from Greenock Alexander Wilson - poet and naturalist John Witherspoon - clergyman, academic and a Founding Father of the United States of America Settlements In modern times, the chief settlements in Renfrewshire have been the towns of Paisley and Greenock and to this day they retain their status as the county's largest and second largest towns respectively. In the late 19th century, the county was subdivided into two wards centred on these towns, the Upper Ward (Paisley) and Lower Ward (Greenock). Renfrew was the only town in the county to hold status as a royal burgh. Three other considerable towns, Paisley, Greenock and Port Glasgow, were designated as parliamentary burghs. Barrhead, Pollokshaws (now part of the City of Glasgow), Gourock, and Johnstone were, during parts of the 19th and 20th century, police burghs as a result of their larger population, giving greater powers of local governance to local burgh authorities. The county also contains a number of significantly sized villages, such as Kilmacolm, Neilston and Lochwinnoch. These administrative separations are entirely extinct, with unitary councils in Renfrewshire's three modern council areas - Inverclyde (West), Renfrewshire (Central) and East Renfrewshire - holding full statutory powers of local government. Many of these settlements continue to be represented by community councils, sponsored by the local authority, albeit without any distinct powers. List of settlements The following is a list of present-day settlements that were part of historic Renfrewshire. Following boundary changes, a number fall outside of the three council areas and the registration county. Glasgow Anniesland (partly in Lanarkshire) Auldhouse Arden Cardonald Carnwadric Cathcart Corkerhill Crookston Crosshill Crossmyloof Darnley Deaconsbank Dumbreck Eastwood Hillington Househillwood Hurlet (part in East Renfrewshire) Jenny Lind Jordanhill Kennishead Kingston Knightswood (partly in Dunbartonshire) Langside Mansewood Merrylee Mosspark Mount Florida Muirend (part in East Renfrewshire) Newlands Nitshill Oatlands (partly in Lanarkshire) Parkhouse Penilee Pollok Pollokshaws Pollokshields Polmadie Roughmussel Scotstoun Shawlands Simshill South Nitshill Southpark Village Strathbungo Yoker East Renfrewshire Barrhead Busby (partly in Lanarkshire) Clarkston Eaglesham Giffnock Hurlet (part in Glasgow) Muirend (mostly in Glasgow) Neilston Netherlee Newton Mearns Uplawmoor Waterfoot Renfrewshire Bishopton Bridge of Weir Clippens (no longer exists) Crosslee Elderslie Erskine Houston Howwood Inchinnan Inkerman (no longer exists) Johnstone Kilbarchan Linwood Lochwinnoch Milliken Park Paisley Ranfurly Renfrew Inverclyde Bogston Greenock Gourock Inverkip Kilmacolm Langbank Mid Auchinleck Port Glasgow Quarrier's Village Wemyss Bay Woodhall See also Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire References Counties of Scotland East Renfrewshire Inverclyde Renfrewshire