Nostalgia: The Scott Monument

Published on Saturday 11 February 2012 12:50

So it looks like the Scott Monument may soon have a rival. Of course, not one in architecture or beauty, but a structure which will offer locals and tourists similar jaw-dropping views of the Capital.

The Evening News revealed on Monday that talks were under way between the city council and a private firm to bring a 60-metre Ferris wheel to Edinburgh – roughly the same height as the Scott Monument – from May to October.

Standing proud outside the National Galleries of Scotland, the wheel could bring an estimated £1.4 million to the city as customers enjoy breathtaking views of the city, in a London Eye-style experience.

As these pictures show, the Scott Monument has long served as one of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions. Many a local is the proud owner of a certificate saying they have managed to climb its seemingly endless steps to the top.

And there they have faced beautiful views across the city’s skyline. Such was the case for steeplejacks John Pendrich and Robert Hay, pictured here in December 1974, as they undertook emergency repairs to the monument after parts of its masonry were found to be in danger of breaking off.

Unfortunately for some, the excitement of a climb up the monument can prove all too much. One American tourist had to be stretchered down by police in August 1970, before being tended to by paramedics.

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