Doors Open Days: Graveyard Tours at Paisley Arts Centre
Join The Urban Historian for a tour of Paisley Laigh Kirk and its adjoining graveyard on Saturday 6th September as part of this year's Doors Open Days Festival!
About Doors Open Days: Graveyard Tours at Paisley Arts Centre
Established in 1736, the Paisley Laigh Kirk and its adjoining graveyard hold a significant place in the town's history. The graveyard remained in use until the late 19th century and serves as the final resting place for many notable Paisley residents — including manufacturers, weavers, burgesses, and councillors, among them at least two former Provosts of Paisley.
At the heart of the graveyard stands the Laigh Kirk itself, now transformed into the Paisley Arts Centre. This striking building blends original 18th-century architecture with contemporary 21st-century design, symbolising the town’s deep respect for heritage alongside its creative future.
The church is also associated with influential figures such as Rev. John Witherspoon, who served as minister before emigrating to America. There, he became a key figure in the American Revolution, signing the Declaration of Independence and later serving as President of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University.
Together, the Laigh Kirk and its graveyard offer a powerful glimpse into Paisley’s past, preserving the stories of those who helped shape the town and, in some cases, the wider world.
The tours of the graveyard will cover the history of the site and a selection of the headstones of those interred there.
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