# Strathgryffe
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{{Short description|Valley in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{coord|55.878|-4.574|display=title|region:GB_scale:50000}}
[[Image:River Gryffe Renfrewshire.jpg|thumb|The River Gryffe in [Renfrewshire](/source/Renfrewshire)]]
'''Strathgryffe''' or '''Gryffe Valley'''{{efn|Also spelled '''Strathgryfe''', '''Gryfe Valley'''.}} ({{langx|gd|Srath Ghriobhaidh}}) is the [strath](/source/strath) of [River Gryffe](/source/River_Gryffe), which lies within the [historic county](/source/counties_of_Scotland) of [Renfrewshire](/source/Renfrewshire_(historic)) in the west [central Lowlands](/source/central_Lowlands) of [Scotland](/source/Scotland).
Strathgryffe also gives its name to a feudal [lordship](/source/lordship), which covered the western portion of Renfrewshire in the 12th century and formed the nucleus of the county. The land was originally associated with the [House of Stewart](/source/House_of_Stuart), who went on to be monarchs of Scotland and later [Great Britain](/source/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain).
The settlements of Strathgryffe are divided between the [council areas](/source/council_areas_of_Scotland) of [Inverclyde](/source/Inverclyde) and [Renfrewshire](/source/Renfrewshire) and largely follow the flow of the River Gryffe, from [Kilmacolm](/source/Kilmacolm) in the far west to where the river meets the [Black Cart Water](/source/River_Cart) between [Houston](/source/Houston%2C_Renfrewshire) and [Inchinnan](/source/Inchinnan). Other significant settlements include [Bridge of Weir](/source/Bridge_of_Weir), [Quarriers Village](/source/Quarriers_Village) and [Crosslee](/source/Crosslee).
==Name==
A [Strath](/source/Strath) is a wide [glen](/source/glen). The term is rendered in [Scots Gaelic](/source/Scots_Gaelic_language) as 'Srath' and in [Modern Welsh](/source/Welsh_language) as 'Ystrad'.
'Stragrif' is mentioned in the 1169 charter of [Paisley Abbey](/source/Paisley_Abbey), which placed the churches of the area under the control of the new [abbey](/source/abbey). Later, the name 'Gryff' is recorded in the Military Survey of Scotland 1747–1755, compiled by [William Roy](/source/William_Roy), a predecessor to the [Ordnance Survey](/source/Ordnance_Survey) maps of [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain).
The 'Gryffe' spelling has gained predominance in the area, seen for example in signposts showing the name of the river and the names of organisations such as the [Gryffe Valley](/source/Gryffe_Valley) [Rotary Club](/source/Rotary_Club) and [Gryffe High School](/source/Gryffe_High_School).
==History==
The lands of Strathgryffe were granted by King [David I](/source/David_I_of_Scotland) to [Walter fitz Alan](/source/Walter_fitz_Alan), first [High Steward of Scotland](/source/High_Steward_of_Scotland), and founder of the [Stewart family](/source/House_of_Stuart) in Scotland, probably in the 1150s.[{{cite web|url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst3376.html|title=River Gryfe from The Gazetteer for Scotland|website=www.scottish-places.info}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/entry_page.jsp;jsessionid=8D89806B61F0A91CBAC0DD4749395848?text_id=138450&word=NULL|title=Renfrewshire - As described in F.H. Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4)|website=www.visionofbritain.org.uk}}] The Royal house would continue to hold lands in Renfrewshire, with the heir to the British throne holding the title of [Baron Renfrew](/source/Baron_of_Renfrew_(title)), and in part forming the [principality of Scotland](/source/Prince_of_Scotland).
In the early 15th century, the area emerged as a [county](/source/counties_of_Scotland) by the name [Renfrewshire](/source/Renfrewshire_(historic)), owing to the Stewart's base at [Renfrew Castle](/source/Renfrew_Castle). Initially the chief magistrate in a county was its [sheriff](/source/Sheriff_Principal) - and later in the 15th century the position of [Sheriff of Renfrew](/source/Sheriff_of_Renfrew_and_Argyll) was held by the Sempill family - an arrangement that continued until the 17th century.
==Geography==
The geography of the area is a contrasting mix of green fields surrounding the river, with rough [moorland](/source/moorland) in the higher areas, particularly [Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park](/source/Clyde_Muirshiel_Regional_Park).[{{cite web |url=http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/pt-as-Strathgryfe.pdf/$FILE/pt-as-Strathgryfe.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-10-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919121604/http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/pt-as-Strathgryfe.pdf/$FILE/pt-as-Strathgryfe.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-19 }}]
===Settlements===
There are a number of villages in Strathgryffe, varying considerably in size. The following straddle or are immediately adjacent to the River Gryffe:
* [Kilmacolm](/source/Kilmacolm)
* [Quarrier's Village](/source/Quarrier's_Village) (Kilmacolm civil parish)
* [Bridge of Weir](/source/Bridge_of_Weir)
* [Houston](/source/Houston%2C_Renfrewshire) (including [Craigends](/source/Craigends) on the South-east bank of the river)
* [Crosslee](/source/Crosslee) ([Houston and Killellan](/source/Houston_and_Killellan) civil parish)
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Scottish provinces|mainland|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Strathgryffe}}
{{Renfrewshire}}
Category:Strathgryffe
Category:Feudalism in Scotland
Category:Glens of Scotland
Category:Landforms of Renfrewshire
Category:Landforms of Inverclyde
{{Renfrewshire-geo-stub}}
{{Scotland-hist-stub}}
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Strathgryffe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathgryffe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathgryffe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.