Our day at the scone Palace.
Our plan for the day was to get to Scotland in time to visit Scone Palace.
The ride up to Scotland was really foggy we left about 9 and the fog didn’t lift until about midday. During the ride we took a detour to the scenic route but as it was so foggy decided to get back on the motorway. However it was nice seeing the Forth Bridge surrounded by fog.
Arriving in Perth we headed to Scone Palace. It was one of the places we wanted to visit last time we were but as it was winter it was closed.
Scone Palace is the place where former Scottish kings were inaugurated and crowned on the Stone of Scone (stone of destiny). Outside a small family chapel sits a replica of the stone on what is known as moot hill. In days gone by the former kings required the lords to swear allegiance standing on their home soil. However it was a long way for the king to travel and probably not safe so the lords arrived with their boots filled with their home soil. Moot hill is said to have been formed from the soil from lords boots.
Scone Palace is owned by the Earl of Mansfield and his family. The Palace has beautiful carved pieces of ivory (all from before the days of it not being the done thing to kill elephants for their tusks), outstanding ceramics, fine furniture. There are pieces of French furniture given to the family by Marie Antoinette and bed hangings worked on by Mary Queen of Scots. The palace was designed with a religious theme and some rooms reflect that with gothic ceilings.
One of the rooms is lined with the finest blue and gold silk. These days it’s faded but a sample of the original gives an impression of what it would have looked like,.
One of the former inhabitants was Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay to an African slave. She was raised by her great Uncle Lord Mansfield and his wife. There was a story of her life which is the subject of a current movie and her fight against slavery. There were other slavery stories that the Mansfields were involved in.
Elsewhere in the house were pictures of the Mansfields, doing normal things. Just average joes who live in a flash house.
The stone of destiny
In the last room stood the Scottish Throne which held the stone of destiny. It looked a little worst for wear from where school boys had carved their initials in it when it sat in England.
After the palace we wandered around the grounds checking out the Douglas fir, brought back from Canada by David Douglas along with many other species of trees and plants.
We wandered through the old cemetery and market cross but found no trace of the former abbey which was destroyed during the reformation.
After finding our accommodation we popped into The Wheel Inn and Ron enjoyed a three course meal of mussels in a whiskey cream sauce, haggis neaps and Tatties in a wicked pepper sauce and local Icecream for only £12. It was a great meal, with friendly staff in a nice venue.
Tomorrow we will check out Drummond Castle Gardens one of the things on Michele’s very long to do list.
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