Description
Abbey Close Original Secession (Burgher) Church was opened in 1769, directly opposite the west front of
Paisley Abbey. The congregation of the Secession Church had left the Abbey and maaged to purhase the land for their own church and graveyard. Two churches were built on the site, the last closing in 1965 had been designed by James Drummond a local architect with some fittings and furnishings by Alexander ‘Greek’
Thomson. In 1905-06 alterations were made by Honeyman, Keppie and Mackintosh. The last alterations
included a lectern designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh which was placed in the collection of Glasgow School of Art when the church closed, and now lost folling the first devistation fire at the School of Art..
The graveyard contains memorials to many of the towns tradesmen, merchants, provosts and population who all helped shape the town, along with family members who died abroad in places like Calcutta, or the Clark family of thread fame.
The tour of the graveyard will take around 1.5 hours.
The tours are free and are providedd by The Urban Historian and supported by Renfrewshire Council through the Culture, Heritagr and Events Fund.
We meet at the west front of Paisley Abbey on Abbey Close, Paisley, PA1 1JF (postcode relates to Paisley Town Hall, beside the graveyard)
