SCOTTISH CASTLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10236, 19 August 1911, Page 1

SCOTTISH CASTLES.

No. X. SCONE PALACS. (".Weekly Scotsman.") The old Palace of Scone, pleasantly situated on the banks of the Tay, in the vioinity of the City of Perth, was the Royal dwelling of Scottish Kings in thoso far-off days, hidden in tho mists of antiquity, when the Palaces of Holyrood, Linlithgow and Falkland wero non est. Each of theso historic buildings had its outstanding feature. Falkland, surrounded by its far-famed woods, was the favourite hunting soat. Tho hospitable halls of Linlithgow" witnessed those social functions which wore entered into by King and Court with the jovial spirit of the time. Statecraft and political intrigue permeated the annuls of Holyrood; while the ancient and Royal house on the Tay will for ever bo associated with the mysterious Stone of Destiny—tlfe Coronation seat of rulers whose very names are lost to historical research. THE STONE OF DESTINY. In niedicoval times each monarch was placed upon it to rise with the Scottish Diadem upon his brow and begin his reign, whether for weal or for woe; and in our own day it is still the ta'isman inseparably connected with the enthronement of the Sovereigns who hold sway over the mightiest Empiro of this or of any other ago. The chroniclers of different epochs have been somewhat conflicting in tiK-ir respective accounts concerning the origin of this prehistoric relic, and it has even been stoutly upheld by enthusiasts among them as the veritable pillow upon which the patriarch Jacob rested his head at Luz, in the land of Canaan. Authorities on the subject generally agree in tracing its origin to Egypt. Scota, daughter of Pharoah, and a contemporary of the great Lawgiver of Israel, for political reasons, fled with her husband to Spain, and took with her this precious stone, for Moses had prophesied that whoever kept it in his possession would add wide territories to his sway.

Through course of timo a descendant of Pharoak's daughter, Simon Brek by namo, hearing of the Green Isle in tho wost, sailed thither with a great host, and, conquering the country, set up his seat of government at Tara, and there, seated on the sacra seders., was proclaimed King of Ireland. With the roll of years, the Scots, as they now came to be called, crossed oyer to Argylo, led on by another warrior desoendant of Scotia,, Lorn by name. He carried along with him the Stone of Destiny, and, settling in the new country, became First Lord of the Isles.

BROUGHT TO BOONS. Even in those far-off days the stone bad become an object of veneration, and Fergus 1., a descendant of Lorn, had it conveyed to Dnnstaifnage, where it rested down to the year 831. The invaders did not maintain their ground vrithout a struggle., but that great general and leader, Kenneth M'Alpine, completely routed the Picts, as the inhabitants of Caledonia were called. Scone lay midway between the territory of the opposing forces, and to this place he brought from Dunstaffnago the far-famed Stono of Destiny, and hero it was used, for the first time in the new capital for the anointing and crowning of Kenneth. M'Alpine first King of Scotland. From the era of Kenneth a long line of Scottish kings received the sceptre of monarchy at Scono, but of the annals of those distant reigns no record has been left, aud when wo wish to elucidate any of the customs that obtained under thoir rule., the historical pathway is far from clear. Alexander 111. was the last Scottish King to be crowned at Scone upon the Stono of Destiny, and then Scotland's fortunes were clouded for a time. The powerful enemy over the Border now began to bend a covetous eye on the land north of the Tweed, and when Baliol filled the Scottish throne the armies of Edward I. overran the country, and at the town of Montrose Baliol swore fealty to the English monarch. But this was not enough. Edward was well versed in tho history of the weird relic at Soonej and in order to deprive the Soots of every emblem of nationality he had it, along with otlier treasures, earned to Westminster. This year, 1296, was a humiliating period for the North. The cloud did not, however, hover long over the intrepid Soots, but Scone never saw the venerated stone again. By tho Treaty of Northampton it was ordered to be restored, but back it never caino, and it no longer graced the crowning ceremonies at the ancient capital of Kenneth M'Alpine. A SCENE OF CORONATIONS. Scone still continued to be tho scene of Scottish coronations down to the enthronement of James 111., and, after a long interval, Charles If. was ceremoniously anointed there.

Chroniclers of okl assort that the Stono of Scon© was originally shaped after tho manner of a oliair, and, if this bo so, then farewell to the legend that it served a3 a pillow for tho patriarch's head. Tt is not even quite clear from tho descriptions handed down through the ages that tho Kings sat upon the Stone itself, or that it was iittod into a chair after the same manner that King 13d ward disposed, of it when it was removed to Westminster Abbey. There is still extant a mcdiieval print in which the Stone is depicted after tho same fashion as can bo seen to-day at AYestminster. It is quite probable that in the Middle Ages a chair may have been built over it, but there is no doubt whatever that the Htone of Destiny itself, without any additional support, served as a Coronation Chair for the early princes.

There were sore hearts in Scotland when tho country was bereft of its venerated national heirloom, but the rancour thus engendered has long ago been forgotten, for in its place where now it rests it is silently fulfilling the ancient pr ophe ey:— Unless the fates are falsa, the Scots will reign Where'er tho fatal Stone they find ttg-ain. AT WESTMINSTER. Tn that glorious fane, standing in the midst of the British capital, the Stone of Destiny has for 700 years found a resting-place, and is enshrined among the sacred possessions of the British Jianpire. And whether it be Jacob's pillow or not, tho great fact still remains that the realm which lias attached so much importance to its functions at tho Coronations of its Sovereigns has received an abounding reversion of Jacob's blessing. The palace, in its construction as a separate building yet thirled to tin. Abbey, served, as a pattern to Holyrood in after years, the r.cuuicn of the monks on the banks of tho Tay being all-powerful in swaying the destinies oi

the State, just as they were in later j'ears at Holyrood, when Edinburgh was tho capital. History has not been enriched with any records of the Palaco proper, or details of its occupancy, beyond what is handed down by the voico of tradition. Statistics, however, prove that is was surrounded by a prosperous populace. Tho Kings openly encouraged trado with London, and merchants from the English Metropolis had special protection afforded them in return for payment of a nominal yearly fee for the upkeep of the Abbey. In fact, down to Reformation period, good feeling and social intercourse between Palaco and cottage prevailed in old Scone. A BLACK YEAR. The year 1559, however, was a black one both for the Palace and the Abbey. The Reformation outrages were in the air, and Tor a time tho mob was set above the Throne. During the time that tho spirit of enmity existing between priests and peoplo was at its worst, a band of young anon from Perth and Dundee visited tho precincts of tho Church property, and an angry altercation arose with some of the Abbey, servitors. Tho result was that one of these officials drew his sword and ran a Dundonian through the This was onough to light the torch. Negotiations were at once entered into between the two burghs to form an expedition of retaliation. A great mob revisited the scene cf tho disturbance, and soon the historical buildings, Palace and Abbey, were in flames and completely destroyed. Tho Earl of Gown's was Ccmmandator of the Palaco in Reformation times, and under his auspices the Palace was rebuilt. The estates of this nobleman, through course of time, became forfeit to the Crown, and King James VI. bestowed tho Palace and lands upon the Murravs of Tullihardino, who completed, the rebuilding of the Palace and erected the old gateway. During the rising of 1715 the Chevalier of that day kept regal state in the Royal buildings, and was waited upon and treated in every respect as if he were sovereign lord and King. A VISIT FROM PRINCE CHARLIE. In 1745 Prince Charles Edward visited the halls of his forefathers at Scone, and was in residence for a while. He had yet, however, to win his spurs and win a kingdom too, consequently his stay was not prolonged. lu the year 1803 the Mansfield family had the old Paiaco demolished because " the rooms were wee." A brand new structure was then erected in place of this precious heirloom of the Scottish .nation, thus destroying all those hallowed associations connected with the stirring events that had caused the once Royal city of Scone to be writ so largo in tho annals of Scotland. The only vestige remaining of the ancient edifice is a portion of the foundation walls, and these havo been built into the new Palace erected as stated in 1803 by Sir David Murray. It is gratifying to know that some of the old furniture and furnishings have been preserved and are still to bo seen in the rooms of the new Palaco. A bed, embroidered by Mary Queen of Scots, adorns one of the apartments. In another the appointments of the bedroom occupied by James VI. are still kept intact and there are many other relics of rulers who held sway when the Christian era was young.

lii the grounds—which slope gently to the river—there grows a sycamore tree planted by Queen Mary and an oak and a sycamore stand near planted by her son, King James VI. 11l the vicinity, too, is the famous Boot Hill or Moot Hill where it is said the Scottish Barons placed the soil they Drought with them to the Coronations. At these ceremonies each Noble strJGd as it were on his own ground and when the crowning day was over the Boot Hill received the earth that was taken from all parts of the country. There is, however, no confirmation of this tradition, and it is now generally accepted that this knoll was the meeting place of the Parliaments that took place sometimes in the open air to determine the affairs of State. The same principal is adopted to this day in the Isle of Man. THE NEW PALACE.

The new Palace is of Gothic architecture, and, within and without is of spacious dimensions. It contains priceless pictures and all that remains to Scotland of the contents of the mora ancient building. In 1842 Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort paid it a visit, and her happy recollections of the event are narrated in her book "Leaves From the Journal of our Life in the Highlands." However fair and beautiful the modern Palace may be, and it undoubtedly is, on the day that Scotland permitted her most ancient Royal abode to be torn down she forgot her old traditions, for everything pertaining to the Scotland of bygone years is venerated not only by the true-hearted Sect at home, but by those who now find their home hi the colonies and in the States. The prehistoric Stone of Destiny no longer rests beside tho altar of the eld Abbey on the Tay. It is, however, in its appropriate place within that world-famed Abbey on the banks of the Thames, and soon again, as in the days of yore, wili it become the regal seat fit tho Coronation- of another monarch m these isles, and, as was their went a thousand years a<ro, the people will throng around it to cry out as with one voice, " God Save tho King.'