Population 973 Sovereign state United Kingdom Fire Scottish Local time Sunday 11:49 AM Dialling code 01475 | Country Scotland Police Scottish Ambulance Scottish Council area Renfrewshire Lieutenancy area Renfrewshire | |
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Weather 9°C, Wind SW at 18 km/h, 91% Humidity | ||
Langbank is a village on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name is thought to come from ‘long bank’ (the first part being 'lang' in Scots). It is 9.3 miles/15 km northwest from Paisley (Renfrewshire) and 3.4 miles/5.5 km east from Port Glasgow (Inverclyde) on the A8.
Contents
Map of Langbank, Port Glasgow, UK
History
Langbank evolved as a dormitory settlement for Glasgow after the opening of the Glasgow and Greenock Railway in 1841, a function it still performs. Prior to that it was a scattered collection of farms. An 1800 map makes reference to Longbank. It remains on the busy A8 trunk road, a few hundred yards from the start of the M8 motorway. Langbank railway station is on the Inverclyde Line.
There are two crannogs on the shoreline of the village; Langbank East crannog is at Westferry, by the start of the M8 motorway, Langbank West crannog is immediately beside the A8 dual carriageway opposite Langbank Parish Church. Both crannogs are only visible at lower states of the tide.
Visible along the shoreline west of Langbank and stretching all the way to Port Glasgow are the remains of the timber ponds where the shipyards of the lower Clyde stored timber for use in shipbuilding during the 18th Century.
Landmarks
St Vincent's College
From 1961 to 1978, St Vincent's College was situated in the village. It was a minor seminary of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. It was opened on 3 October 1961. The first rector was Charles McDonald Renfrew, who was a Titular Bishop of Abula and an Auxiliary Bishop of Glasgow. One of its students was the Archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia. It closed in 1978 and the students were transferred to Blairs College near Aberdeen. The chapel was listed as a category B listed building on 9 August 1995. In 2003, after restoration work by Historic Scotland, the site was converted into accommodation, but maintained its original outwards appearance.
Governance
Part of the civil parish of Erskine, Langbank also became a quoad sacra parish in the 19th century.
For modern local government purposes, Langbank is part of the Renfrewshire council area. Langbank was previously linked with its nearby and larger neighbour, Houston but is now part of a local council ward with Bishopton and Bridge of Weir (Ward 10). Langbank has its own community council. The community council is chiefly a consultative body, forming a focus for local views, and has no statutory powers of its own.