Fountain Gardens

Park

Explorer Tom

Paisley's Fountain Gardens has a centrepiece that refuses to do anything quietly: an eight-metre cast-iron fountain, complete with creatures that look as if they escaped from a very fancy seaside parade. Follow the broad paths inwards and the whole park seems to point at it, which, frankly, is difficult to argue with. Fountain Gardens dates back to 1797 and is Paisley's oldest park. Its present name and formal layout belong to the nineteenth century, when the Coats family of threadmakers gave the town the fountain. Built by Glasgow's Sun Foundry in 1868, it wears herons, dolphins and walruses among its elaborate ironwork. Even some of the apparent rocks are cast iron. Paisley made textiles; the fountain shows its taste for craft. The fountain was restored in 2014, so give yourself time to circle it and spot details from more than one angle. A statue of Robert Burns also stands in the gardens, and there are green areas, walking paths and a play area. The compact layout rewards a slow circuit. If Burns could choose a place to pause, he might have picked somewhere with less competition for attention. Renfrewshire Council says the gardens are open every day throughout the year. Enter from Love Street or Caledonia Street; Paisley Gilmour Street railway station is within walking distance, and the paths have level access. The iron beasts are splendidly strange in their own right. Come for the grand centrepiece and leave wondering whether the walruses have been keeping score.