Kilbarchan means "the Church, Cell or Retreat of Barchan".
Earlier investigations suggest that a holy man named similar to "Barchan" actually lived for some time at the place that borne his name.
It was customary that when a holy man wished to found a church or monastery on a particular spot he would engage in 40 days of prayer and fasting on that spot. During this period he would not eat till evening and then it would be a morsel of bread and an egg taken with a little water or milk.
Once the 40 days had been complete the concecration of that ground was done. It would follow that the church would be called by the name of the holy man who dwelled on that spot.
St. Barchan was a Scot-Irish Saint who lived between 550-650. He pursued his clerical calling in Ireland and Scotland. Both at Clonsast King's Country and Kilbarchan. His memory was formerly reverenced on an early date in December. According to various sources the 4th of Dec was the day set apart to commemorate Barchan's Day.
In his old age, being stricken with blindness, he received as compensation from heaven the gift of prophecy. On his death his body was borne to the church in Inishmore (the largest and the most northerly of the Aran Islands), Galway Bay and was buried in the same grave as 3 other Saints. Thereafter a church was built on the spot and known as the Church of the Four Illustrious.
It still has a reputation of being a "place of healing".
St Barchan's reputation as a prophet to the Celtic people was immense. Here is an example of his writing:
In Ireland the matter shall begin at the number of 7,
And it shall be made an end at the number of an 11,
In Ireland also the sun shall fade and lose it's light,
Then the moon shall shine when Holy Church shall undertake to try the right,
Then their treason shall begin.
The swan shall swim the river along and trouble the water with his toe,
The antelope shall chase the wolf's whelp when the old wolf is agoe.
A dreadful dragon shall stand in a tower, and hearken of mickell woe,
Then the three castles shall be devoured, so then Ireland is nigh agoe.
After the sun shall shine out of the North East,
Then the moon shall change at the full.
Three thousand shall die upon a day at Rosberry, live who so may,
Then will horses go to grass, and spare neither corn, neither mead,
Their bridles fast upon their back, their bridles upon their head,
There shall be no grooms them to keep; their masters shall be gone,
They shall be out a whole fortnight, and no man to fetch them home.
Paisley Abbey was the centre of power in the region about this time, (they owned or were gifted large parts of what we know as Renfrew).
In 1502 Abbot Robert Shaw drew up rules which tenants had to conform to, if not, they were subject to fines or ever forfeiture.
It looks like the phrase "Big Brother" or the word "monopoly" is not a new thing after all!
The Reformation was in full swing in 1567, this in essence was the building up and replacing of the old established churches with a new Church and ideas, (the pope's authority in Scotland being renounced).
The first problem the Reformers had was there was a severe shortage of ordained clergymen who could be trusted to preach the reformed faith, in fact in 1574 the four Parishes of; Paisley, Neilston, Mearns and Kilbarchan had but one Minister.
These Ministers who had several Parishes under his charge used "Readers" stationed at each Parish to assist him.
A "Reader" was described as being "an apt man who could read the common prayers and the Scriptures distinctly, and could thus exercise both himself and the congregation till they grew to greater perfection" in the Reformed Faith.
The Reader was not allowed to preach, lest "he preached heresey" and he was not allowed to dispense the sacraments or perform the marraige ceremony.
Until 1578 the clergyman resident in Kilbarchan was only a Reader, the parish receiving a visit from the "Four Parishes" minister from time to time. The first Minister of Kilbarchan was a man named James Fleming who graduated at Glasgow University in 1578, and became a member of the General Assembly in 1581, thus the "Reader" era was over for Kilbarchan.
In 1794 fifty five young men entered the army and fifteen men joined the navy to fight in the war with France (1793 - 1815). In former wars a number of tradesmen were wont to go to sea particularly in privateers, where they received better wages and prize money than in the navy.
Desertion was common in those days and earlier days; Kilbarchan played her part in this. In 1694 a man named John How was fined £10.00 Sterling for sheltering two young men, John Park and William Patoun who had deserted from Sir William Douglas Regiment.
In the same year nineteen men and seventeen women were accused of seeking to rescue a deserter who was
being taken back to his regiment.
The charge was "the mob of inhabitants who did 'raball' together and with battouns, rungs, and
stoned did fall apon Lieutenant William Lindsay and Sergeant William Orr", who with a party of soldiers
had arrested William Paterson.
This humane action by the Kilbarchan people and their "battering, wounding and blooding" of the officers
cost them dearly, the fine being £260.00 Sterling and vast sum of money in those days.
To this day Kilbarchan still has a large amount (for the size of the village) of military and ex military people, myself being one of them.
Neighbourhood Clash and Poaching
The churches were the "courts" in those days, the local problems being dealt with fitting punishments.
In 1700 the Presbytery had a case brought to them. The charge was that a Kilbarchan lady named Mary Craige had exchanged an uncomplimentary greeting to a neighbour a man named Robert Widrow.
It was charged that Mary wanted to see Robert's "soul fry in hell" and he responded by wishing that some day he'd see Mary "hinging in the Gallow Green in Paisley"
It is not recorded what fine or punishment was issued to the two them, but to this day it looks like the village still has its moments!
In 1716 a poaching prosecution was brought forward, no less than fifty four persons being charged mainly from Kilbarchan, all being farmers or being connected with the agricultural industry.
They were accused of various offences mainly of killing hares, doves, wild ducks, partridges, woodcock and steeping green lint in streams and ponds to kill or stupefy fish.
Those who did not confess were held to be guilty unless they could prove their innocence - which gave the prosecutor an easy case!
Kilbarchan has always been a "horsey" village, probably because of its farming and local interest in the countryside.
In an old book written by David Kerr circa 1755 (a master mason of Kilbarchan) the following story was told:
In 1718 a race was organised with 27 subscribers; nine contributed a shilling towards the prize; and the remainder sixpence a piece, the first prize being a saddle worth between £3.00 and £6.00 Scottish money.
One rider; William Campbell rode a grey horse (owned by John Gardner, a Paisley merchant) which appeared likely to win the race,
but strangely, another rider
(a man named Matthew Lindsay from Houston) began, but seemed to give up early in the race.
For some reason he decided to await the return of the leading riders, and when Campbell's horse approached he rode
straight for it, and, "with ane great oak stick straik many times at the ryder and beat the horse over the forehead and
nose till the blood sprung out thereat".
William Campbell lost the race because of this. Lindsay had to pay fines and damages to the sum of £43.00 Scots, no one knows the reason why he did this, (an old vendeda?).
Bullets and the Four Kilbarchan Bulleteers
In 1846 four famous Kilbarchan Bulleteers named John Hunter, William Brown, Alex Meikle and James Houston challenged 4 equally famous gents from Paisley to a game of Bullets.
The object of which was to throw an iron
ball weighing 2lbs or less underhand along the public road as far as possible to
outdistance one's opponent by an agreed number of throws. The course was along
the Beith Road near Milliken Park Bus Station towards Quarrelton.
This was
probably the last match played of this kind because Bulleting as it was called
was forbidden soon afterwards as dangerous to the Lieges. Indeed a gentleman by
the name of Ramsay died whilst playing Bullets at Lochwinnoch in 1683.
The game it would seem was not unlike golf in that the competitors would try and complete the course in the least amount of throws.