A replica of the Stone of Scone near the traditional site of Scottish coronation on Moot Hill.
It was recently announced by Historic Environment Scotland that the Stone of Scone will return to England and be used in the upcoming coronation of King Charles III. But what is the Stone of Scone and why is there controversy around its use?
The Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, is a symbol of Scottish national identity and independence said to have been used as a coronation seat for Scottish kings as far back as the 9th century. Scottish folklore maintains that the fate of the nation is tied to the stone. This unassuming 335 lb. block of sandstone is inexorably intertwined with the history of English-Scottish relations, and its use in English coronations is seen by some as an echo of the bloody history of English conquest and Scottish oppression.
The stone was originally kept at the Abbey of Scone, near Perth, which was the traditional site of Scottish coronations. However, in 1296, the stone was taken by Edward I of England, nicknamed “The Hammer of the Scots,” as part of his campaign to subdue Scotland. Edward I saw the Stone of Scone as a symbol of Scottish sovereignty (as did the Scottish), and he ordered it to be taken to Westminster Abbey, where it was placed under the seat of the coronation chair. In this way, he was sending a clear message of domination and authority to the Scottish people. From that point on, the stone was used in the coronation ceremonies of English monarchs, with the exception of a brief period in the 14th century when it was taken back to Scotland by the nationalist hero William Wallace following the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, her cousin, who was the reigning King of Scotland, inherited the English throne, becoming James VI & I, and uniting both England and Scotland under a single monarch. Though all subsequent monarchs—including King Charles III—are descended from James, the Crown has been based in England ever since his accession. It was not until the 18th century that the countries were formally united under the Acts of Union.
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The Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey |
The English possession of the Stone of Scone was a source of tension between the two countries for centuries. The Scottish people saw the stone as a symbol of their nationhood, and many viewed its removal by the English as an act of theft. In 1950, a group of Scottish students managed to steal the stone from Westminster Abbey and spirit it away back to Scotland, but it was broken in the process. A senior Glasgow politician took possession of it and had it professionally repaired, but it remained hidden from British Government as a whole—who launched a widespread search for it—for over four months. Ultimately the stone was left on an altar in Arbroath Abbey and later returned to London.
In the years that followed, there were widespread calls for the stone to be returned to Scotland, and in 1996, the British government agreed to return the stone to Scotland on the condition that it would be used in future coronations. The stone was taken back to Scotland and is now kept in Edinburgh Castle, where it is displayed alongside the Scottish Crown Jewels. The upcoming coronation will be the first time since its return to Scotland that the Stone of Scone will be used in a coronation, and it comes at a time when there are increasing calls for Scottish independence. Perhaps we’ll see a repeat of the 1950s heist in the coming weeks.
