The Wonderful Chair

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 24, 14 June 1911, Page 31

The Wonderful Chair

WHERE TWENTY-EIGHT BRITISH SOVEREIGNS HAVE BEEN CROWNED. Si. Edward's duiir. This famous chair was math* by order of King Edward 1. in 1290 from oak specially cut In Windsor forest, for lids purpose, and its primary object was to contain the Scottish "Stone °f Dc-iinv. "aiiim Ixinu I id brought back with him from Stone. The first English sovereign to be ciowmd in it was the 111-fated Edward 11. ami since that time, with but one exception, every British sovereign has sealed himself or lietself In it al the < oromilion th. exception is Hint of Mary 11, of sinister memory, who was crowned in Westminster Abbey in a chair sent to her by the I’ope. The "Stone of Destiny" that Is situated beneath the sent of the chair. Is. mcoi.itng to legem . ine mix one upon uhi< h .1; pillowed his head when he hud his wonderful vision. Geologists, however, have rather discredited this assertion by staling most definitely th** ‘*w stone Is undoubtedly of Scottish origin, and probably was orlginall) found in AigUeshiie i i \ .n..iic - coronet, t.'h The Coronation chairs In their usual testing place, the (’hapel of St. Edward the Confessor. The smaller chair on the rlgh. Msed by Hie Quern at the Coronation. and Is considerably more iimderii than the other, liaxliig been made f.i the Coronation of Queen Mary 11. Gi Tin* King's stone at Kingston, from which the town derives its miUiv. This stone Is the one on which all the early Saxon King - uete clowned