Chookie

The lump of Perthshire sandstone which, for centuries, has been referred to as the Stone of Destiny, the Stone of Scone or the Coronation Stone is a fake. The physical descriptions of the two stones are so different as to make it clear that this is so.

The true Stone of destiny has been described by contemporary writers as being variously - “shaped as a chair”, “a shining stone”, as being “of black marble” and as having carvings upon it. It is described by one writer as being 17 inches (43cm) high, 18 inches (46cm) deep, 32 inches wide (81cm) and made of shining stone. Most contemporary reports refer to it a marble which is from the Greek “Marmoris” which was a generic name for shining stone.

A contemporary account by a Walter Hemingford, a canon of Guisborough Priory in Yorkshire says “Apud Monasterium de Scone positus eat lapis pergrandis in ecclesia Dei, juxta manum altare, concavus quidam ad modum rotundae catherdeaie confectus, in quo future reges loco quasi coronatis.”

Or, “In the monastery of Scone, in the church of God, near to the high altar, is kept a large stone, hollowed out as a round chair, on which their kings were placed for their ordination, according to custom,”

The stone which was under the “British” throne is described by the Royal Commission On Historical Monuments, London as “A quarry dressed block of coarse grained old red sandstone measuring 26½ inches (67cm) by16½ inches (42cm) by 11 inches (28cm) thick. On it is a roughly incised cross, and an oblong indentation. It is fitted at the ends with iron staples, carrying rings which are so attached that a pole can easily be passed through them to facilitate carrying it. These cuttings are probably of the time of Edward 1.”
Given that these descriptions are so different, is it not at least possible that the stone which was removed from Scone Abbey in 1296 CE was a fake?

It is certainly not the case that the arrival of the English soldiers at Scone was a surprise to the monks. The soldiers of the English invasion force had spent months burning, raping, pillaging and stealing before they arrived at Scone and word of their coming went ahead of them. It is surely not outwith the bounds of possibility that the monks prepared a false stone for the English to steal.

Although John Balliol was the last King of Scots recorded as being enthroned on the Stone of Destiny, and Longshanks (Edward I of England) attended the ceremony, he could not have seen the actual stone as this was, according to record, covered in rich cloths.

There is a belief prevalent in Scotland that the Stone of Destiny never left Scotland. But if this is the case, where is it and, more importantly, does it matter? Personally, I believe that it never left Scotland. Thus, it was not stolen in 1296, it was not liberated on Christmas Eve 1951, the stone which was brought back to Scotland at that time was, indeed copied (more than once), one of those copies may or may not have been “returned” to the British government. That stone may have been “returned” to Scotland on St. Andrews Day 1996.

Strangely, when it was "returned", the vast majority of Scots were seriously underwhelmed...

Also strangely, the Scots never, at any time, demanded the return of the Stone stolen from Scone Abbey (supposedly their holiest relic)......

Toltec

These underwhelmed sweaties, certainly didn't let the fakeness of the stone in London make then miss the oppertunity for 800 years of whinging.

Ankrom

Yes.

Pablo

The theory of a fake Stone of Scone sounds like the basis for a fine historical fantasy. Has anybody written such a story?

Ross 2010

Whoever said this is correct: The Stone of Destiny is not the one that currently resides in Edinburgh Castle. The true Stone was stolen in 1950. A friend of Kay Matheson has said to me that the true Stone was never returned. So where is it?

Toltec

The Grey's took it with the help of the Bavarian Illuminati.

Fluffybunny

Sounds like the next Dan Brown novel.

Black Dog

Fantasy and funny book writer Terry Pratchet has already done "the scone of stone", in which the scone is said to be centuries old, and is plainly a fake, remade many times.

PADDYBOY

It would amuse me if it turned out to be a cess-pit cover as claimed by some.

Belisarius

fnord