Renfrew facts for kids

For other uses, see Renfrew (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Renfrew Scottish Gaelic: Rinn Friù Scots: Renfrew
Renfrew Town Hall and centre
Arms of Renfrew Community Council
Renfrew
Population	Expression error: "24,270 (2020)" must be numeric
OS grid reference	NS519186
Council area	Renfrewshire
Lieutenancy area	Renfrewshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Renfrew
Postcode district	PA4
Dialling code	0141

Police	Strathclyde
Fire	Strathclyde
Ambulance	Scottish

EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Scottish Parliament	Renfrewshire North and West
List of places UK Scotland 55°52′41″N 4°23′20″W / 55.878°N 4.389°W / 55.878; -4.389

Renfrew is a town in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is located about 6 miles west of Glasgow. Renfrew is known as the "Cradle of the Royal Stewarts". This is because of its early connections to Scotland's former royal family. The town was granted royal burgh status in 1397. This gave it special privileges from the king.

Renfrew was once the main town for local government in the surrounding area. This area was known as "Renfrewshire". Over time, the main activities of local government moved to Paisley. Paisley is a larger town nearby.

After a big change in 1996, Renfrewshire was divided into three new areas. These are Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, and East Renfrewshire. Renfrew is part of the modern Renfrewshire council area. Its main office is in Paisley. The old boundaries of the historic County of Renfrew are still used for some special purposes.

The House of Stewart family once lived at Renfrew Castle. In 1164, a major battle happened here. It was called the Battle of Renfrew. The Scottish crown won a big victory against Somerled, the Lord of the Isles. Because of its royal link and this victory, the heir to the British throne holds special titles. These are Baron Renfrew and Lord of the Isles. Currently, Prince William, Duke of Rothesay, holds these titles.

Historically, Renfrew was known for shipbuilding and engineering. This was due to its location on the River Clyde and River Cart. Today, the town mainly has businesses that provide services. This includes the large Braehead shopping and leisure centre. It was built in 1999. This development has helped Renfrew grow along the riverside.

Discovering Renfrew: Scotland's Historic Town

Renfrew's Royal Past

The Stewarts and Royal Connections

The name Renfrew comes from an old British language. It means "point at the current." This refers to where the River Cart flows into the River Clyde. Renfrew's story began in the 12th century. King David I of Scotland gave land here to Walter fitz Alan. Walter was the High Steward of Scotland.

A castle was built in Renfrew. Its location was important. It helped stop the expansion of Somerled, the Lord of the Isles. It also protected western Scotland from invaders from the north. Renfrew Castle was located on what was called King's Inch, or King's Island. Today, this area is part of the Braehead shopping complex.

Early Beginnings and Battles

Later in the 12th century, King Malcolm IV asked Somerled to show loyalty to him. In 1164, Somerled sailed to Renfrew. He attacked a Scottish army in the Battle of Renfrew. Somerled's forces were defeated, and he died. The Lords of the Isles eventually lost their lands and titles in 1493. This happened because they worked with an English king against the Scottish monarchy. Since then, "Lord of the Isles" and "Baron of Renfrew" have been special titles. They are held by the heir to the throne. Currently, William, Duke of Rothesay, holds these titles.

The Stewart family became more powerful. In 1315, Walter Stewart married Marjorie. She was the daughter of King Robert the Bruce. Their son later became Robert II of Scotland, the king.

A Look at Renfrew's History

Heroes of World War II

During the night of March 13, 1941, three brave Polish airmen saved Renfrew's Roman Catholic church. Their names were Pawel Radke, Antoni Ptaszkowski, and Zygmunt Sokolowski. They risked their lives to put out fires caused by bombs. These fires had started in the church. Sadly, two of the airmen died from a bomb. The third passed away in a hospital the next day. They were all in their twenties.

In May 1941, their squadron gave the church a portrait of Our Lady. This was a thank you to the people of Renfrew. The community never forgot their sacrifice. In October 1982, a special Mass was held. A silver plaque was dedicated to the airmen and the portrait. A local Polish jeweler made the plaque.

Modern Church Life

In 2013, the Rev Lorna Hood became the leader of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. She was a minister at Renfrew North Parish Church. She was also a Chaplain to The Queen. Renfrew Old Parish Church closed in 2013. This was due to the high costs of maintaining the building.

How Renfrew is Governed

Renfrew's mercat cross and war memorial.

The coat of arms of Renfrew

Local Government Today

Renfrew gives its name to the area called Renfrewshire. This area was once a much larger county. However, the main offices for local government are now in Paisley. Paisley is a much larger town nearby.

The history of Renfrewshire is linked to the Stewart family. They were the hereditary High Stewards of Scotland. In 1371, Robert Stewart became King of Scotland. In 1402, his son, Robert III, created the shire of Renfrew. This new area was made from parts of Lanarkshire. Renfrew, with its castle, became its center.

Renfrew was once the meeting place for many important local groups. These included the sheriff court. However, the sheriff court moved to Paisley in 1705. This started the gradual shift of local government to Paisley. Despite this, Renfrew kept its status as a royal burgh.

Today, Renfrew has its own community council. This council meets in Renfrew Town Hall.

Representing Renfrew in Parliament

Renfrew has been part of different parliamentary areas over time. Since 2005, it has been part of the Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency. Gavin Newlands, an SNP MP, has held this seat since 2015.

In the Scottish Parliament, Renfrew is part of the Renfrewshire North & West Constituency. Derek Mackay, a former SNP politician, held this seat from 2011.

Getting Around Renfrew

Roads and Bridges

The M8 motorway westbound

The M8 motorway runs through Renfrew. Two exits, at Arkleston and Braehead, provide access to the town. The former Renfrew Airport was located south of the town. Today, a Tesco supermarket stands where the airport terminal once was.

Renfrew Bridge

As part of a project to improve the Clyde waterfront, a new bridge was planned. This bridge, called The Renfrew Bridge, connects Renfrew/Braehead to Yoker/Clydebank. Construction began in early 2024. The bridge officially opened on May 9, 2025.

Bus Services

McGill's Buses service 23 bound for North Barr in Erskine

Renfrew has bus services from McGills buses and First Bus. These buses go to Braehead Shopping Centre and Glasgow city centre. There are also routes that connect Renfrew to Erskine, Paisley, Glasgow Airport, and Govan.

Train Connections

Renfrew once had several train stations. They were on a branch of the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway. However, these stations closed to passengers in 1967. The closest train station today is Hillington West.

There are also plans to connect Renfrew to Glasgow with a new metro line. This is part of the proposed Clyde Metro Project.

The Renfrew Ferry

Renfrew Ferry

The Renfrew ferry was a boat service. It linked Renfrew and Yoker across the Clyde River. The trip only took a few minutes. This service was replaced by the Renfrew Bridge.

The ferry continued to operate for a short time after the bridge opened on May 9, 2025. However, on May 31, 2025, the ferry service permanently stopped. This was because the new bridge caused fewer people to use the ferry.

Sports and Famous Faces

Football in Renfrew

Renfrew Football Club plays at New Western Park. They are part of the West of Scotland Football League First Division.

Notable People from Renfrew

Many interesting people come from Renfrew, including:

Fred Colledge, a cricketer
Lorne Crerar, a lawyer
Winifred Drinkwater, an aviator (someone who flies planes)
Bob Harley, a footballer
Alex Hunter, a footballer
Jackie Husband, a footballer
Derek Mackay, a former politician
James McDonald, a flying ace from World War I
Neil Oliver, a television presenter, archaeologist, historian, and author

Renfrew's Economy and Geography

Renfrew's Industries and Businesses

In the past, shipbuilding was a major industry in Renfrew. Companies like Simons and Lobnitz built many ships here. They were especially known for building sand dredgers (boats that clear sand from rivers). The Renfrew shipyard closed in the early 1960s.

Renfrew's economy grew further in 1938. The Hillington industrial estate opened. It is now called Hillington Park. This area is home to many businesses. Renfrew is also home to the engineering company Doosan Babcock. The King George V Dock is here too. The Braehead shopping and leisure centre is a big part of the local economy today.

Rivers and Islands

	Clydebank
Inchinnan		Govan
	Renfrew

	Paisley

Renfrew is located where the River Clyde and the River Cart meet. A passenger ferry used to cross the Clyde to Yoker. Now, the Renfrew Bridge spans the Clyde to Clydebank and Yoker. A special bridge that opens, called a bascule bridge, crosses the Cart to Inchinnan and Glasgow Airport. Long ago, two islands named King's Inch and Sand Inch were in the Clyde near Renfrew. They have since joined with the mainland and are now part of the town.