Scott, Sir Walter

Scott, Sir Walter (1771-1832), author, b. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Sir Walter Scott trained as a lawyer and became in turn Sheriff of Selkirkshire and clerk to one of the Scottish courts. At the same time he wrote poetry and novels.

In 1805, The Lay of the Last Minstrel, a long poem telling a story, made him the most popular writer of his time.

He followed it with more poems and then, from 1814-27, produced nineteen historical novels. They include some of his most famous books - Guy Mannering, The Heart of Midlothian and Ivanhoe.

Scott became a partner in a printing business but this ran into debt. In 1825, it was said to be bankrupt and Scott owed £130,000.

He began to write more books so that he could repay this money and, in two years, paid back £45,000.

He went on writing up to the time of his death, completing twenty-eight novels. Many of them are still read today.

Scott was knighted in 1820 and there is a memorial to him in Prince's Street, Edinburgh.