Earlier Houses: The current house was built on the ruins of an abbey and a bishop's palace, both of which were destroyed during the Reformation.

House & Family History: At Scone Kenneth MacAlpine unified Scotland; it was here, in the year 838, that MacAlpine laid the Stone of Scone on Moot Hill, after which it became the crowning place of Scotland's monarchs. Scottish kings crowned at Scone include Macbeth and Robert the Bruce. The Scone Estate was home to the Stone of Destiny until it was seized by King Edward I of England in 1296 and taken to Westminster Abbey, where it remained, as part of the English throne, until 1996, when it was restored to the people of Scotland when the British government moved the stone to Edinburgh Castle. Scone Palace has been the seat of the Murray family, earls of Mansfield, since 1600.

Collections: Scone Palace contains one of Scotland's greatest porcelain collections, but probably the piece in the collection that causes the most interest is the 1779 portrait of Lady Elizabeth Murray and Dido Elizabeth Murray that hangs in the Ambassador's Room (it hung at Kenwood House, the Mansfields's London home, until the early 20th century). Attributed to Johann Zoffany, the portrait was one of the first European portraits to portray a black subject on an equal eye-line with a white aristocrat. Dido Elizabeth Belle was a girl of mixed race; her mother was a black African named Maria Belle and her father was Rear Admiral Sir John Lindsay, nephew of the 1st Earl of Mansfield. Interest in Dido Elizabeth was brought to new heights after the release of the historical fiction Hollywood motion picture "Belle" in 2013. On May 24, 2007 selected contents from Scone were sold in London by Christie's.

Garden & Outbuildings: Highland cattle still graze in the park at Scone and the Pinetum is home to David Douglas's original fir tree. William Atkinson designed the stables in 1810 (he may also have designed the mausoleum).

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: 1st ser., V, 1822. Vol. VI, 1823. Scotland, 1830.

Country Life: John Cornforth, Aug 18, 1988.

House Listed: Category A

Park Listed: Listed as a Garden & Designed Landscape

Current Seat / Home of: Alexander David Mungo Murray, 9th Earl of Mansfield; Murray family here since 1600.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01738-552-300

Fax: 01738-552-588

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.scone-palace.co.uk/

Historic Houses Member: Yes