Langbank

Langbank is a village on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name is thought to come from ‘long bank’ (the first part being 'lang' in Scots. It is 9.3 miles/15km northwest from Paisley (Renfrewshire) and 3.4 miles/5.5km east from Port Glasgow (Inverclyde) on the A8. For the purposes of local government, Langbank was previously linked with its nearby and larger neighbour, Houston but is now part of a local council ward with Bishopton and Bridge of Weir ( [http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/Content/Navigation-cs-Ward10HomePage Ward 10] ).

Langbank evolved as a dormitory settlement for Glasgow after the opening of the Glasgow and Greenock Railway in 1841, a function it still performs. Prior to that it was a scattered collection of farms. An 1800 map makes reference to Longbank. It remains on the busy A8 trunk road, a few hundred yards from the start of the M8 motorway. Langbank railway station is on the Inverclyde Line.

Visible along the shoreline at Langbank are the remains of the timber ponds where the shipyards of the lower Clyde stored timber for use in shipbuilding.

Notable buildings

*Langbank Parish Church (1866) has a spire which was rebuilt three times.
*Formakin Estate (begun 1903) is a curious mansion which was never actually completed as the owner ran out of money. Features include tiny stone monkeys which clamber over the rooftops and a datestone carved with the date "1694" and the letters 'DL' (standing for "Damned Lie"!).
*Finlaystone House (c. 1760) was built as the seat of the Cunninghams of Glencairn, but since the 1920s was home to the MacMillan family and to the chief of Clan MacMillan. The estate is now a popular country park and garden centre. It is located between Langbank and Kilmacolm.
*Gleddoch House was the home of Port Glasgow Shipbuilder, Col. Sir James Lithgow Bt. It is now a hotel and leisure complex.

External links

* [http://www.finlaystone.co.uk Finlaystone Estate]