The Character Statues

Rob Roy MacGregor

Found on the west facade of the Scott Monument, opposite Helen MacGregor, beside the Museum Room window.

Rob Roy MacGregor (from the novel 'Rob Roy', 1817) is shown as a bearded Highland figure wearing kilt, short jacket, broad shoulder strap, and a Scots bonnet with feather. He has a flintlock pistol in his belt and is holding a claymore sword, one hand is outstretched as if expressing a point.

Rob Roy MacGregor "owed his fame in a great measure to his residing on the very verge of the Highlands, and playing such pranks in the beginning of the 18th century, as are usually ascribed to Robin Hood in the middle ages, - and that within forty miles of Glasgow".

Scott found it astonishing that "a character like his, blending the wild virtues, the subtle policy, and unrestrained license of an American Indian, was flourishing in Scotland during the Augustan age".

According to Nicol Jarvie, "mony a daft reik he has played - mair than wad fill a book, and a queer ane it wad be - as gude as Robin Hood, or William Wallace - a' fu' o' venturesome deeds and escapes, sic as folk tell ower at a winter-ingle in the daft days." Rob is both wise and witty. Some of his remarks include: "It's a maxim of a wise man never to return by the same road he came, providing another's free to him"; "Ye ken weel eneugh that women and gear are at the bottom of a' the mischief in this warld"; and his proud declaration, "My foot is on my native heath, and my name is MacGregor!"

About the Sculptor

John Rhind (1828 to 1892)

Born in Banff, John Rhind was the son of a master stonemason and descended from a line of stonemasons since the early 18th century.

He studied sculpture in the studio of Alexander ‘Handyside’ Ritchie, and his son, William Birnie Rhind also became a sculptor and created statues for the Monument. Rhind was elected ARSA (Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy) in 1892, but died before signing the membership roll.

His portrait busts include ‘William Gladstone’ 1886 for the Scottish Liberal Club, ‘Victoria and Albert’, ‘Darwin’, ‘Michaelangelo’ and ‘Newton’ all 1859 which can all be found in the Royal Scottish Museum. He executed a fine statue of William Chambers (1890) in bronze in Chambers Street and one of Dick (1883) at the Royal Veterinary College.

Rhind also has other statues in the National Gallery of Scotland, Scottish National Portrait Gallery and St Giles Cathedral.

His statues on the Scott Monument are Ivanhoe, John Knox, Rob Roy, Lucy Ashton, Ravenswood, Dugald Dalgetty, George Buchanan and Richie Moniplies.

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