Renfrew

infobox UK place
country = Scotland
country= Scotland
static_

static_image_caption= "Renfrew's location locally and nationally."
official_name= Renfrew
gaelic_name= Rinn Friù
scots_name=
os_grid_reference= NS519186
latitude=55.86666
longitude=-4.36666
population= 20,251 (1991 census)
unitary_scotland=Renfrewshire
lieutenancy_scotland= Renfrewshire
post_town= RENFREW
postcode_district = PA4
postcode_area= PA |dial_code= 0141
constituency_westminster= Paisley and Renfrewshire North
constituency_scottish_parliament= West Renfrewshire West of Scotland

Renfrew ("Rinn Friù" in Scottish Gaelic) is a town, located convert|6|mi|km|1 west of Glasgow on the west coast of Scotland. Traditionally, Renfrew is the county town of the Renfrewshire used for local government until the reorganisation of 1975, with its name surviving in the modern Renfrewshire local authority area in which Renfrew falls.

The town is located at the confluence of the River Clyde and the River Cart. A passenger ferry crosses the Clyde to Yoker and a bascule bridge crosses the Cart to Inchinnan and Glasgow International Airport.

Governance

Local government and royal burgh

Renfrew is known as the "Cradle of the Royal Stewarts" and held royal burgh status from 1397. The current Baron of Renfrew is "His Royal Highness" The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay (known outside Scotland as The Prince of Wales).

Although the town gives its name to the council area of Renfrewshire and the larger county of the same name which was used for local government before 1975, the administrative functions of both have in modern times been operated from the considerably larger neighbouring town of Paisley.

Renfrew is now represented by its own community council, which meets in Renfrew Town Hall. [ [http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/Content/cs-pmcd-renfrew-community-council Renfrewshire Community Website - Renfrew meetings ] ]

Parliament of the United Kingdom

Renfrew was a parliamentary burgh as a component of Glasgow Burghs from 1708 to 1832, and as a component of Kilmarnock Burghs from 1832 to 1918, when it was merged into the East Renfrewshire constituency.

Since 2005, it has been part of the Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency.

Economy

The major industry of Renfrew was previously shipbuilding. Simons and Lobnitz, most notable for building sand dredgers were based in the town.The Renfrew ship yards closed in the early 1960s. [http://www.freewebs.com/renfrew/industry.htm] [http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/collects/catalog/ugd/201-250/ugd215.html]

Renfrew is home to the engineering company Doosan Babcock (formerly Babcock and Wilcox and the Braehead out-of-town retail development.

ports and recreation

*Renfrew has a King George's Field, in memorial to King George V. These fields are notoriously muddy during the frequent rain periods in this part of Scotland, and develop into bogs during some parts of the year, becoming flooded up to half a foot deep in places.
*It also has a municipal swimming pool, the "Victory Baths", gifted by the Lobnitz family to the town.
*In 2004 Renfrewshire council opened a multi-purpose sports centre named Moorcroft at the corner of Paisley Road and Newmains Road.
*In April 2006 the "Xscape centre" was opened near Braehead Shopping Centre and Ikea, featuring indoor snowboarding, skiing, ten-pin bowling, climbing, cinema and much more.
* [http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/Content/els-jcp-Renfrew-Museum+ Renfrew Community Museum] preserves historical aspects of the town.

References

Further reading

* "History of Renfrew", J.A. Dunn, Town Council of Renfrew, 1971

External links

* [http://www.happyhaggis.co.uk/renfrew.htm Renfrew information]
* [http://www.oneilsrenfrew.net www.oneilsrenfrew.net]
* [http://www.myrenfrew.com www.myrenfrew.com]