Renfrewshire's Provost has marked the 300th anniversary of Weaver's Cottage, in Kilbarchan, with a celebration for the National Trust for Scotland team that cares for the museum.
Staff and volunteers from the conservation charity met Lorraine Cameron and other local representatives at the Bowfield Hotel and Country Club, and were delighted to share with them the history of the Weaver's Cottage, and the work they do to conserve it and keep it accessible to the public.
The Provost presented the team with a special Renfrewshire Council plaque and in turn, was gifted with a framed piece of tartan, woven on the looms of Weaver's Cottage by some of the many visitors who enjoy the experience of trying their hand at traditional weaving techniques.
Built in 1723, Weaver's Cottage is a traditional loom weavers cottage, dating from an era when Kilbarchan was at the heart of the Scottish textile industry.
Records from the 19th century show the village was home to hundreds of weavers, living and working in cottages like this one.
Remaining in use as a home until 1940, the cottage has been in the care of the National Trust for Scotland since 1957.
Today, a team of staff and volunteers conserves and celebrates its history, artefacts and textiles collection, sharing the stories of the cottage and the community with different generations and still producing tartan on a 200-year-old handloom.
Provost Cameron said: "I was delighted to be able to celebrate this fantastic anniversary with the team from Kilbarchan's Weaver's Cottage.
"Preserving the history of Renfrewshire's weaving and textile trade is so important and the National Trust for Scotland does an incredible job keeping alive the stories and memories of the people who lived and worked here."
Ana Sanchez de la Vega, the National Trust for Scotland's visitor services manager for Weaver's Cottage, added: "Having the Provost celebrate our tercentenary was the latest highlight in a remarkable year which has also seen Weaver's Cottage celebrated by the Scottish Parliament, featured on television, and having some of our textiles on show at V&A Dundee's Tartan exhibition.
"We are so proud that the Provost and Renfrewshire Council have recognised the importance of wonderful Weaver’s Cottage as a piece of cultural heritage and our charity's work in caring for and sharing it with people from all over the world as well as for the local community."
The celebration hosted by the Provost follows a Renfrewshire Council motion congratulating Weaver's Cottage on its tercentenary.
The motion, submitted by Councillor Gillian Graham and approved unanimously, looked forward to many more successful years for this historic venue.
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