ELDERSLIE, an ecclesiastical district (for a time), in
the Abbey parish of the town of Paisley, Upper ward
of the county of Renfrew, 2| miles (W. by S.) from
Paisley; containing 1086 inhabitants. The village,
which is on the road from Paisley to Beith, is distinguished
as the birthplace of the celebrated Sir William
Wallace, who was born in an ancient house near its western
extremity. In the garden of the house, close to the
foundation of the wall, a stone was dug up, bearing the
inscription W. W. W., with the legend " Christ is only
my Redeemer", and which is preserved in the cabinet of
Alexander Speirs, Esq., of Elderslie. On the opposite
side of the road is an old tree called Wallace's tree, iu
which that hero concealed himself when pursued by his
enemies. The village is pleasantly situated, and abundantly
supplied with water from numerous fine springs,
one of which, discovered while boring for coal, is called
the Bore. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in weaving,
and also in the spinning of cotton, for which two
extensive mills have been erected, affording employment
to about 400 persons. The Glasgow, Paisley, and Johnstone
canal, and the Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr railway,
which pass in the vicinity, afford ample facilities of communication.
Elderslie ecclesiastical district included
also the villages of Quarrelton and Thorn, and was
about three miles in length and one mile in average
breadth: the church is a neat structure in the later English
style of architecture, erected by subscription, and
containing about 800 sittings.