The Corson Collection consists of materials assembled by James Clarkson Corson (1905-1988), Deputy Librarian of Edinburgh University and Honorary Librarian of Abbotsford.

It is comprised of two sub-divisions. The first consists of materials related to Sir Walter Scott, including manuscripts, artworks, realia, memorabilia, press-cuttings, and critical materials, which were purposely collected by Corson to complement his extensive collection of printed works by or about Scott.

The second consists of Corson’s own papers. Most of these are connected to Corson’s published and unpublished research on Sir Walter Scott. There are also, however, papers relating to his role as Honorary Librarian of Abbotsford (1952-1988), some personal and family papers, and the papers of critic and broadcaster William Saunders, for whom Corson appears to have acted as literary executor.