A round entrance tower and carved thistles give Renfrew’s interwar public pool the ceremony of a civic monument.
Quick facts
- Date
- Dated 1921
- Architect / designer
- Thomas Graham Abercrombie
- Type
- Scots Renaissance public swimming baths
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB40420)
- OS grid reference
- NS 50591 67596
Architecture and continuing use
The symmetrical stone front centres on a two-stage round tower with a bell-shaped roof. Crow-stepped gables, broken-arched dormers, boundary lamps and fine carving wrap a more practical rear swimming hall.
Its story
Completed in 1921, the baths expressed post-war investment in public health and recreation. The traditional pool hall, perimeter cubicles and viewing gallery remain central to its present operation.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises an unusually complete and richly detailed Scottish public swimming pool whose original function continues.
What to notice
- The bell-capped circular entrance tower.
- Thistle motifs in the dormers and finial.
- Boundary walls, lamps and gatepiers completing the civic frontage.
Reading the surroundings
Use the building during current public swimming sessions and follow staff instructions. Check opening times, admission, accessibility and pool programming directly with OneRen before visiting.
Timeline
- 1921 Abercrombie’s new municipal baths were completed.
- 1971 The building received statutory protection.
- 2026 OneRen continues to operate the traditional twenty-five-yard pool.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Timetables and access change with maintenance and programming; the current operator’s notice is authoritative for any visit.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Renfrew Victory Baths, LB40420 — Current designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB40420 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- OneRen: Renfrew Victory Baths — Current pool operation, opening hours, facilities and accessibility.
- Renfrewshire Council: 2026 Common Good Register — Current public ownership and OneRen tenancy.
Location
OS grid reference NS 50591 67596 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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