All About Edinburgh
Makars Court
Makars' Slabs
Lawnmarket Royal Mile Edinburgh
The Makars Slabs
The Makars' Slabs can be found in Makars' Court Lawnmarket Royal Mile Edinburgh. Which is the court yard outside the Writers' Museum. Below are the slabs that can be found in honour of the writers'.
See if you can find them? All their names and inscriptions are listed.
Access to Makars' Court is either from Lady Stairs' Close or Wardrop's Court in the Lawnmarket Royal Mile or
from North Bank Street on the Mound across from the Bank Museum.
The Makars' Slabs are to honour each Makar.
A Makar was originally a reference to poets of fifteenth and sixteenth century Scotland. It now includes more recent writers.
Makar
Sir Walter Scott
1771-1832
Novelist and Poet Born in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
THIS IS MY OWN, MY NATIVE LAND
Makar
Robert Louis Stevenson
1850 – 1894
Novelist, Poet and Travel writer Born in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
THERE ARE NO STARS AS LOVELY
AS EDINBURGH’S STREET LAMPS
Makar
Robert Fergusson
1750 – 1774
Poet, Born in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
AULD REIKIE WALE O’ I LKA TOWN
Makar
Tom Scott
1918 – 1995
Poet, Builders Labourer and Soldier, Born Partick Glasgow
Inscription on slab
WEIRD HOU MEN MAUN
AYE BE MAKIN WAR INSTEID
O THINGS THEY NEED
Makar
Robert Burns
1759 – 1796
Poet Born in Alloway
Inscription on slab
MAN TO MAN THE WORLD O’ER
SHALL BRITHERS BE FOR A’ THAT
Makar
Donnchadh Bàn Mac an t-Saoir
Duncan Ban Macintyre
1724 - 1812
S e muthadh air an t-saoghal
An coire laghach gaolach
A dhol a-nis air faondradh
A change has come upon the world
That the fine, beloved corrie
Should now be desolate
He was a leading Gaelic poet. A granite monument dominates Glen Orchy (his birthplace) and Loch Awe.
He published three editions of his poems as Orain Ghaidhealach (Gaelic Songs) in 1768, 1790 and 1804.
Makar
James Boswell
1740 – 1795
Laird of Auchinleck, Biographer, Advocate, Born in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
I RATTLED DOWN THE HIGH STREET
IN HIGH ELEVATION OF SPIRITS
Makar
Lachlan Mor MacMhuirich
1370 – 1478
Scottish Bard Professional Poet of a dynasty of Poets, Born in the Hebrides
Inscription on slab
A CHLANNA CUINN CUIMHNICHIBH
CRUAS AN AM NA H-IORGHAILE
Makar
Helen Cruickshank
1886 – 1975
Poet and Suffragette, Born in Hillside near Montrose
Inscription on slab
THE SPIRIT ENDURES FOR EVER
Makar
Sydney Goodsir Smith
1915 – 1975
Poet, Artist, Novelist and dramatist, Born in Wellington New Zealand
Inscription on slab
BARDS HAE SUNG O LESSER LUVES
THAN I O THEE OH MY GREAT
FOLLIE AND MY GRANDERIE
Makar
Muriel Spark
1918 – 2006
Novelist, Born in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF
THE COMMONPLACE
Makar
Fionn Maccolla (AKA)
Thomas Douglas Macdonald
1906 – 1975
Actual name Thomas Douglas MacDonald a Novelist, born in Montrose
Inscription on slab
MY BOOTS IN
THE SOIL OF ALBA
Makar
Neil Miller Gunn
1891 – 1973
Novelist, Dramatists and Critic, Born in Dunbeath
Inscription on slab
KNOWLEDGE IS HIGH IN THE HEAD
BUT THE SALMON OF
WISDOM SWIMS DEEP
Makar
Sir David Lyndsay
1486 – 1555
Lyon King of Arms, Satirist, Poet and Diplomat, Born in Fife
Inscription on slab
LAIT US HAIF THE BUKIS
NECESSARE TO COMMOUN WEILL
Makar
George MacKay Brown
1921 – 1996
Poet, Dramatist and Author, Born in Stromness, Orkney
Inscription on slab
IN THE FIRE OF IMAGES GLADLY
I PUT MY HAND
Makar
Iain Crichton Smith
1928 – 1998
Poet and Novelist, Born in Glasgow in 1928 lived in Bayble Lewis from infancy
Inscription on slab
LET OUR THREE-VOICED COUNTRY
SING IN A NEW WORLD
Makar
John Muir
1838 – 1914
Engineer, Naturalist, Philosopher, Writer, Botanist and Geologist, Born in Dunbar
Inscription on slab
I CARE TO LIVE TO ENTICE
PEOPLE TO LOOK AT
NATURE’S LOVELINESS
Makar
Douglas Young
1913 – 1973
Poet and Politician Leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, Born in Tayport Fife
Inscription on slab
HE WAS EIDENT,
HE WAS BLYE,
IN SCOTLAND’S CAUSE
Makar
Nigel Tranter
1909 – 2000
Historian and Author, Accountant, Born in Glasgow
Inscription on slab
YOU INTEND TO BIDE HERE?
CAN YOU THINK OF
ANYWHERE BETTER?
Makar
James Allan Ford
1920 – 2009
Born in Auchtermuchty in Fife
Inscription on slab
SING OUT THE SILENCE
FILL FOR EVER AND EVER
THE EMPTINESS WRITER,
SOLDIER AND SENIOR CIVIL SERVANT
Makar
Dorothy Dunnett
1923 – 2001
Painter, Sculptures and fiction writer, Born in Dunfermline Fife 1923
Inscription on slab WHERE ARE THE LINKS OF THE CHAIN JOINING US TO THE PAST?
Makar
John Buchan
1875 – 1940
Writer and Historian, first Baron Tweedsmuir of Elsfield, 15th Governor General of Canada, Born, Perth 1875
Inscription on slab
WE CAN ONLY REPAY OUR DEBT
TO THE PAST BY PUTTING
THE FUTURE IN DEBT TO US
Makar
James King Annand
1908 – 1993
Poet famous for children’s poems, Principal History Teacher, Editor, born in Edinburgh Christopher Murray Grieve
Inscription on slab
SING IT AINCE FOR PLEISURE
SING IT TWICE FOR JOY
Makar
James Bridle
1888 – 1951
Scottish Playwright, also a surgeon in the 1st and 2nd world wars, real name Osborne Henry Mavor, born in Glasgow Inscription on slab
WHO KNOWS THE HEART OF MAN
AND WHAT MOVES IN
THAT DARKNESS?
Makar
William Dunbar
1460 – 1520
One of the greats, Poet associated with the court of James IV, and Advocate of Law, Born, circa 1880
Inscription on slab THE FESCHE IS BRUKLE THE FEND IS SLE TIMOR MORTIS CONTURBAT ME.
Makar
Naomi Mitchison
1897 – 1999
Novelist and Poet, Baroness, born in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
GO BACK FAR ENOUGH
AND ALL HUMANKIND
ARE COUSINS
Makar
John Galt
1779 – 1839
Writer, Novelist, founded the town of Guelph in Canada, born Irvine Ayrshire 1779
Inscription on slab
BIRR AND SMEDDUM
Makar
Violet Jacob
1863 – 1946
Novelist and Poet, born House of Dun, Montrose
Inscription on slab
THERE’S MUCKLE LYIN
YONT THE TAY THAT’S
MAIR TO ME NOR LIFE
Makar
Lady Culross,
Elizabeth Melville
1578 – 1640
First Scots woman to have printed works “Ane Godlie Dreame” 1603, Born, Collessie near Cupar Fife
Inscription on slab
THOUGH TYRANTS THREAT,
THOUGH LYONS RAGE
AND RORE DEFY THEM ALL,
AND FEARE NOT TO WIN OUT POET,
Makar
George Buchanan
1506 – 1582
Teacher, Poet and the person that helped Elizabeth I in the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, Born, Killearn, Stirling 1506
Inscription on slab POPULO ENIM IVS EST VT IMPERIVM CVI VELIT DEFERA
Makar
David Daiches
1912 – 2002
Author, Editor and authority on Scottish Literature, born in Sunderland 1912 lived his life in Edinburgh
Inscription on slab
BRIDGE-BUILDING
IS MY VOCATION
Makar
Hugh MacDiarmid
1892 – 1978
Journalist, Author Poet, born Christopher Murray Grieve in Langholm, Scottish Borders 1892
Inscription on slab DRUMS IN THE WALLIGATE PIPES IN THE AIR THE WALLOPIN’ THISTLE IS ILL TO BEAR
Makar
Robert McLellan
1907 – 1985
Writer, Poet and Dramatist awarded O.B.E in 1978, born Clyde Valley near Lanark
Inscription on slab
THE POUER TO BIGG
A BRAW WARLD IN HIS BRAIN
CRAITUR MARKS MAN
THE ONLY THAT CAN GREIT
Makar
Robert Garioch Sutherland
1909 – 1981
Poet, Author and School Teacher, born Robert Garioch Sutherland
Inscription on slab
IN SIMMER,
WHAN A SORTS FOREGETHER
IN EMBRO TO THE PLOY.
Makar
John Barbour
1320 – 1395
Poet, Archdeacon and supporter of King David II, First to write in Scots language, born in Aberdeenshire
Inscription on slab
FREDOME IS A NOBLE THING
Makar
Robert Henryson
1425 – 1490
Poet, School teacher and law Advocate, born as record show he was at University in 1462
Inscription on slab
BLISSED BE SEMPILL
LYFE WITHOUTIN DREID
46664
Its in our hands
Nigel Mandela
90th birthday Concert
Hyde Park London
Makar
Nan Shepherd
1893 -1891
English school teacher, Writer, Novelist and Poet, born Peter Culter on the River Dee 1893.
Inscription on slab
IT’S A GRAND THING
TO GET LEAVE TO LIVE
Makar
Sorley MacLean
(Somhairle MacGill-Eain)
1911 – 1996
School teacher and Poet son of a tailor, born Island of Raasay between Skye and main land Scotland
Inscription on slab
NAN ROBH AGAINN
ALBA SHAOR ALBA
CO-SHINTE RI AR GAOL
Makar
Gavin Douglas
1476 – 1522
Poet, Scottish Bishop and Politician, Born in Tantallon Castle East Lothian
Inscription on slab
MAK IT BRAID AND PLANE
KEPAND NA SUDRON BOT OUR AWYN LANGAGE
