Our History

The History of Elderslie & Linwood Parish Churches

Black and white photo of a courtyard with a tree in the foreground, a building with large windows, brick walls, and a gated area.
A sepia-toned vintage photograph of the village hall in Elderslie, a stone building with a stepped gable and a large clock on the front facade, and a woman in period clothing standing near the entrance.
A vintage black-and-white photo of the old cotton mill in Linwood, showing large brick buildings with tall chimneys, smoke rising from the factory, and a small waterway in the foreground.
Black and white photo of the church in Linwood with a dirt road in front, surrounded by houses and leafless trees, under a partly cloudy sky.
Black and white photo of an old stone church with pointed arched windows and a small bell tower, surrounded by a low fence.

Elderslie Kirk

On the 27th of May 1839, the General Assembly in Edinburgh granted constitution to build a chapel in Elderslie. Building work started soon after and on Tuesday 9th June 1840 the new chapel was officially opened by Rev Hill of Dalry who delivered ‘a most eloquent and impressive discourse from Psalm chapter 5 verse 7: “but as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple”. Prior to the opening, Elderslie was situated in the Abbey Parish of Paisley and people walked from Elderslie to Paisley Abbey for the Sunday services, a round trip of 6 miles. The chapel was able to sit 800 people with the officiating clergyman declaring that “he never had spoken in any pulpit with more ease or pleasure”. 

The new church became very popular, and the congregation continued to grow. In 1850, a manse was built to the rear and in 1861, the church was given, according to its records, “full status” which meant it had the right as a parish church to appoint a kirk session and be represented at meetings of Paisley Presbytery. In 1862, the Parish of Elderslie was disjoined, by the Court of Teinds, from the Parish of the Abbey of Paisley (The Court of Teinds was a Scottish Court dealing with teinds which are payments made to the church by landowners). The church was built in perpendicular style with a transverse hall added to the rear in 1885/1886. The church was built in grey ashlar stone with a slated roof.

In 1900 another church opened in Elderslie in Glenpatrick Road which resulted in Elderslie Kirk becoming Elderslie West Kirk with the new church being known as Elderslie East Kirk. In 1977, Elderslie West Kirk, united with the former United Free Church congregation of Elderslie East, under the new name of Elderslie Kirk.

An extension for a church hall was built to the rear in 2014/2015 and in the autumn of 2025 the roof was renewed. The building is a C listed building.

A historic red sandstone church with stained glass windows, a wooden door, and stone steps, surrounded by trees and located at a street corner.
A church wooden pipe organ with a glass-covered keyboard, various stops and knobs, and a wooden bench in front.
Plaque on the wall with engraved text about the opening of Elderslie Kirk Halls by Reverend Dr. John Chalmers and Margaret Lochrie on September 20, 2015, with a background of a hallway in a building.

Linwood Parish Church

On the 10th of June 1860, a new church opened in Napier Street, Linwood. The foundation stone had been laid on 18th June 1859. This was known as a chapel of ease. A large church hall was added in October 1951. On Sunday 12th June 1960, most of the 445 members of the church crowded into the church to hear the former ministers, Andrew Herron and James A. Reid, preach at special services to mark the buildings centenary. Loyalty to the church ran deep in the village and it had always been a vital part of the community. In the 1950s, a new car plant was built in the village and as a result a massive house building programme was launched to accommodate the new workers. Attendances at the church increased as the population of the village grew quickly, however the church had limited capacity and could not be extended, therefore the decision was made to move away from Napier Street to a new church at Blackwood Avenue.

The new church was built at Clippens / Blackwood Avenue in Linwood and the foundation stone was laid by Mr Robert Leitch on 20th February 1965, with the dedication service on 22nd October 1965 when his assistant Carlisle Dick spoke the first words from the pulpit: “I am the resurrection and the life”. As each phase of building was complete, and the new houses became occupied, the elders made initial welcoming visits and gave invitations to join in our worship and fellowship. Both churches were used for a period thereafter, particularly the hall adjacent to the old church, but it proved impossible financially to maintain the two buildings and those in Napier Street fell into disrepair and were eventually sold. The demolition of the old church enabled a new manse to be built.

The new church was a spacious red brick building with furniture and communion silver from the earlier church. Contemporary artwork included a large aluminium cross presented by the former Rootes Vehicle Plant (this cross in now at Elderslie and Linwood Parish Church). By 1971, Linwood Parish Church had 781 members and 24 elders. The church was refurbished in 2005.

The final service in December 2024, was conducted by the Rev Stuart Stevenson with a call to worship before the first hymn “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. The service concluded with a participatory blessing and the final hymn “For Thou O Lord Art High” raised the rafters of Linwood Parish Church for the last time.

Historical black-and-white photo of Napier Street in Linwood with houses on both sides, a church in the background, and people walking on the street.
Empty Linwood church sanctuary with wooden pews, brick wall, cross from the Chrysler factory, and hanging pendant lights.
A large metal cross from Linwood decorated with poinsettia flowers, pinecones, and greenery, standing in a corner of a church with wooden paneling, near a small wooden cabinet with an open Bible and a smaller closed book on top.
Stylized black and white logo featuring a shuriken or star shape with a circular target design in the center.

Elderslie & Linwood
Parish Church

On the 1st of January 2025, Elderslie Kirk amalgamated with Linwood Parish church to form Elderslie and Linwood Parish church under Rev Gray Fletcher with the service of union taking place at Elderslie and Linwood Parish Church on 28th January 2025. Transport was organised for the Sunday service for people coming from Linwood and to maintain a presence in Linwood, the midweek service was moved to Linwood Baptist church.

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An indoor hallway leading to church hall with wooden flooring, a closed double wooden door with windows, a small bookshelf, a potted plant, fire extinguishers, and emergency exit signs.
Interior of a church sanctuary with wooden pews, a central altar, a large pipe organ above the altar, stained glass windows, and a projection screen on the right.
A stone church with arched windows and a small bell tower, adjacent to a modern white church hall with multiple skylights, under a clear blue sky.
Large church hall with wooden floor, blue chairs along walls, bulletin boards, and skylights in the ceiling.
Large church hall with blue chairs along the wall, wood flooring, and a small bulletin board. Viewing from a kitchen service hatch with a countertop, shelving, and recycling bins in the foreground.