| Historical Walking Tour of Paisley |
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TOUR DE FORCE! April 18 2007
Les leads a fascinating trip around some of Paisley’s historic buildings
HERITAGE hunters took to the streets to join walking encyclopedia Les Fernie on a tour of Paisley’s most famous landmarks.
Nearly 30 people lined up with Les for the excursion which took in places of interest like Paisley Abbey, Robert Tannahill’s Cottage and the Coats Observatory.
The walk, which started at the Wynd Centre, got off to a rousing start with a selection of traditional Scottish melodies from accordionist Paula Kelly, 16, who is a member of the Paisley-based Brian Laurie Orchestra and a pupil at Renfrew High School.
First port of call was the mid-18th century Oakshaw Trinity Church, where Les and his assistant – 22-year-old son Kenny – pointed out a stone heart, handkerchief and pair of glasses sculpted into the cobbled pavement below the tower.
The ornamental relics are said to have been financed by the wife of a steeplejack who fell to his death while repairing the kirk spire. From there it was on to Coats Observatory, where the history enthusiasts – including one from as far afield as Aberdeen – climbed up into the dome to see some of the magnificent telescopes and a seismograph which records earthquakes across the world. Also on view were weather records which showed that global warming was a natural phenomenon a century ago when Paisley’s highest-ever temperature, 88.6 degrees Fahrenheit, was recorded in September, 1906.
Next stop was the former John Neilston Institution, one of the most dramatic architectural features on Paisley’s skyline. Scholar supreme Les explained that the nickname of the JNI dome – the Porridge Bowl – was inspired by the story of the ancient Greek philosopher, Diogenes.
According to legend, Diogenes – whose statue sculpted by Paisley’s Sandy Stoddart stands inside the building, which has been converted into flats – carried a begging bowl to collect alms during his desert wanderings.
One of the most popular stopping-off points was the cottage in Queen Street where Paisley poet Robert Tannahill (1774-1810) spent most of his life. The walkers had a rare opportunity to see inside the unique 18th century house where Tannahill wrote his most famous poems and worked at the loom while not wandering his beloved Gleniffer Braes, Sweet Ferguslie or the Bonnie Woods o’ Craigilea looking for inspiration.
David Osborne, of the Tannahill Macdonald Club, gave an animated talk about Tannahill’s tragically short life and the Paisley handloom weaving industry which made the town one of the most prosperous in Britain. Other stops on the three-hour walk included the Laigh Kirk – now Paisley Arts Centre – where one of the earliest ministers was the Reverend John Witherspoon, who emigrated to the United States and signed the American Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Les also told the story of how the Russell Institute was donated by Miss Agnes Russell in 1927 in memory of her two brothers, Robert and Thomas, who died in 1920 and 1923.
The tour ended
with visits to Paisley Abbey, which is the cradle of the Stuart dynasty of
monarchs; Dunn Square, which was donated to the people of Paisley by MP Sir
William Dunn; the site of the Glen Cinema, where 71 children died following
a stampede during Paisley’s Black Hogmanay on December 31, 1929;
And the War Memorial, which commemorates the brave Buddies who gave their lives during two world wars and other global conflicts. At the conclusion of the outing, Les distributed souvenir Paisley Daily Express pens and key-rings to mark the historic occasion.
“I was delighted with the number of people who turned up,” he said. “They were all really interested in Paisley’s history and they told me how much they enjoyed the excursion.”
Last year, Les feared he would have to axe his guided strolls around Paisley because people wanted bus rather than walking tours. But the outings were saved when he teamed up with bosses at Paisley’s Wynd Centre - and the Express - to resurrect the programme and ensure Buddies would continue to learn about their town’s illustrious history.
Admission to one of the guided tours staged by Les costs £3 for adults, £2.50 for concessions and £1 for children, To find out the date and route of
the next tour around Paisley, call 01389 380 443 |
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LOCATION:The Wynd Centre,6 School Wynd, Paisley. www.historicalpaisley.com and £1 for children At the conclusion of the tour you are all welcome back to Wynd Centre for Free souvenir pens and key-rings to mark the historic occasion from the Paisley Daily Express. |