Kilbarchan
| Kilbarchan | |
| Renfrewshire | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NS401633 |
| Location: | 55°50’10"N, 4°33’13"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 3,622 (2001) |
| Postcode: | PA10 |
| Dialling code: | 01505 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Renfrewshire |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Paisley and Renfrewshire South |
Kilbarchan is a village in Renfrewshire. The village's name means "cell (chapel) of St Barchan". It is known for its former weaving industry.
Inhabitants of Kilbarchan are informally known as "Habbies" after the famous village piper, Habbie Simpson.
History
The village was once one of many weaving villages in Renfrewshire, and at one time there were 800 handlooms in Kilbarchan. The trade was a hard one and weavers were active in the Radical movement which sought parliamentary reform, and Kilbarchan played a part in the agitation of the so-called Radical War of 1820. One cottage named the "[Weaver's Cottage, Kilbarchan|Weaver’s Cottage]", built in 1723, has been conserved by the National Trust for Scotland, which keeps weaving in operation, and where guides demonstrate handloom weaving to visitors.
Kilbarchan was the birthplace of Mary Barbour, the political activist who led the Glasgow rent strike of 1915 and later became Glasgow's first female councillor.
Lilias Day
The main annual event in the village calendar is the celebration of Lilias Day, on the first Saturday of June, during which hundreds of visitors come to Kilbarchan to watch the parade and join in the festivities. The origins are unknown however the current run of annual celebrations started in 1968 by the Kilbarchan Primary School Parents Association. Lilias Day had been previously celebrated in 1931, 1933 and 1934. There are no other records of other Lilias Days before that in the twentieth century.
Habbie Simpson is one of the main focuses of the celebration of Lilias day, during which he "comes to life" from his statue on the steeple (the statue is covered by a flag for the day).
Big Society
Kilbarchan is the home of Kilbarchan Amateur Athletics Club, and contains a Primary school, a Girl Guiding Centre, separate Scout Halls, a pipe band and two churches, Kilbarchan West and Kilbarchan East.
There are two village pubs, the Trust and the Glenleven. The Trust has been in establishment since 1904 [1] and, on occasion, serves the Wednesday Night club. It is also the village's source of live music on a Friday night.
Outside links
References
- ↑ Butler, John. "Kilbarchan Interests". http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.butler19/page4/trustinn/trust.htm. Retrieved 25 July 2012.