There is a little bay and hamlet on the West coast of Scotland called Kentallen, beautiful and quiet, it must have been quite a centre in the ancient days because of its location. Look up the hill from there and you can see the cleft in the rock where Charles Stewart, the local clan leader hid from the forces of the government who were set on killing him. To-day the little cottages are most likely to be let to visitors as holiday cottages. Yet they are surrounded by history.

The longest unbroken line of British Kings and Queens was formed in Scotland. This one Scottish family, the Stewarts, lasted in power for over 400 years. There is even a Stewart pretender to the British throne to-day. Appin was their land.

And one of the smaller areas of the West coast of Scotland, renowned for its stunning beauty, was their family playground. Visitors from around the world to-day bask in its glorious mountains, they fish in its streams and they watch its wildlife in wonder.

When Walter the High Steward married Robert the Bruce's daughter Marjory in the 14th century, little did they know that their descendants would take the crowns of Scotland and England for the next 400 years ending with Queen Anne in 1714. The words, High Steward become corrupted to Stuart, or Stewart over the years.

They were some of the most famous names in European history. They included the tragic but beautiful Mary Queen of Scots, who was beheaded under the orders of her cousin Queen Elizabeth of England. Her son became James the 1st of England as well as the King of Scots. The British Parliament committed regicide by executing another Stewart King, Charles 1st. The final Stewart monarch, Queen Anne, reigned during the political Union of Scotland and England in the early 18th century.

All of them knew about the Stewart homelands in Appin. James IV often visited his cousin in Stalker Castle in the 15th century for hunting and fishing. Then, as now, the East of Scotland was the seat of government and Appin was a playground

There was uproar in Appin with the revolt of Bonnie Prince Charlie - Charles Edward Stewart - the whole clan turned out for him at Culloden Field in 1745. The clanslost and the repercussions were awful. The banner of the Stewart Clan was hidden after the battle and is now in Edinburgh.

The visitors to-day just enjoy the beaches and the forest walks. They walk around Appin and occasionally wonder what the big stone is doing in he middle of the field. It was put there by the megalithic people, 3,000 years ago. Few of the passers by realise that.

John