Where is the British town referred to?

[DonKiddick]

Famous within this Scottish burgh,
A great designer once lived here,
Worldly seas was the 'star' of his plans
On the esplanade his monument stands.

(I've also posted this on Quizzes and Puzzles - the only answer I got was to post it on People and Places!)

[Octavius]

I would guess at Portsmouth ?

Great designer - I K Brunel
Worldy Seas & Monument - Nelson

The Scottish burgh bit has me befuddled.

[Dassie]

David Alan Stevenson designed lighthouses ( which might account for "worldly seas" and "star" ) He was born 1854 in Edinburgh and this City has an esplanade by the Castle. Just an inspired guess!

[Quizmonster]

Kirkcaldy? Robert Adam the great 18th century Scottish designer was born in that burgh and it certainly has an esplanade. Not sure about the worldly seas and monument, but perhaps you can do a bit of Googling yourself.

[tull456]

Could it be Helesnburgh!

[goldfish1]

Maybe Greenock? I was thinking of James Watt who was born here. Greenock certainly has an esplanade, altho' I think the monument is outside JW college. There's a replica of the Comet steam ship in Port Glasgow. J Watt certainly worked on steam engines and Comet might fit in with "wordly seas & star". I think The Comet only went across the river tho'!

[gen2]

Quizmonster, I live in Kirkcaldy, and there is definitely no monument to Robert Adam on the Esplanade.

[sense4all]

I am with Tull456, here is a link that may help :

http://www.rampantscotland.com/visit/blvisithi llhouse.htm

[Quizmonster]

Good grief, Gen2, I was there a few weeks ago! However, I did not set foot on the esplanade and - even if I had - I would probably have taken little notice of any monuments there. Still, at least you have eliminated Kirkcaldy from Don's enquiries. Cheers

[DonKiddick]

... and I've managed to eliminate Greenock - by the simple expedient of emailing the tourist office there and getting a negative reply!

I would like to think the designer referred to is Charles Rennie Mackintosh (are there any other famous Scottish designers?) and the memorial may be of him or by him. I can't fathom out the 'worldly seas were the star of his plan' though.

[Octavius]

CRM designed a building in Glasgow which is now called ....

The Lighthouse

But that is rather tenuous.

[Octavius]

There is a John Logie Baird monument at Helensburgh.

[katieb73]

Charles Rennie Mac also lived at Hill House in Helensburgh, but John Logie Baird is on the sea front, he invented the tv, but was he a designer...?