Sir Walter Scott & Abbotsford
- Emma Wilkinson
- Aug 11, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 30, 2024
"Where is the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land as Scotland?" ~ Sir Walter Scott
On the banks of the river Tweed, in rural Roxburghshire, sits a home so beautiful it could only have been born from the imagination of the most creative of minds - the mind of Scotland's most influential novelist, Sir Walter Scott.
Scott found success as a writer. Writing Scotland into a new, romantic and enduring existence throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries. As the money from his work mounted, Scott built a fairytale home in a peaceful, inspiring place. Known as Cartleyhole or "Clarty Hole" to locals, Scott had great plans for his land by the river and the cottage which stood there, starting with a new name - Abbotsford, inspired by the monks of Melrose Abbey who once crossed the river nearby. Over time, Scott's paradise came to fruition. Room after room was added, knocked down, rebuilt by the finest architects and stonemasons. The house feels like the library and the study are the very soul of the building, everything else seems to flow from there.
Before Literature Came Law
On the 15th of August 1771 Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh. A bout of polio left Scott lame, a condition that would plague his life. In a bid to improve his health, Scott spent a great deal of time throughout his childhood escaping "auld reekie", to take in the fresh air and quiet of the scenic Scottish Borders. In 1778, he returned to Edinburgh full time where the Scott's lived in one of the first homes on George Square and began his education at the Royal High School in 1779. By then, his health and strength had improved and he was known to explore Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside. Scott would return to the Borders to finish his school education in Kelso while in the care of his Aunt Jenny.
In 1783, Scott embarked on studying Classics at The University of Edinburgh - he was only twelve years old. By 14, he was serving as an apprentice to his father, a Writer to the Signet. Throughout Scott's education, he met a number of people who would serve as influences in his interests in literature and history, and at 15 years he met Scot's poet Robert Burns. But, Walter Scott was not to become a writer just yet... he returned to The University of Edinburgh to study law and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1792. He had a successful legal career, served as Sheriff-Depute and embarked on writing in the 1790s, inspired by popular German literature of the time, Scott created English versions of German poems and published them.
Scott's long narrative of 1810, "The Lady of the Lake" was his most successful poem to date, selling 20,000 copies in its first year. The story takes place in the beautiful backdrop of the Trossachs, increasing tourism to the area dramatically. This success, would motivate Scott to complete the his first novel, Waverley, revisiting the popular themes of The Lady of Lake. The Scottish backdrop for the story becoming Scott's enduring signature on the world of literature - captivating scenes of Scotland, historical intrigue and romance brought together creating enduring stories beloved by Scott's contemporaries and generations since. History became more and more of a theme as Scott's writing developed.
A New Appreciation for Scotland
Throughout the early 1800s, Scott continued to create poetry, penning such recognisable lines as,
"O what a tangled web we weave" .
He would go on to create poetry throughout his literary career. By 1805, it is believed the first few chapters of "Waverley" were written, but after criticism from a friend, Scott tabled the project for some time - the first instalment of the Waverley series wasn't published until 1814.
It continued on from the themes of "The Lady of the Lake", this poems success likely being a strong motivator in completing Waverley. With a backdrop of the Highlands of Scotland and the drama of rebellion at its core, Waverley became the first of 27 novels, including such volumes as "Rob Roy", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "The Fair Maid of Perth". Sixteen of the twenty-seven stories take place in Scotland. Many of the volumes take inspiration from the 17th and 18th centuries, Waverley itself drawing from the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion. The volumes were initially published anonymously...the identity of the writer behind them perhaps one of Scotland's worst kept secrets!
Alongside his common, although not exclusive ("Ivanhoe", 1820, for example is set in 12th century England), themes surrounding 18th century Scotland, Scott's tales also delved into further areas of narrative. He looked a societal structure, and human nature despite this, as stated in Waverley:
"passions common to men in all stages of society, and which have alike agitated the human heart, whether it throbbed under the steel corslet of the fifteenth century, the brocaded coat of the eighteenth, or the blue frock and white dimity waistcoat of the present day."
Ultimately, Scott's stories wrote Scotland into a new existence. After a century of conflict between the Jacobites and the British Government, the strained feeling toward and resentment within Scotland as a result of the rebellions and the fall out of the Dress Act (effectively outlawing the wearing of tartan dress in the Highlands for men of fighting age outwith miltary service and nobility - more on this in a future article) which was not repealed until 1782, was rife.
It was Scott's words which helped in transforming the perception of this nation and it's people. His novels sold in droves, even reaching the libraries of royalty, namely the future King George IV and later, Queen Victoria.
Scott's stories brought people to Scotland. Waverley train station in Edinburgh was named after the books - a ploy to bring tourists to Edinburgh, then on to the Highlands. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution and improvements in travel for leisure purposes, Scottish tourism became easier and yet more people came here to witness the beautiful places that served as Scott's inspiration for themselves, including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1842 - both avid Scott fans.
People were, in a nutshell, ready for Scotland. Ready for it to be presented as a place of drama and romance, where once rebels had become heroes captivating the imaginations of thousands of readers, audiences found across generations. The 19th century appetite for Scotland was unquenchable - from tartan to tourism - it can almost be compared to the effect the Harry Potter novels from my childhood had capturing the imaginations of children and adults alike around the world! Drawing fans to locations no matter how loosely associated to the story or author. Or, in some ways, the effect the Outlander books and television series had on tourism to Scotland throughout the 2010s and early 2020s.
The King's Visit
As a result of the success of his novels, Sir Walter Scott's social standing developed remarkably and in a considerably short space of time. Among his friends, he could count King George IV. Scott was tasked with orchestrating the King's visit to Edinburgh in August 1822. He pulled upon his knowledge of Scottish history, folklore and pageantry to create an event that would, in many ways, change the course of history for tartan and our traditions - making their cultural significant and appreciation stronger than ever.
In October 1817, Scott was tasked by the then Prince Regent (the future King George IV), with finding the lost "Honours of Scotland" - the crown jewels of Scottish monarchs hidden away during the days of Cromwells Protectorate, before last being used for the Scottish Coronation of the reinstated King Charles II. They were present in place of the absent monarch at the Scottish Parliament until the Act of Union 1707 merged the parliaments. Thereafter, the Honours of Scotland were said to be somewhere in Edinburgh Castle, stowed away for safe keeping. Stories circulated that the Honours had been removed or lost in time, but in February 1818, the Scottish crown jewels were miraculously found by Scott and his company. Elated with the discovery, the Prince Regent granted Scott the title of Baronet, styling him Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet thereafter.
In 1822, King George IV was set to visit Scotland - the first reigning monarch to do so since the Coronation of Charles II in 1651 at Scone. The time that had passed between official royal visits had been tumultuous. The Scottish and English parliaments had been merged. The Stuarts had been replaced with Hanoverians. The Jacobites had risen, fought hard for their cause, yet failed to restore the Stuarts to the throne. Defeat at Culloden lead to the Dress Act which changed the course of Highland culture suppressing it for so many. And, Scott had written Scotland into a new lease of life... It was time to bring Scotland back into the fold of the United Kingdom, and what better way to do this than with a pageant of Scottish excellence, embraced by the King himself.
Scott got to work, with just three weeks to plan a spectacle like no other. He reinvigorated old highland traditions, bringing them back to life. From arranging for the Royal Company of Archers to serve as the King's Bodyguard in Scotland dressed in suits of Black Watch tartan, to parading the newly found Honours of Scotland. There were to be balls with Clan Chiefs present, all asked to wear their finest highland garb. The King would dawn highland dress also...although he did fall victim to satirical cartoons of his kilt being a wee bit too short and his infamous pink tights... Ultimately, this event was designed to not only impress the King, but perhaps heal long standing wounds between the Highlanders and Hanoverians. This event, it can be argued, changed the course of history for tartan forever - it was designed, woven and worn on a scale never before seen.
~ Like the subject of the Dress Act 1746, I will follow up with a full article on George IV's visit of Edinburgh
His Memory Lives On
Scott's life took a strenuous turn with the financial crisis of 1825. Despite his earlier success, admiration and warm welcome where ever he went, Scott found himself in mounting debt. Many of his influential friends, including the King, offered to help pay his debts, but Scott declined and attempted to write himself out of financial ruin himself.
He wrote fiction and non-fiction, biographies and poems, even his own diaries and memoirs as fast as he could to try to get back in control of his finances. But his health was failing him and on the 21st September 1832, Sir Walter Scott died in the dining room of Abbotsford, in a bed set up in the bay window overlooking the River Tweed. His books continued to sell, and his debts were discharged not long after his passing. Although Scot died owing money, I believe Scotland will forever be indebted to him. He wrote his homeland into into a new existence after tumultuous decades - into a new, romantic existence which tartan, tourism and the world of literature alike still benefit from today.
Writers since Scott's passing have continued to admire his work and site him as an inspiration. From the Bronte Sisters to Jane Austen, Victor Hugo to Thomas Hardy...this list is endless. Many monuments to Scott's memory have been erected. From a small unassuming tower on Corstorphine Hill to the second largest monument in the world dedicated to a single writer located on Princes Street, Edinburgh. A column in Glasgow's George Square to a statue in Central Park, New York City. Waverley train station stands as a working nod to his brilliance, passed through by thousands every day. His bust sits within another monument, that of the Wallace Monument in Stirling. Even our banknotes contain his image, streets in Edinburgh named after characters and places from his books, and we find ourselves using phrases he penned more often than we realise..."going berserk" being just one example. His memory lives on in our daily lives in Scotland without us even realising it - a deserved tribute to the man who, I wholeheartedly believe, triggered a new lease of life for our culture, allowing it to endure.
Thank you, Sir Walter Scott, for writing the home I love dearly into existence.
Upcoming related articles ~
The Dress Act 1746 - The Turning Point for Tartan
Tartan Pageantry - The 1822 Visit of King George IV
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