Monday 30 July 2012

Stairlifts Paisley – Stairlifts Renfrewshire

 
Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Paisley, Renfrewshire



Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in  Renfrewshire and Strathclyde . And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.
Give us a call today on 0141 278 3929  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Paisley – Stairlifts Renfrewshire

As many as 400 people in Paisley already own stairlifts.  This isn’t out of the ordinary as it’s roughly 2.6 of the retired population here which is the national average.  We keep count as well and you can see our constantly updated counter here.

The truth is that for that a small percentage of us need some assistance with stairs as we age.  A stairlift is a safe way to regain access to your whole home and can make a great difference to your life.

Here at Castle Comfort Stair Lifts we like to help as many people as possible restore this mobility to their lives.  Consequently we have a good range of stairlifts supplied by all of the UK’s manufacturers plus our own brand.  Take a look here if you want to compare them.  We can advise you on which stairlift is best for you and you can see the prices online too.

So take a look around our site but if you still have questions, please telephone our local office so that we can offer your our expertise on all things stairlifts.  Just call  0141 278 3929 .

It’s all about Paisley
Paisley is famous for its paisley pattern and Paisley shawls, for its architecture, for its links to the Royal families of Scotland and England and it witches!

Paisley pattern and shawls
Where to begin?  Let’s start with the Paisley pattern and shawls.  The teardrop design of the traditional Paisley pattern originates in Persia.  It is still used in Iran, Uzbekistan and India.  In fact it was the amazing Kashmiri shawls brought back by soldiers and imported by the East India Company that inspired its recreation in Europe.

Source:Wikimedia Commons


Paisley became the British home of production and gave the pattern its modern name.  Hand weavers in Paisley in the 17th century and later using mechanical Jacquard looms were able to incorporate 5 colours at first.  This was more than other weavers who could only use two.  Later this increased to 15 colours or threads.  This was still less then the colourful originals from India but more than other producers could manage.  Famously the pattern was made into Paisley shawls like the originals from Kashmir.

By the 19th century Paisley had a thriving textile industry and in the next century big business in producing threads for sewing.

The textile history has left Paisley with quite some legacy.  First and foremost the named pattern, some great Victorian architecture in the shape of mill buildings and weaver’s cottages and street names.  You’ll find streets by the names Cotton Street, Thread Street, Shuttle Street, Silk Street, Mill Street and more in Paisley.

You can see a collection of Paisley shawls at Paisley’s Museum.

Architecture - Paisley Abbey
This abbey was first built as a priory or monastery in the 12th century at the direction of Walter FitzAlan, the first High Steward of Scotland.  It was on the site of an earlier church founded by St Mirin.  Thirteen monks came from Much Wenlock in Shropshire to set up the priory.  A century later, the priory was upgraded to an Abbey answerable only to the Pope.



It became a seat of learning too.  William Wallace, a knight and landowner, who was born nearby was educated here as a boy.

The Abbey has had a chequered history.  It was burnt down in 1307 and later rebuilt.  It suffered more problems including another fire during the 15th and 16th centuries and was restored during the 19th and early 20th century.  It is now a Church of Scotland parish church.

The Abbey has one of the finest organs in Scotland built by the French organ builder Cavaillé Coll.

Paisley’s listed buildings
·         Anchor Mills – a Grade A listed building a valuable part of the textile history of the area

·         George A Clark Town Hall, a neo classical building which was funded by the Coats family

Source:Wikimedia Commons


·         The Museum, Art Gallery and Library – the museum was built in 1871 by Sir Peter Coats part of the thread producing family.  It was designed by John Honeyman a Glasgow architect

·         Coasts Observatory – the observatory was opened in 1831 by Thomas Coats.  You can still visit this working observatory which records weather and see how it works.  They also have a planetarium where you can see the night sky

The Russell Institute
This Grade A listed building was built during the early 20th century and in a typical Art Deco style.  It was built to commemorate two brothers, Thomas and Robert Russell by their sister Agnes.  The building has a number of bronze statues including the guardian angel above the door.  The building was used as a child welfare clinic and is still used as clinic today.

Sma’ Shot Cottages
The only surviving weaver’s cottage in Shuttle Street has been refurbished to its original state so that you can see just how the hand loom weavers lived and worked.  It was built in the 1740’s and has three rooms.  Records show that two of the rooms would be living quarters and the third room for the loom.

Behind this cottage are three more built a little later and which show how the weavers lived about 70 years later.

Royal links
The Royal Stewart line descended from Walter FitzAlan the first High Steward of Scotland.  Whilst Paisley was the religious home of the Stewarts, their family residence was a castle near Renfrew.  The connections remain firmly with Paisley though as all six High Stewards are buried at Paisley Abbey.

The Royal connection came when Marjorie Bruce daughter of Robert the Bruce married the 6th High Steward.  The first Stewart king was Walter and Marjorie’s son, Robert II.  Marjorie is also buried at Paisley Abbey.

The Paisley witches
In 1697 seven people from Paisley were found guilty of witchcraft.  Six of them were hanged at Gallow Green.  The seventh took his own life before this.  They were accused of witchcraft by a girl of 11 called Christian Shaw.  The girl accused the family maid of putting a curse on her after Christian saw her steel a glass of milk.  This was only 4 years after the Salem witch trials in America.

Who do you know from Paisley?
Paisley isn’t short of a famous person or two in many walks of life.  Here are just a few with strong connections to this town.

·         Andrew Neil, journalist, ex editor of the Times and TV presenter

·         Tom Conti, TV and film actor

·         Paolo Nutini, singer/songwriter

·         David Tennant who was brought up in Paisley is a classical actor who is probably best known for his TV performance as Dr Who

·         Gerard Butler, the stage and film actor grew up in Paisley


·         The late Gerry Rafferty had a long musical career at one time playing in a band with Billy Connelly.  He is probably best known for his 1970’s hit single Baker Street

·         John Amabile, TV interior designer

·         Boxer Kevin McKintyre

·         Lex Easden, champion kick boxer

·         James and Marion Robertson who set up Robertson’s jams and preserves in Paisley.  Marion turned a glut of oranges into their first marmalade

·         Writer Suhayl Saadi was brought up in Paisley.  He first ground breaking book was Psychoraag


·         Cutting edge hairdresser Trevor Sorbie who invented the Wedge, the Chop and the Scrunch


Going back to the stairlifts, we have the right stairlift for you or your loved one and can also advise on ways to finance your purchase including reconditioned chairlifts, 0% loans and grants to ease the pressure.  Take a look at what other customers say and then call us on  0141 278 3929  so that we can seal the deal.

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