Monday, April 25, 2011 we learned that McBain Park had been vandalized. Tom Bean reported, “Just returned from the memorial near Dores. Very sorry to see everything stolen from the memorial. No plaque or railings. Even the capstones torn off the monument. Only the gates remain”.
This is our heritage, our homeland we must rebuild. The task to organize this project has been given to me Richard James McBain of McBain Younger and with your help the park will be even better than the day it was born. Learn more: History of Thefts, Park History
It is a great idea to ensure that this theft does not ‘win’ but that a replacement plaque and cats are put in place. How can we contact the organisers of this project?
I suggest that a local company/person in Scotland be used to do the work. The plaque should be of appropriate quality material to be a lasting memorial. A type of slate could be used, or another stone. It should not be any form of concrete but natural stone. The cats could similarly be of stone, rather than metal as before.
The plaque should include the arms of the chief. The wording should be the same as before or a variant, with advice sought by Scottish heritage experts and / or The Lord Lyon (by way of example). They should be historically correct and informative for the visitor, and an inspiration for members of the clan.
Do you need or wish for a British team to support the project this side of the Atlantic?
Any chance of an online update? I can’t see much information on current progress to restore the Memorial Park. I live retired in NW Scotland and from time to time am routinely in Inverness. I intend to find, visit, photograph the Dores Memorial at the beginning of April 2014 – its existence and my historic connection with the Mcbeans/ Mcbains is rather recent. Lachlan McBain b 1749/ Ludovick McBean b 1775/ Susannah McBean b 1801 m Archibald Wilson / Susan Wilson m Capt James Morrison (my GG-GF). I look forward to your contact – DG