Our History
1841 Parish is established in Houston by Rev. John Bremner. In a letter to Bishop Andrew Scott Fr. Bremner described the property he wished to buy as: "a piece of ground amounting to nearly five acres old Scotch measure having upon it a good dwelling house occupied by eight different tenants and a barn and a byre that could be turned into a church at no great expense." The property was known as "Four Windings" but Fr. Bremner wished to change its name to "Bishopsfield" or "Abbotsfield". The change never happened until 2005 when Fr. Danny McLoughlin added the name of "Abbotsfield" to the official address for the Presbytery. A case of better late than never!
In 1841 the parish included Johnstone, Linwood, Bridge of Weir, Houston, Crosslee, Bishopton and Kilmacolm.
St. Fillan's is the oldest church in the Diocese of Paisley and the house mentioned by Fr. Bremner is still the Presbytery.
Fr. Bremner did not live in the parish but travelled from St. Mirin's in Paisley to minister in this parish.
1846 Fr. Daniel Kenny is the first resident priest. He was only in residence a few months as he contracted typhus and died in 1847.
Photograph taken in 1925. Note that the church is not painted white whereas the house is.
RIGHT
Photograph of brass plaque which at one time was on one of the church walls. It was commissioned to mark the 150th anniversary of the parish and lists all the priests who served here.
It was found in the boilerhouse and is awaiting restoration.
