The Stone of Destiny is the stone that Queen Elizabeth the Second of England and First of Scots was crowned upon. Well actually she sat on a chair with the stone in a little cubby hole beneath, but it was close enough. The history of this stone is a long one and there are many conspiracy theories as to whither or not it is the real stone.

The legend of the Stone of Destiny begins in Biblical Palestine. It is the stone that Jacob is said to have used as a pillow as he slept at Bethel, and dreamed of Angels ascending a ladder to heaven. This stone then made its way to Egypt, eventually coming into the possesion of the Pharaohs. One of the Pharoahs had a daughter, Scota, who travelled to the British Isles with the stone and founded the Scottish race (in Ireland). This stone became known as the Lia Fail in Gaelic and it was believed that to become King of the Scots one had to be crowned while sitting upon it. Also, where ever the stone went, the Scots would follow. Hence they took it with them to Modern Scotland when they moved. From then on, all Kings of the Scots were crowned sitting on this stone, which was kept at Scone, in Fife. Hence it is sometimes refered to as the Stone of Scone.

In 1296 Edward I of England invaded Scotland. To prove that Scotland was no more he took all the symbols of it as an independent nation south to London. This included the royal crown, the Seal of Scotland, the Holy Rood (Cross of St. Margaret, Queen to Malcolm Canmore who died in 1093), all the documents that could show that Scotland had ever existed as a seperate nation and the Stone of Destiny.

In 1603 James VI of Scots became James I of England and Ireland, after Elizabeth the I of England and Ireland died childless. Thus he moved to London to claim his throne and, incidently, to sit upon the Stone of Destiny, proving the old prophecy that the Scots would follow the Stone.

In 1950 a group of Scots students broke into Westminster Abbey in London and stole the stone. They took it on a merry little tour of Scotland, through peoples sheds and pub cellars before eventually leaving it in the ruins of Arbroath Abbey ¹ for the Police to find.

Finally, in 1996 the then Conservative Government returned the stone to Scotland and it is now kept in Edinburgh Castle. They had hoped to improve their standing in the following election but they actually lost all their seats in Scotland, which obviously says something.

There are a number of theories which claim that the stone now on display in Edinburgh Castle is not the original stone. These include claims that the students returned a fake stone and that the real stone was spirited away before Edward I of England could get it. I personally like the suggestion that, after the Treaty of Northampton in 1328, the English returned everything they took, except the stone, as the Scots had not asked for it back, presumably as it was a fake. This fake either being a stone from the walls of Scone, or perhaps even the cesspit lid! There are counter claims that it was not returned as there were riots at the thought in London!

There are also ancient Celtic tales which claim that the stone is one of four magical items, including a spear (also said to be the spear that pierced Christ's side), sword and cauldron (also said to be the Holy Grail), that the True King of Ireland would use to rule. All that can be truly said is that it is a lump of stone, it lies in Edinburgh and it is not that much of a vote winner