Kilbarchan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kilbarchan
Kilbarchan's location locally and nationally
Demographics
Population:	3,622 (1991 Census)
Administration
Local Government Region:	Renfrewshire
Nation:	Scotland
Geography
Traditional County:	Renfrewshire
Former Region:	Strathclyde
Grid reference:	NS401634
Post Office and Telephone
Post Town:	Johnstone
Postcode:	PA10
Dialling Code:	01505

Kilbarchan (Cill Bhearchain in Scottish Gaelic) is a small village to the west of Johnstone in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The village's name means "cell (chapel) of St. Barchan".

Kilbarchan is the home of Kilbarchan Amateur Athletics Club, and contains a Primary school and two churches. The main annual event is the celebration of Lilias Day, on the first Saturday of June. Its biggest employer is Smith & McLaurin Ltd, a self-adhesive paper company based at Cartside Mill. There are two village pubs, The Trust and The Glenleven. The Trust has been in establishment since 1901 and serves the Wednesday Night club on occasion.

The village was once one of many weaving villages, and at one time there were 800 handlooms in the village. The 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 built in 1723 has been conserved by the National Trust for Scotland with weaving still in operation, and guides demonstrate handloom weaving to visitors.