Scone Palace is the crowning place of Scottish Kings. There is so much history connected with Scone Palace that one short visit is only the beginning. At Scone in 1249, Alexander III became the first Scottish King to be crowned, rather than merely enthroned. James I's great-grandson, James IV was crowned at Scone in 1488.
Stone of Destiny
With him the seat of power shifted to Edinburgh and the newly built Palace of Holyrood House. The famous Stone of Destiny is very much part of the story of scone. During its five centuries at Scone the Stone was only taken out to Mote Hill for enthronements. However in 1296 Edward I of England marched north and took what he believed to be the stone and removed it to Westminster in London.
There is remained for the next 700 years, mounted into a throne chair, on which all monarchs of England and Great Britain have since been crowned. There was a brief but sensational disappearance in 1950 when four Scottish students broke into the Westminster Abbey and took it back to Scotland!
It was soon discovered and taken back until 1996 when it was finally returned to Scotland and now remains in Edinburgh Castle.
