Kilbarchan has seen mixed fortunes over the centuries. Before the 18^th century trades were mainly masonry, carpentry, weaving, smithies and farming, but the 18^th century brought rapid expansion due to the introduction of improved methods of weaving and bleaching.  In 1740 there was a population of about 200 in 40 families, which had increased to 304 families in 142 houses with 180 looms by 1774. Home looms were on the ground floor with living accommodation above. The number of looms peaked at 900 in 1840, then declined with the advent of power looms in factories, so that by 1900 there were only 200, now down to one in the Weavers cottage owned by the National Trust and open to the public each afternoon in summer.  Much of the housing growth took place in the 1820s and 30s. Today many of the original terraced houses survive, together with old names such as Shuttle Street and Ewing Street, although many of the outlying mansions were demolished as needs changed.

The Barbour, Speir, How, and Houston families were the main contributors.  John Barbour of Forehouse is believed to have established hand loom weaving in Kilbarchan.  In 1739 Bailie John Barbour built a thick linen weaving factory and this was followed by a bleaching factory.  The Barbours also ran a candle factory. In 1782 Alexander Speir, John and Humphrey Barbour in company, John How, John Barbour Jr., and John Houston employed 360 weaving looms.  In 1793 Humphrey's brother-in-law, Glasgow yarn merchant John Freeland, built Gryffe Mill at nearby Bridge of Weir, which at the time was one of the largest cotton factories in the country. Muslin and gingham were the early home-made products, then the hand looms were used for tartan.  With the advent of competition from power looms they turned to the production of decorative and plain ponchos for South America.  In the latter half of the century extensive trade with England and Ireland was developed, the latter traders, including Humphrey Barbour, being known as the Dublin Merchants.  However business declined towards the end of the century and many of the merchants ventured elsewhere in Scotland, England and abroad to start new enterprises.  Humphrey became a wine merchant in Glasgow, the Glasgow directories of 1803/1817 showing his address as 31/33 Candleriggs, while his son Robert founded the Manchester cotton firm Barbour and Brother with his brother George.

Forehouse, John Barbour's home, still stands today at the top of the town.  His son John was Baron Bailie for the Laird (Crawfurd) of Auchinames, and in 1762 purchased the old Castle with much of the Barony of Auchinames which he gave to his three sons.  The old castle and adjoining lands went to Humphrey, and Crawfurd and Semple's History of Renfrewshire records that in 1769 he planted 7 acres of young trees on the Banks-Brae to the south side of the town, and in 1779 he built Bankhead House on the top of the brae.  Humphrey sold Bankhead to James Orr before 1805, when he moved to Glasgow, and Captain James Stirling, owner of Glentyan and adjoining land, bought it in 1817, and demolished the house a few years later.  Bailie Barbour's eldest son John owned the lands of Law, together with the lands of Lawmarnock and Borland.

In the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries trams and trains introduced links to Glasgow.  Today a dual carriageway bypass speeds traffic into Paisley and Glasgow and Kilbarchan is a Conservation Area and dormitory and tourist town with a population of about 4000, two pubs and a few shops.  See John Butler's Tour of Kilbarchan for more information and photographs, also GENUKI for genealogy information.

There are two churches, east and west, both with graveyards, but sadly not that many readable memorials.  The churches have been rebuilt by benefactors over the centuries, and the present West Parish Church was built between 1899 and 1901 at a cost of £7,128. Stained glass windows are dedicated to members of the Cunninghame of Craigends, Anderson, and Glen families, also the Rev. Dr. Robert D MacKenzie (minister 1895 – 1934 who published ‘Kilbarchan: a Parish History’ in 1902) and the Rev. Dr. Robert Graham (minister 1847 –1895).  The three manual organ, photograph, built in 1904 by William Hill and Sons, is considered to be one of the finest in Scotland.  Photographs show the church interior and the font of Hexham stone which was presented in November 1902 with inscription round the base "to the memory of Humphrey Barbour of Bankhead by his grandsons George Barbour of Bolesworth & Hugh Barbour of Gryffe".  There are four carved bosses: water-lilies (baptism), apples (knowledge), grapes (life & the Church), & hawthorn (suffering).

Four silver communion cups were presented in 1762 by John Barbour Jr., merchant in Kilbarchan, William Barbour, merchant in Kilbarchan (both sons of Bailie John), William Stuart, merchant in Paisley (the Bailie's son-in-law), and Hugh Jamieson, merchant in Manchester (possibley married to Margaret Barbour of Lochwinnoch).  Each cup has the name of the donor inscribed with the following prayer: "Lord, let Kilbarchan flourish through the preaching of the Word.".

The gravestone at the Barbour burial-place in the churchyard bears the inscription that it was erected by their descendants in memory of John Barbour of Law and Janet Fulton his wife and their family.

Saint Barchan was, according to MacKenzie, a Scoto-Irish saint who lived between 550 and 650. He pursued his clerical calling both in Ireland and in Scotland, at Clonsast, King’s County and at Kilbarchan.  In his old age, being stricken with blindness, he received as a compensation from heaven, the gift of prophecy.  On his death his body was borne to Inishmore, Galway Bay, where he was buried beside three other saints in the church which was thereafter known as the Church of the Four Illustrious or the Church of the Four Comely Saints.