George Meikle Kemp bronze plaque

This bronze commemorative plaque records: George Meikle Kemp. Architect of the Scott Monument, Edinburgh worked in the carpenters shop in this court. Walking from Eddleston, where he served his apprenticeship, a kindly gentleman overtook the lad, and drove him to Galashiels. The gentleman was Walter Scott of Abbotsford. While in Galashiels Kemp studied the gothic architecture of Melrose Abbey, and lived to design and erect the Minstrel's Monument, in the city of his birth. Recorded plaque organisation: Abbotsford Scott Fellowship.

George Meikle Kemp, an apprentice carpenter mentored by Walter Scott, became the architect of Edinburgh’s iconic Scott Monument, showcasing his Gothic architectural skills inspired by Melrose Abbey.