Monument to Provost George Scott

A grey granite column stands in Montrose, commemorating Provost George Scott - a man who clearly mattered enough to the town that they've kept his memorial standing for well over a century. The monument itself is fairly modest, which is somehow more impressive than the grandiose affairs you find elsewhere. It's the sort of thing you'd walk past without noticing unless someone pointed it out, but that's rather the point with Scottish civic monuments of this era.

What you're really doing here is getting a sense of Montrose's importance as a trading port and the individuals who shaped it. Scott was a provost - essentially the chief magistrate - during a period when the town was far more significant than it is today. The monument tells you something about local pride and how communities once marked their leaders.

It won't take you long - five minutes to locate it and another five to read the inscription if you're interested in the details. History types will find the connection to Montrose's maritime past worth considering, though you'll want to combine this with actual exploration of the town itself to make the trip worthwhile.

If you're staying at St Cyrus Holiday Park just down the coast, it's barely worth a detour on its own. But if you're passing through Montrose for fish and chips or a proper look at the harbourside, the monument adds a small local flavour to proceedings. Go for the town, not the column.