The Scottish Mensa Annual Gathering 2012

24th – 27th August

GLYNHILL HOTEL

JUNCTION 27 OFF THE M8 PAISLEY ROAD RENFREW PA4 8XB TEL

       www.glynhill.com

 

 

Scottish Mensa looks forward to welcoming you to its Annual Gathering to be held in the Royal Burgh of Renfrew on the weekend of 24th - 27th August 2012. The event will be hosted by the Glynhill Hotel.

SMAG 2012 will be a full programme of

• Events
• Talks
• Trips
• and, of course, the traditional Saturday night Gala dinner.

 

 

About Renfrew – ‘The Cradle of The Stewarts’

Around 1140 King David 1 gave the lands of Renfrew to Walter FitzAlan, the first High Steward of Scotland. He built Renfrew Castle and in 1164 commanded the King’s army at the battle of Renfrew where he defeated Somerled, the Lord of the Isles. This gave control of the whole of mainland Scotland to the king. The title Steward of Scotland was kept in the family and they changed their name to Stewart. In 1315 Walter Stewart, as reward for his bravery at the battle of Bannockburn (1314), was given the hand in marriage of King Robert the Bruce’s daughter, Marjorie. In 1316 Marjorie Bruce was fatally injured by falling from her horse just some 200 metres south of the gathering venue. There is a cairn commemorating Marjorie at the location. She had a son and in 1371 he became King Robert II of Scotland. He was the first of the Stewart monarchs who ruled Scotland and then Great Britain till 1714 with only the English civil war breaking the continuous line during the Cromwellian republic. With the restoration in 1660 the Stuart kings returned to the throne. The title of Baron of Renfrew is still held by the heir to the British throne.

 

Renfrew was confirmed as a Royal Burgh in 1397 by King Robert III. The Stewart name was changed to Stuart during the exile of Mary Queen of Scots (or Bloody Mary depending on your view point) as her French hosts had difficulty pronouncing any word with a ‘w’ in it. Recently, Renfrew has undergone much development and some would argue that it is a perfect example of unrestricted urbanisation. With the construction of the giant Braehead mall and associated ‘retail opportunities’ many housing developments have sprung up. Renfrew now fully fills the green belt that buffered Glasgow City and Paisley Town. Paisley, now frankly a suburb of greater Glasgow, suffered greatly from a number of ruinous council decisions which have culminated in the virtual abandonment of its High Street and the diminution of its tax base. Renfrew’s commitment to private enterprise investment has largely rendered it immune from such privations.  

 

 

Book Your Events Online Here

 

Please click here to view the full programme

 

Please click here to Book Your Hotel Accommodation

 

 

Unsure of Booking?

Contact organiser Derek Sellar via email: Derek.Sellar@glasgow.ac.uk