The Stone of Destiny

For centuries, the kings and queens of Great Britain have been crowned whilst sitting upon the Stone of Destiny. The Stone was taken from Scone in Scotland by King Edward I of England in 1296 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. His desire to have the Stone was partly due to the tradition that the monarchs of Scotland had been crowned upon it since time immemorial. It was thus seen as the most potent symbol of the Scottish right to being a separate nation from England. The legend of the Stone of Destiny is that it was originally from a place called Bethel in Israel. Tradition claims that it was used by the patriarch Jacob as a pillow upon which he rested his head and received a vision from God, confirming Jacob and his offspring as the chosen ones of God's favour. How and why did this Stone, which is important to the Children of Israel, come to be associated with the Scottish and subsequently British Monarchy? It has been suggested that the Stone that Edward took was not the genuine king-making Stone of Scotland. Rumours persisted that the original was taken and hidden by the monks of Scone Abbey, and that what Edward took was nothing more than an unimportant block of sandstone. Could this be true, and if so, what happened to the real Stone? The Stone of Destiny has played a pivotal role in defining both Scottish and English national identities over the past seven centuries. Political sensitivities around the Stone continue in the present day. This book examines the various myths and legends to try to piece together a more complete and accurate history of the Stone, as well as its implications for the future.