1811 in Scotland

Incumbents

• Monarch – George III

  Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Archibald Colquhoun
• Solicitor General for Scotland – David Boyle; then David Monypenny

  Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Avontoun until 20 May; then Lord Granton
• Lord Justice General – The Duke of Montrose
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Granton, then Lord Boyle

  Events

• 9 January – the first women's golf tournament in Scotland takes place at the links of the Musselburgh Golf Club.
• 1 February – Bell Rock Lighthouse begins operation.
• March – Prisoner-of-war camp established at Penicuik.
• 27 May – second national Census. In Scotland the count is carried out by schoolmasters.
• June – Walter Scott buys the farm at Abbotsford near Galashiels and commences building his future residence, Abbotsford House.
• August – passengers are being carried on the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway, in horse-drawn vehicles.
• November – Thomas Telford's bridge at Bridge of Alford is completed.
• 31 December – Tron riot breaks out in Edinburgh.
• Highland Clearances – the Marquess and Marchioness of Stafford begin mass expulsion of crofting tenants from their Highland estates to make way for sheep farming.
• Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal completed throughout.
• Helmsdale and Torgoyle Bridges completed to the design of Thomas Telford.
• Inner harbour at Wick completed to the design of Thomas Telford.
• Harbour at Kirkwall first built.
• Harbour at Dunure built at the expense of Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassilis. Dunrobin pier is also built about this date.
• Remodelling of the House of the Binns in Scottish Baronial style by William Burn for the Dalyell family.
• Rebuilding of Stobo Castle completed.
• The Edinburgh Society for the Support of Gaelic Schools is established.
• Edinburgh Astronomical Institution established.
• Sinking of a new colliery on the Brora Coalfield is begun.
• Approximate date – John Paton begins his own yarn spinning business in Alloa.

  Births

• January – Robert Dick, natural historian
• c. May – Thomas Larkins Walker, architect practicing in England
• 7 June – James Simpson, obstetrician and pioneer of anaesthesia
• 13 July – James "paraffin" Young, chemist
• 14 August – Adam Clark, civil engineer
• 12 September – William Bell Scott, artist and poet
• 19 December – Marjorie Fleming, child writer
• 21 December – Archibald Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Christian Maclagan, antiquary

  Deaths

• 20 May – Robert Blair, Lord Avontoun, lawyer
• 28 May – Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, politician
• 14 September – James Grahame, poet, lawyer and clergyman
• 15 October – George Hay, Roman Catholic bishop
• 27 November – Andrew Meikle, mechanical engineer and inventor