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Paisley Abbey was first founded in the 6th century by 13 monks from Shropshire. It achieved abbey status in 1245 but much of the original building was destroyed by fire in 1307; it was then gradually restored over the next century. Another disaster befell the abbey the mid-16th century when the tower collapsed. The monastery was disbanded in 1560 in the Scottish reformation and then became the parish church of Paisley. It was again restored in the 20th century - work which has continued up to the present day - repairing the damage caused by the 16th century tower collapse.