If you live in Paisley, there are many things you can do to have a good time. For example, you can search for no deposit bonuses without even leaving your home and try your luck at casino games without spending your own money. However, if you prefer to spend time outdoors, learning about the history of this town before you go out will provide a more enjoyable experience.
“If you walk around Paisley right now, you can see booths of sportsbooks like Paddy Power and William Hill on almost every street,” says Tony Sloterman, product owner of Casino Bonuses Finder company. “But if you were in the 19th century, you would have seen shops selling silk, cotton, and wool. Paisley was considered a manufacturing center at the time.” Below, we will briefly touch upon the past and historical significance of this city.
The Early Days
There is no consensus on exactly when Paisley was founded, but most historians believe that settlement here first began in the 7th century in what is now known as “Paisley Abbey”. Saint Mirin established a community here and it is thought that the name “Paisley” also originated from this. Because this name is derived from the Gaelic word “Baisleac”, which means basilica (major church).
In any case, we don’t know much about this historical period. The first clear historical record of Paisley is from the 12th century: there are multiple documents signed by the first High Steward of Scotland about the lands he owned here. It is possible to find some records that William Wallace was also educated at Paisley Abbey too. When we look at the early history of this city, we see that almost everything was shaped around the Abbey. For example, King Robert II was born in Paisley Abbey and all of Scotland’s High Stewards are buried here. Until the 18th century, it is possible to say that Paisley was an important religious hub that controlled all the churches in the surrounding area.
The “Paisley” Era
When The Industrial Revolution started, it caused a boom in the textile industry and Paisley started to attract the attention of mill owners due to its location. We see that silk production started in the city in the 17th century and continued until 1790. During this period, Paisley transformed from a religious hub to a weaving center. Silk lost its popularity at the end of the 18th century and Paisley mills started to produce “Kashmir shawls” instead.
Fabric samples sent by British soldiers from India are used for the design and patterns of these shawls. In a short time, Paisley shawls gained incredible popularity and even the pattern used on them began to be called “Paisley” for short. This is a motif similar to a teardrop, and most historians believe it first appeared in Persia. However, it is Paisley who made it famous, and the shawls produced in this town have not lost their popularity for almost a hundred years. So much so that it was even used by the Beatles in the ’60s and almost became an icon during the “Summer of Love” era in 1967. Even Fender made a custom electric guitar that used the Paisley pattern. All the mills in the city were closed in 1993, but the legend of the Paisley shawl still lives on: you can still witness this period of history by visiting the museums in the town.