RENFREW

royal burgh (town), Renfrewshire council area and historic county, southwestern Scotland, located in the northwest portion of the Glasgow metropolitan area near the right bank of the River Clyde. In 1164 Somerled, lord of the Western (Scottish) Isles, was defeated and killed there by the Scottish monarch Malcolm IV. A burgh in the 12th century, it received its charter in 1396. It is the historic county town (seat) of Renfrewshire. The development of steel and shipbuilding industries brought rapid growth during the 19th century, but these industries had disappeared by the late 20th century. Modern industries include electronics, the manufacture of plastics and composites, and a large boilermaking works. Pop. (1991) 20,764. district, Strathclyde region, southwestern Scotland; it was created by the reorganization of 1975 from part of the former county of Renfrewshire. The district covers an area of 119 square miles (309 square km) adjoining the city of Glasgow on the east and bounded by the River Clyde on the north. Although it is one of the most highly industrialized areas in Scotland, agriculture is also important, and fresh milk and vegetable crops are produced for the Glasgow market. The traditional but now declining heavy industries of the district are shipbuilding, marine engineering, and textiles. Manufacture of heavy machine tools remains important at Johnstone; sanitary ware has replaced textile printing at Barrhead; and an automobile-assembly plant has been established at Linwood (1963) to alleviate unemployment caused by the continued decline of the traditional heavy industries. Paisley (q.v.), the largest town and seat of the district authority for Renfrew and Eastwood districts, has a more diversified industrial structure. Textiles and thread continue to be produced along with chemicals; food processing, engineering, and shipbuilding are also important. Pop. (1987 est.) 201,295.