John Lennon almost became Scottish laird

Nov 2 2008 By Billy Sloan

JOHN LENNON blew the chance to become a Scots laird like fellow Beatle Paul McCartney.

Lennon planned to buy a croft in Durness, Sutherland where he spent childhood holidays.

But in his book The Beatles In Scotland, writer Ken McNab reveals he was beaten to the property in 1974.

McCartney bought a farm on Mull of Kintyre.

Every summer between 1950 and 1955, Lennon holidayed with his cousin Stan Parkes in a holiday cottage at Sango Bay.

Stan, 75, said in the book: "Had it worked out, he and Paul McCartney would both have been Scottish landowners. John would have loved the idea of being a Highland laird."

Ken also discovered that Lennon wanted to buy Stan's home in Edinburgh.

Stan said: "John wrote saying he would have bought the house had he known it was for sale. Again, he was too late."

The book traces The Beatles' Scots links - including a short tour in January 1963 when they were virtually unknown.