Scone

Kenneth McAlpin established the capital of the Scots and Picts at Scone in the ninth century when he brought the Stone of Destiny (Lia Fail) here. Moot Hill, in the grounds of the palace, was the crowning place of Scottish kings until 1651:

• 1249 - Alexander III was the first Scottish king to be crowned here.
• 1292 - John Balliol took the throne and was the last to be crowned on the Stone as it was removed by Edward I four years later.
• 1488 - James V was the last Scottish king to be crowned here.
• 1651 - Charles II was the last king to be crowned here - and the last in Scotland.
• 1715 - the Old Pretender came to Scone for his coronation, but that never took place.

In 1114 an Augustinian priory was founded beside Moot Hill and in 1169 this was elevated to the status of abbey. In 1559 this was burned down and about twenty years later rebuilt by the Ruthven family.

In 1624 the first church was built where the current chapel stands on Moot Hill. This was remodelled by William Atkinson, the architect who rebuilt the palace  in 1803.

In 1805 the village of Scone was relocated to the site of New Scone, two miles to the east of the old village, which is also known as Old Scone. The church itself was moved stone by stone. All that remains of the old village is the Mercat Cross and the graveyard.

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