BARRHEAD, a quoad sacra parish (for a time),
including the villages of Barrhead, Cross- Arthurlee,
Grahamstown, and Newton-Ralston, in the parish of
Neilston, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 4
miles (S. by E.) from Paisley; the whole containing
5337 inhabitants. This place is situated on the stream
of the Levern, on which are a number of waterfalls that
have contributed much to the manufactures of the
district, consisting of cotton spinning and weaving, and
printing, bleaching, and dyeing, all extensively carried
on, principally for the Glasgow and Paisley markets.
Coal is abundant in the district, and mines are in operation.
The village, situated on the road from Glasgow to
Irvine, is of considerable size, and for the most part inhabited
by persons engaged in the various works; it has
a post-office with a good delivery, and an act was passed
in 1845 for the construction of a railway from Glasgow
by Barrhead to Neilston, which is now open from
Glasgow to Barrhead. In 1848 an act was passed for a
railway from Paisley to Barrhead. A fair is held, chiefly
for pleasure, on the last Friday in June, when a horserace
also takes place. The parish was in the presbytery
of Paisley and synod of Glasgow and Ayr: the church,
a neat structure, was built by subscription, in 1S39;
and the minister was elected by the male communicants.
There is a good school, of which the teacher has a room
rent-free; also a mechanics' subscription library.