Home Report Inchinnan

Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, is a small village of roughly 1,800 residents just a few miles southeast of the larger town of Erskine, about 4 miles northwest of Renfrew, 5 ½ miles north of Paisley, and just over 10 miles west of Glasgow City Centre. So as you can see, while it does have a village feel, it is nestled among a large populous meaning there’s plenty within easy reach for residents.

The village is separated from nearby settlements by rural farmland, as well as the buffer zone around Glasgow Airport. The northwestern part of the village is very close to Erskine, separated mainly by the A726 road. Otherwise, it would likely have a contiguous border by now. It also sits at the confluence of three rivers; the White Cart, the Black Cart, and the Gryffe which then go on to flow into the Clyde.

The area around Inchinnan has had some form of settlement since the iron age. The village as we know it today however began in the 18th century when there were three busy quarries in the village. These local industries attracted people to the area of course, as did the India Tyres and Beardmore Engineering companies more recently in the 20th century. Both of these companies built housing to accommodate their workforces. The quarries themselves only closed in the 1900s after producing millions of tonnes of high-quality freestone.

Today, the village is predominantly a dormitory settlement for residents working in Glasgow, Paisley and Erskine. However, the village does have some industry of its own providing jobs to the nearby area. Rolls Royce has a factory nearby, and the University of Strathclyde has recently announced the construction of a new Net Zero Innovation facility. For commuting, residents must rely on travel by road either by car or bus. The A726 road runs along the eastern border and allows for onward travel to Erskine, as well as connections to the A898 and M8 trunk roads. The nearest train stations are in Bishopton and Paisley.

In terms of amenities and things to do, Inchinnan benefits from its proximity to other larger settlements, even Glasgow, where many amenities, restaurants, entertainment, and more are just a short journey away. There are a couple of local attractions, however. A series of carved stones at Inchinnan Parish Church date from around 900 – 1100AD. They are believed to mark the final resting place of prominent figures from the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde. Another group of stones dating from 1200 -1700 are thought to include Knights Templar stones. Inchinnan Parish Church itself is a striking building and has a beautiful marble pulpit from Italy and glorious stained glass windows.

In terms of local schooling, Inchinnan Primary school is the only school within the village. It is a non-denominational state school. For secondary education the village falls within the catchment area of Park Mains High School in Erskine. For Roman Catholic denomination education, the nearest primary school is St Anne’s in Erskine and Trinity High School is the nearest secondary school over in Renfrew.