PERTH’S plan to bring the Stone of Destiny from Edinburgh to the city has taken a step forward with the formal lodging of a request for the Stone to be transferred.
Historic Environment Scotland, the Scottish Government, and the Royal Household are all expected to give a judgment on the request by Perth, which is hoping that the move will help it capture the 2021 City of Culture title.
The Stone would be the centrepiece of a £30 million City Hall development.
The Stone of Destiny has been the property of the Crown ever since the Stone – or possibly a substitute? – was stolen from its original location at Scone near Perth by King Edward I of England in 1296 after the Battle of Falkirk.
Prior to that, the Stone was used in the coronation ceremonies of ancient Scottish kings, having been brought to Scone by Fergus mac Erc, generally recognised as the first King of Scots in the late sixth century.
Edward Longshanks had the Stone placed under the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey and it stayed there for almost seven centuries until it was famously “repatriated” by Scottish nationalist students in 1950.
Mysteriously found in Arbroath Abbey some months later, the Stone was eventually brought back to Scotland and placed in Edinburgh Castle in 1996. A replica coronation chair and stone is now displayed in the Duke of Lennox’s Room at Scone Palace.
It is anticipated that the Stone will only return to London when it is needed for future coronations.
Fiona Robertson, bid leader for Perth 2021, said: “It is such an intrinsic part of the story.“It’s probably one of the most iconic objects in Scottish history, and it was quarried in Perthshire.
“It belongs to the Crown. We have submitted a formal bid and we have already looked at the logistics of it, and I cannot say more than that.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here