PUBLIC views are being sought on whether the Stone of Destiny should be housed at a new museum in Perth.
The ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy is currently at Edinburgh Castle, but there have been calls to return it to Perthshire, where it originally stood in the now-ruined Scone Abbey.
It is proposed the stone would become the centrepiece of a new £23 million museum at the former Perth City Hall, which is expected to open in 2022.
The Scottish Government has now launched an exercise to gauge public opinion on where the stone should be located. A request by Perth and Kinross Council is meanwhile considered by the Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia.
Under the terms of their Royal Warrant, it falls to the commissioners to consider and advise upon all matters relating to the stone, although the final decision on any move to relocate it will lie with the Queen, acting on the advice of the commissioners. Deputy First Minister and Perthshire North MSP John Swinney said he was delighted a “significant step” had been taken towards returning the stone to the area.
“The Stone of Destiny is widely regarded to have been quarried from Perthshire stone and was used for the coronation of the Kings of Scotland at Scone for many years,” he said. “It is therefore highly appropriate that the stone should return to Perthshire.”
Swinney added: “The arguments for returning the Stone to Perthshire are not just historical but also logistical. Perth is within 90 minutes’ travel time for over 70% of Scotland’s population and is therefore ideally located to capitalise on the desire of both Scots and tourists to visit the stone.
“When the stone was proposed to be moved from Westminster to Edinburgh Castle in 1996, I campaigned for its return
to Perthshire.
“I am therefore delighted that a significant step has been taken towards achieving this goal, and I am sure that the entire region will get behind this campaign.”
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