built Polnoon Castle on a small hillock on what appears to be an earlier motte. Polnoon Castle was refurbished for occupation in 1617 but was ruined by 1676. 17th century Following a period of peace and relative stability in Scotland during the reign of King James VI, religion continued to be a major issue. The Calvinistic Covenanter movement was founded as a reaction against the efforts of King Charles I to forcibly introduce High Church Episcopalianism inspired by the Caroline Divines and a hierarchy of Bishops into the Church of Scotland. The population of Renfrewshire was predominantly in favour of the National Covenant and Alexander, 6th Earl of Eglinton signed the covenant. Covenanters faced steep fines or even the threat of execution for expressing their faith and held their religious services (conventicles) in secret. Alexander Montgomerie, 8th Earl of Eglinton obtained an Act of Parliament in 1672 for an annual fair and weekly market. By the time the New Statistical Account for Scotland was published in 1845 the weekly market had long been discontinued and a flower show was held in place of fairs. The fair was revived in 1961 and in recent years is held bi-annually in May or June and traditionally opens with a procession parading through the village. 18th and 19th centuries Until the 18th century, Scotland's villages were little more than settlements loosely organised around fermtouns. In 1769 Alexander, 10th Earl of Eglinton, began the work of developing the old Kirktoun of Eaglesham into a planned village. However it was his successor, Archibald, 11th Earl of Eglinton, who largely saw Alexander's plans through to completion. The Earl planned his new village with two ranges of houses built around the Orry, an area of common land (Orry is from the Scots word, aurie meaning area), divided in the centre by the Eaglesham Burn. Tacks were offered on 900 year leases. As a result of agricultural improvements, displaced workers became tradesmen or weavers in the village. Eaglesham flourished during the age of agricultural and industrial improvements. Surgeons, shopkeepers and traders such as coopers; grocers; wrights; smiths; boot and shoe-makers supplied the needs and demands of the increasing population. Churches met the religious needs of the inhabitants, schools provided education. Handloom weaving became the main industry until the establishment of a water powered cotton spinning mill in the village in 1791. The Orry cotton spinning mill at its peak