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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Scone
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(pron. Scoon, 3km/2m N of Perth)
The most important site in Scottish royal history. The Stone of Scone, a rectangular slab of reddish-grey sandstone also known as the Stone of Destiny, is traditionally believed to have been the stone which Jacob took for a pillow (Genesis 28); the story continues that it was used as a coronation throne in Ireland in the 6C and so came with the *Scots to Scotland. It enters the realms of history with the probability that it was brought to Scone, a Pictish centre, by *Kenneth I in the 9C in a gesture uniting the Picts and Scots under his rule.
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It was used for Scottish coronations until seized in 1296 by *Edward I, who made it the centrepiece of the *Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey. On Christmas Eve 1950 it was taken from there as a Scottish nationalist gesture by four students from Glasgow university. It was returned in 1952, but in 1996 (an exact seven centuries after its first removal) it was finally restored to Scotland by John *Major.
There was an *Augustinian abbey at Scone from the 11C, but it was destroyed in the *Reformation. In its place is Scone Palace, a large castellated house of the *Gothic Revival, mainly dating from 1802–13 and designed by William Atkinson (c.1773–1839). It has fine interiors and contents.
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