A commuter settlement in Renfrewshire, west central Scotland, Elderslie lies 4 miles (7 km) west of Paisley. Best known as the birthplace of Sir William Wallace c.1270, it developed in the 19th century in association with the Glenpatrick papermill, the Gleniffer distillery, coal mining and the manufacture of textiles. Carpet making eventually became an important industry and carpets were made here for some of the notable North Atlantic liners, such as the Titanic, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. The railway came to the village in 1840 but its four-platform station closed in 1966, although the Ayrshire Coast Line remains open with the nearest station at Johnstone. Notable buildings include the early 19th-century Wallace Tavern, the Moat House (1903) and the Library, a former school dating from 1799.