Elderslie, Scotland

History

The origin of the name of "Elderslie" is Old English for "field of Elder Trees".

It is assumed that William Wallace was born and grew up in Elderslie. On the site of the ancient Elderslie Castle there stands a monument to commemorate his life, and a commemoration ceremony is held every August. Also on the site is the Wallace Yew, an ancient yew tree and the Wallace Oak stood nearby until 1856. Auchenbathie Tower a few miles to the south is a site associated with William Wallace in an action against the English.

From 1862 until 2004 when the carpet firm merged operations in Kilmarnock only to go into receivership a year later the village was the home to Stoddard Carpets which made the carpets for the Cunard liners , and Queen Elizabeth 2 which were built by John Brown & Company in their shipyard in Clydebank. The firm also produced carpets for Queen Elizabeth II's wedding in Westminster Abbey, the ocean liner and for the Concorde aircraft. A remaining example of the work which was carried out here can be seen in the circular carpet which covers the floor of the drawing room in Culzean Castle designed by Robert Adam.

Elderslie railway station operated on the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway from 1840 to 1966.

Education

There is one non-denominational state primary school in Elderslie: Wallace Primary School, which is a feeder school for Castlehead High School, a secondary school in Paisley.

Landmarks

• William Wallace Monument and Wallace Yew
• Elderslie Kirk; Elderslie was once divided between two parishes of the established Church of Scotland, Elderslie West and Elderslie East, which amalgamated around 1977. Worshippers now meet in the former West church, renamed Elderslie Kirk.
• Old Patrick Water; The stream which runs through the village, colloquially known as the Brandy Burn
• There is a golf club called Elderslie Golf Club and a bowling club.
• Alleged home of William Wallace

Notable people

• William Wallace (died 1305) – Scottish warrior
• Wilhelmina Alexander (1756–1843) - Robert Burns' Bonnie Lass o'Ballochmyle.
• Margaret McCoubrey (1880–1955) – Irish suffragist and active participant of the co-operative movement.
• George Campbell Hay (1915–1984) – Writer
• Dougie Vipond (1966–present) – television presenter and drummer of Deacon Blue.
• Peter Nardone (1965–present) – musician
• Richard Madden (1986–present) – actor
• Callum Hawkins (1992–present) – Scottish record holder in the marathon and the British all-time number three.
• Aidan Ferris (1996-present)-

References

References

1. {{Scottish settlement population citation
2. (1885). "Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical".
3. (21 February 2005). "The history of Stoddard carpets". BBC News.
4. "Elderslie: Overview".