Facts
Sir Walter Scott was the first English-language author with a large international following. During his lifetime he had many contemporary
readers in Europe, Australia and North America. However, after his death he became one of the most famous Scottish authors of all times.
History
Sir Walter Scott was born in 1771 in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a small boy he spent considerable time in the Scottish Borders visiting
family where he became fascinated by the oral traditions of the area. Although he studied to become a lawyer, he began writing at the age
of 25. At first he focused on poetry, but later wrote primarily Scottish historical novels. One of his most famous works was “Rob
Roy”. Scott died in 1832 at age 61 at his home in Abbotsford, near the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders. Below is a photograph of
the sculpture of Walter Scott inside the Scott's Monument in Edinburgh.
Miscellaneous
Scott’s Monument was built between 1840 and 1846 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was designed in the Victorian Gothic style, and consists
of a series of towers with several viewing platforms reached by narrow spiral staircases. The central tower is 200 feet 6 inches high and
can be reached via 287 steps. From the top one has breathtaking views of the city of Edinburgh. In the early 1990’s the monument was
restored at a cost of 2.36 million pounds sterling.
