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Renfrewshire Community Plan 2008 - 2017 Erskine
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Erskine location map
Erskine is 4 miles north of Paisley, on the southern bank of the River Clyde.
Old Erskine
By 1782 Erskine consisted of only 12 houses and a church; in 1813, a new church was built which still stands today. The population was boosted between 1836 and 1841 when large numbers of workmen moved into the area to build the Glasgow to Greenock railway which passed nearby. Some stayed on after the railway was completed.
Erskine remained a small village until the development of the Erskine New Community.
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Erskine New Community
In the late 1960s it was announced by Renfrew County Council that a "New Community" would be created in Erskine.The new community was intended to be a designed modern environment housing up to 30,000 people who would travel to work in the surrounding urban areas of Paisley and Glasgow. Plans included roads, housing, schools, shops and leisure facilities.
The first houses were ready in 1971, a mixture of privately owned and rented accommodation. The population grew from 3,000 in 1961 to 15,000 in 2001. This growth was not as great as originally envisaged, and this was probably due to the downturn in industry in the surrounding area.
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Erskine Bridge
The River Clyde at Erskine was shallow enough to ford on foot until the 18th century when it was deepened to allow large ships to sail upriver to Glasgow. This made a ferry service necessary. The ferry was at first a punt pushed across by poles. This was later replaced by a chain ferry which the operators hauled across by pulling on the chains, and later still by a steam-powered ferry. The ferry service closed down in 1971 when the Erskine Bridge opened.
Erskine Bridge is 1,000 feet long, and at the time of building it was the longest bridge of its type in the world. It was built 180 feet above the river in order to allow tall ships to pass underneath. A toll was charged to users of the bridge until 2006 when the charge was dropped.
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Erskine House
Erskine House was built in 1828 on the site of an old manor house. It had more than 75 rooms and a picture gallery 118 feet long. In 1916, during the First World War, the magnificent Erskine House became a hospital and was known as the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Soldiers and Sailors.
By the end of the war, more than five thousand patients had been treated. It was recognised that many ex-servicemen would need ongoing care, and the hospital continued to provide a home for them. Since then, the hospital has cared for many servicemen and women from the Second World War and many other conflicts which have involved UK forces.
By the end of the war, more than five thousand patients had been treated. It was recognised that many ex-servicemen would need ongoing care, and the hospital continued to provide a home for them. Since then, the hospital has cared for many servicemen and women from the Second World War and many other conflicts which have involved UK forces.
In 2000 a new Erskine Hospital building was opened and the original Erskine House building sold. In 2006 Erskine House reopened as the Mar Hall hotel.
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Finding out more
You can find out more about the history of Erskine by contacting:
Paisley Central Local Studies Library
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
Erskine Library
email: libraries.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk
phone: 0141 812 5331
fax: 0141 812 4977
write to:
Erskine Library
Bridgewater Place
Erskine
PA8 7AA
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