Historic Barrhead

This survey provides an accessible and broad-ranging synthesis of existing knowledge on historic Barrhead, and will inform conservation guidance for future development. The historic town of Barrhead is situated to the west of Glasgow in East Renfrewshire. Barrhead was created in the late 18th century and grew rapidly because it was in the right place at the right time. It was close to the emerging commercial centres of Glasgow and Paisley and could rely on the Levern Water to power a booming textile industry. The valley in which the town grew also has a rich earlier history. The book identifies medieval sites and charts the development of the town from the scatter of fermtouns shown on early maps and goes on to sketch the social history of a community shaped by the industrial revolution. Barrhead was elevated to the status of a burgh in 1893. Although the textile industry was in decline by this time, the lost jobs were replaced by heavy industries. The authors look at the history and archaeological potential of key sites in the town, to inform the future management of Barrhead's heritage.