destitute children in Glasgow. He determined to build an orphanage where these children could be cared for in family groups. In 1878 "Mr Quarrier's Orphan Homes of Scotland at Bridge of Weir" opened.
By the 1890s the Homes comprised more than 30 cottages, a church, a school and workshops, a training ship for the boys who went to sea, a farm and greenhouses. He also planned and built hospitals. Many thousands of children spent time in these homes. Today, Quarrier's is a charitable organisation offering care and support to adults and young people with physical, mental or emotional problems.
Find out more
You can find out more about the history of Bridge of Weir by contacting:
email: locstuds.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk
phone: 0141 889 2360
fax: 0141 887 6468
write to:
Reference and Local Studies Library
Central Library
68 High Street
Paisley
PA1 2BB
email: libraries.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk
phone: 01505 61220
fax: 01505 615052
write to:
Bridge of Weir Library
Main Street
Bridge of Weir
PA11 3NR
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