850
wood, and the meaning is obvious (z). The rental of the monastery of Paisley,
which was given up at the Reformation, states that there was received from the
church of Eastwood 1 chalder, 7 bolls, and 3 firlots of meal, and 1 chalder, 3
bolls, and 2 firlots of bear (a). After the Reformation the patronage and tithes
of the church of Eastwood belonged to the cornmendators of Paisley till 1587,
when they were vested heritably in Lord Claud Hamilton, the last commendator,
and they were inherited by his grandson James Earl of Abercorn, who sold
them in 1652. In the following century the patronage of the church of East-
wood was acquired by Maxwell of Pollok, whose predecessors have held the
estate of Nether Pollok since the reign of Robert I. The patronage now belongs
to Sir John Maxwell of Pollok, who is proprietor of the greater part of the parish,
and has his seat at Nether Pollok. The old parish church was pulled down in
1782, and another church was built about half a mile north-east from the old
one, and nearer to Pollokshaws, which was only a village of 220 houses in 1782,
but by means of manufactures it has grown to be a town which contained more
than 3500 industrious inhabitants in 1821. It has long had two annual fairs,
and it has been created a burgh of barony, which is governed by a provost, a
bailie, and six councillors. [The parish church of Eastwood has 899 communi-
cants ; stipend, .£596. Pollokshaws quoad sacra church and Shawlands and
Thornliebank missions have among them 909 communicants. Two Free churches
have 451, and three U.P. churches 1032 members. There is also a Roman
Catholic church].
15. The name of the parish of MEARNS appears in ancient charters in the dif-
ferent forms of Merness, Mernes, Meornes, Meirnes, and Mernis. This name does
not appear to have been applied to any particular place, but was the appellation
of a considerable district in the east of Renfrewshire which was called " the
Mernes" (6). The district which forms Kincardineshire, lying between the Dee
and the North Esk, had anciently the same appellation of "the Mernes," and is still
called "the Mearns." This name may be derived from the British Maeronas, Meir-
onas, or Meirinas, which signify a country or district inhabited by herdsmen or
dairy people. The parish of Mearns in Renfrewshire has always been distinguished
as a district of pasturage, and even in the present times of extended cultivation
(z) In 1296 Giles of the Estwode swore fealty to Edward I. Prynne, iii. 657. The parish was
then called Pollok. Chart. Lennox, ii. 87. But Estwode became the name of the parish in the 14fh
century. Christopher Pantfrec was permanent vicar of Estwode in 1408. Ib., 201. John Fennyson
was vicar of Estwode in 1469, 1470. Ib., 174, 177. The East wood, which gave the name to this
place, has been almost wholly extirpated by cultivation during modern times.
(a) MS. Rental Book, fo. 27. The statement here given is only a part of the revenues of the church
of Eastwood.
(5) Chart. Glasg., 82, 92, 104. John Petit of "the Meirnes," swore fealty to Edward I. in 1296.
Prynne, iii. 663.