I’M MCEWAN, THE QUEEN OF TYNASITHE
It is unlikely that Queen Victoria realised that she had a real-life competitor for the throne who lived at Tynasithe in Glen Lednock and ruled her empire in no less an imperious fashion. Amongst the ruins of Tynasithe about a hundred and thirty years ago lived a family of McEwans. They were a wee bit “heilan” with the eldest daughter proclaiming herself “Queen.” The family consisted of two brothers and two sisters. Our heroine was the eldest and must have been one of a different stamp. She lorded it over her kith and kin who acted as flunkies and retainers. Their loyalty to her knew no bounds and her suggestions were their commands. She declared to all and sundry that by right all lands in the immediate vicinity were hers and hers alone and only the foolhardy would contradict this state of affairs.
Her brother, “John o’ Tynasithe” a tacksman to trade, following her instructions to the letter and refused to pay rent or feu to the legal landowner. In addition he refused to let anyone fish in the Lednock as it was, according to him, only their right. A fisherman once appeared on the scene. He had every right to fish as he lived in the glen and taking out his tackle proceeded to do what fishermen do, fish. John, on espying this incursion immediately challenged the interloper and a struggle ensued with the angler getting the worst of it. John was a big, strong lump, and the angler was no match for him. The clothes of the fisherman were rent and his fishing rod reduced to a rather sorry-looking stick.
Not unnaturally the fisherman reported the incident to the authorities and a warrant for John’s arrest was issued. But John did not give in without a struggle and after he had cracked the heads of a few constables he was eventually subdued and taken to trial in Perth. There, after a fair trial, he was detained at Queen Victoria’s pleasure and sentenced to a spell in the lunatic asylum in Dundee... and as far as I know he's still there!
This left the Queen minus one faithful retainer but still with others of her loyal retinue...and she stood against all comers. Mr. James Stirling was appointed in John’s place to be the factor of the farm and his task was by no means easy! Whenever he tried to do something he ran in to the full fury of our Queen. Whenever he put up fences she, with her staff, tore then down or damaged them. Whenever a repair was made the repair was destroyed. His life was constantly under threat and bodily harm was a given! When he decided on different occasions to sell some of the farm cattle, the Queen would issue counter instructions to her staff. They were prone to use physical force to ensure that her cattle were not sold. When the farm produce came up for sale similar occurrences would take place and all involved were in some danger!
Eventually Mr. Stirling in his capacity as factor managed to obtain possession of all the money in the farm account in the bank although he never really knew what was owed to whom or to what amount. As the lease was coming up for renewal which warranted a displenishment sale, and as the local folk could not or did not want to be burdened with payments for support for this family of mad folk in a lunatic asylum, he was in an awful pickle! Eventually through one of their relatives he found out that the Queen had stashed away a considerable sum of money. Like Sherlock Holmes he was able to track down the money which amounted to a small fortune of upwards of £800.
This solved the problem of the Parish paying for their room and board at the asylum in Dundee but it took a mighty effort to have them force-evicted with only the strong and the stalwart taking part! Perhaps the moral of the tale is that if you happen to meet a Queen in Tynasithe in Glen Lednock give her a wide berth and don’t fish! She might have your head off!