Sma’ wonders The Sma’ Shot Cottages in Paisley are one of the town’s most cherished tourist attractions.
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tepping back in time is easy when you have free access to the beautifully preserved likes of the Sma’ Shot Cottages. Originally built in the 1740s, the weaver’s cottage on Shuttle Street has been painstakingly restored to how it would’ve looked at the time. A short walk across the courtyard to Sma’ Shot Lane will bring you to three small cottages dressed with equal attention to detail. These modest buildings, which represent a key period in Renfrewshire’s industrial history, have been lovingly kept alive by the Old Paisley Society, a registered charity comprised of mostly elderly volunteers. Their benign leader is Cath Mitchell. “We try to keep an eye on what’s going on in the town and to preserve the history and heritage of Paisley,” Cath explains. “We don’t do much now apart from run the cottages. It used to be that we had monthly meetings, talks and whatnot, but elderly people don’t like going out in the evening so that’s gone away.”
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Nevertheless, overseeing this delightful little complex keeps them busy. Open to the public every year between April and September (on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons), the cottages are a popular stopping off point for locals and visitors. “We have a lovely garden in between the cottages,” says Cath, “so when it’s beautiful weather in Paisley – ha-ha – we have tables and chairs outside. We also have a working loom, which at the moment is the only working loom in Paisley. That’s because the museum is closed and all the other looms are down in the Secret Collection. Occasionally we have Dr Dan Caughlin coming in to operate the loom, as none of us can weave.” What else can people expect when they visit the cottages? “We have trained guides who will take you round. We also have a shop where you can buy the Paisley pins. They’re acrylic and
