The Monuments Elements

Scott’s Monument - memorialising the Scottish playwright, historian, novelist and poet, Walter Scott.

The monument stood still and steady in the distance, the tallest structure amongst its peers. It stuck out compared to the office blocks and shopping centres surrounding it, a juxtaposition between the old and new, the antique and modern. Its most recognisable quality was the fact that it looked like it had been burnt, giving the impression that it had been standing vulnerable to the different elements for centuries. On closer inspection however, it appeared to be a mix of black, brown and grey, grounding it in the colours of cloudy Edinburgh.

Compared to the trodden grass it sat on, the monument was a derelict beauty. Through its majestic, curved arches, you could catch views of what was behind it, something which changed depending on where you were standing. They were like portals to other worlds, sometimes showing glimpses of the overcast sky, a full array of leaves from neighbouring trees or even the city’s bustling traffic. The inside of the structure, however, could not be more different.

When inside, the monument acted as a protector, a shield from outside elements. This was ironic, given that its spiral staircase was rickety, becoming narrower the higher it was climbed, requiring utmost focus to be placed in fear of falling to the structure’s wrath. Its thick stone walls parted the interior and exterior, keeping all sight, sound and feeling everlastingly separate and never meeting.

Regardless, on the uncovered roof they did become one. Encouraging life, the sky emerged from the claustrophobic darkness. Birds flew gracefully from all directions, never colliding and all knowing their shared destination. Although the dull and ominous clouds threatened rain, it blended in naturally with both the greenery of the park below and the rest of the city. From this height, the whole of Edinburgh and beyond looked small and intangible, its dark and grey infrastructure making it look like a child’s used playset.

The descent down the structure was the same as its ascent, still dangerous, but there was now a sense of accomplishment having been up and down. Back on the ground, the monument retained its original demeanour - old and antique yet tolerable of all the elements.