Renfrewshire

Renfrewshire, unitary authority, western Scotland, on the Firth of Clyde; Paisley is the administrative center. The area was occupied by the Romans and later became a part of the British kingdom of Strathclyde. Renfrewshire was detached from Lanark and made a separate county in 1404. It industrialized rapidly in the 19th century and was noted for shipbuilding. In 1975 Renfrewshire lost its county status and became part of the newly created Strathclyde Region (see Strathclyde). In 1996 Renfrewshire became a unitary authority.