Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Scott Monument

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 24, 2018

1. Scott Monument Marker

Inscription.

Scott Monument. . Scott Monument View My Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott 1771 , 1832 Scottish historical novelist playwright and poet . Timeline 1771 , Walter Scott born on 15 August in Edinburgh 1789-92 , studies law at the University of Edinburgh 1797 , marries Charlotte Charpentier, with whom he has five children 1802-3 , publishes ‘Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border', a collection of ballads 1811 , buys a small farm on the River Tweed. Renames it “Abbotsford” 1814 , publication of his 'Waverley' novels 1822 , organises visit of KIng George IV to Edinburgh 1832 , suffering ill-health Scott moves to Italy before returning to Scotland 1832 , dies in Abbotsford on 21 September. A public meeting in Edinburgh on 5 October proposes the building of a monument to Scott. Fundraising begins Spring 1836 , architectural competition to design a monument, won by George Meikle Kemp 15 August 1840 , foundation stone laid on what would have been Scott's 69th birthday Autumn 1844 , monument completed 1844-46 , opening delayed to allow completion of sculpture of Scott and Maida, his dog, by Sir John Steell 15 August 1846 , monument officially opened 1870 , movement to have statuettes in each of the 64 niches started. Completed by early 1880s , Did you know… . Our amazing monument took four years to build . Who's who in the monument? Amongst the 64 statutes you'll find Robert the Bruce, Oliver Cromwell, Mary, Queen of Scots and King James Vincent . The architect George Meikle Kemp died before the monument was completed. He drowned in an Edinburgh canal . The block of Carrara marble from which Scott's statue was carved weighed over 30 tonnes . A glass jar containing coins, newspapers, books and maps was placed in the foundation stone . An appeal for funds to build the monument was launched in 1832. Such was Scott's world-wide fame that one of the earliest donations came from bankers in St Petersburg, Russia , But did everyone like the Scott Monument? Well, most did but not Charles Dickens! "I am sorry to report the Scott Monument a failure. It is like the spire of a Gothic church taken off and stuck in the ground." Charles Dickens, 1847 , ( back ) Scott Monument The best views of Edinburgh. Welcome to the Scott Monument Climb 287 steps and you'll be rewarded with the best views of Edinburgh. , From the top you'll see a panorama of spectacular views, from the medieval Old Town closes to the spacious streets of the New Town. Beyond are amazing views of the River Forth and Fife. , Explore inside the largest monument to a writer, anywhere in the world. , Discover more about Scott in the museum room half way up your climb. , Look out for the 64 statuettes in the monument, celebrating characters in Scott's novels and famous faces from Scottish history and literature. Who can you spot? , Like the Scott Monument? Then you'll love the view from the Nelson Monument , head up to Calton Hill, 10 minutes away. , Intrigued by Sir Walter Scott? The Writers' Museum, less than 10 minutes walk towards the castle, just off the Royal Mile, has everything you need to know about Scott and it's free.

Scott Monument
View My Edinburgh
Sir Walter Scott
1771 — 1832
Scottish historical novelist playwright and poet Timeline
1771 — Walter Scott born on 15 August in Edinburgh
1789-92 — studies law at the University of Edinburgh
1797 — marries Charlotte Charpentier, with whom he has five children
1802-3 — publishes ‘Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border', a collection of ballads
1811 — buys a small farm on the River Tweed. Renames it “Abbotsford”
1814 — publication of his 'Waverley' novels
1822 — organises visit of KIng George IV to Edinburgh
1832 — suffering ill-health Scott moves to Italy before returning to Scotland
1832 — dies in Abbotsford on 21 September. A public meeting in Edinburgh on 5 October proposes the building of a monument to Scott. Fundraising begins
Spring 1836 — architectural competition to design a monument, won by George Meikle Kemp
15 August 1840 — foundation stone laid on what would have been Scott's 69th birthday
Autumn 1844 — monument completed
1844-46 — opening delayed to allow completion of sculpture of Scott and Maida, his dog, by Sir John Steell
15 August 1846 — monument officially opened
1870 — movement

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to have statuettes in each of the 64 niches started. Completed by early 1880s

Did you know…
• Our amazing monument took four years to build
• Who's who in the monument? Amongst the 64 statutes you'll find Robert the Bruce, Oliver Cromwell, Mary, Queen of Scots and King James Vincent
• The architect George Meikle Kemp died before the monument was completed. He drowned in an Edinburgh canal
• The block of Carrara marble from which Scott's statue was carved weighed over 30 tonnes
• A glass jar containing coins, newspapers, books and maps was placed in the foundation stone
• An appeal for funds to build the monument was launched in 1832. Such was Scott's world-wide fame that one of the earliest donations came from bankers in St Petersburg, Russia

But did everyone like the Scott Monument?
Well, most did but not Charles Dickens!
"I am sorry to report the Scott Monument a failure. It is like the spire of a Gothic church taken off and stuck in the ground." Charles Dickens, 1847

( back )
Scott Monument
The best views of Edinburgh Welcome to the Scott Monument
Climb 287 steps and you'll be rewarded with the best views of Edinburgh.

From the top you'll see a panorama of spectacular views, from the medieval Old Town closes to the spacious streets

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 24, 2018

2. Scott Monument Marker

( back )

of the New Town. Beyond are amazing views of the River Forth and Fife.

Explore inside the largest monument to a writer, anywhere in the world.

Discover more about Scott in the museum room half way up your climb.

Look out for the 64 statuettes in the monument, celebrating characters in Scott's novels and famous faces from Scottish history and literature. Who can you spot?

Like the Scott Monument?
Then you'll love the view from the Nelson Monument — head up to Calton Hill, 10 minutes away.

Intrigued by Sir Walter Scott?
The Writers' Museum, less than 10 minutes walk towards the castle, just off the Royal Mile, has everything you need to know about Scott and it's free.

Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1771.

Location. 55° 57.126′ N, 3° 11.664′ W. Marker is in Edinburgh, Scotland. Marker is at the intersection of Princes Street and Hanover Street, on the left when traveling west on Princes Street. Located in Princes Street Gardens. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2YJ, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Adam Black (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named The Scott Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); a

Scott Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 24, 2018

3. Scott Monument

different marker also named The Scott Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); The Black Watch Monument (about 210 meters away, measured in a direct line); John Knox (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Edinburgh Municipal Building (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Deacon Brodie’s (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Lodging of Sir Simon Preston (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Edinburgh.

Also see . . .
1. Scott Monument on Wikipedia. (Submitted on December 3, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. The Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club. (Submitted on December 3, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
3. Walter Scott on Wikipedia. (Submitted on December 3, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 3, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 239 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 3, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.