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spoons Forum Moderator
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 18
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject: Scott Monument, Edinburgh |
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For me, this is the number one iconic monument in Scotland. Even today it dominates the centre of Edinburgh with a real presence. Difficult to photograph because it has never been cleaned (policy I believe). I'm afraid I know nothing of the detail so I leave that for others to add.
For some reason I always think of it as a gothic spaceship about to launch on an interplanetary mission.
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Adam Brown Forum Admin
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 415 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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The plaque at the base
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Adam Brown Forum Admin
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 415 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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And Steell's statue of Scott at the base
I take it he's supposed to be thinking of his next novel but I thnk he looks quite melancholy here.
Adam |
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spoons Forum Moderator
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 18
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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and a detail, one of the statues from the monument
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Adam Brown Forum Admin
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 415 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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I think the statues are of characters from his novels.
Adam |
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spoons Forum Moderator
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 18
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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One of them is supposed to be Old Mortality but I have no idea which and I have no other photos
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Caroline Forum Member
Joined: 26 Nov 2008 Posts: 14
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:27 am Post subject: |
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The central ststue of Scott is by Steell, yes. The architect of the entire monument was a Mr Kemp (Robert?) - found drowned in the canal eventually. The small statues are indeed characters from Scott's novels, as suggested, and were by a variety of sculptors. There's a website which lists all of them. I don't remember the URL offhand, but as some of the characters are by Amelia Paton Hill, googling her, together with "Scott Monument", ought to get you there.
I agree about the Gothic spaceship! I've thought for years that, especially if you view it from North Bridge, that it looks as though lighting a match under it would send it skywards. And to think the original plan was to place it in the middle of Charlotte Square! Robert Adam would have been birlin' in his grave.
Caroline |
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Adam Brown Forum Admin
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 415 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:06 am Post subject: |
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Caroline wrote: | the original plan was to place it in the middle of Charlotte Square |
Good grief, thankfully that didn't go ahead. Calton Hill would have been a good place, or the top of the Mound where the bank of Scotland sits.
As it is I don't think they've done too badly where it is.
Adam |
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Adam Brown Forum Admin
Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 415 Location: Edinburgh
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