Glasgow pub claims to have stolen historical artefact

Even rockstar Frankie Miller and comedic legend Sir Billy Connolly have sat and enjoyed a pint in its comfort.

The Arlington may seem like any other Victorian-era pub in Glasgow at first glance, but it claims to be the home of a very treasured artefact dating back thousands of years.

The Stone of Destiny was used in the coronation ceremonies of Scottish kings for centuries, and it was regarded that the title was not official until the king had sat upon it.

Its home was Scone Palace in Perth until 1296 when Edward I of England took the stone as a spoil of war. He had helped the Scottish nobility choose John Balliol as king when the Scottish crown entered a succession crisis several years earlier and had declared himself ‘overlord’ of Scotland as a condition to helping them.

Edward brought the stone to Westminster Abbey, and it stayed there until only 73 years ago.

Four Glasgow students – Ian Hamilton, Kay Matheson, Gavin Vernon, and Alan Stuart – travelled down to London and stole the stone from the Abbey on Christmas Day 1950.

Gavin Vernon, Ian Hamilton and Alan Stuart (Image: Newsquest)

After managing to dodge the police, hide parts of the stone (it had broken in two during its removal) and make their way back across the Scotland border before authorities closed it, the group decided to bring it to the Arlington where they toasted its return.

The bizarre story then goes that, amid intense scrutiny and suspicion falling on them, the students handed the stone to the Scottish Covenant Association, who later decided that the point had been made and it was time for it to be returned.

It was left in Arbroath Abbey and the cops were tipped off on how to find it, and so it was moved back to Westminster in 1951. It would only be in 1996 that the subject of where the stone rightfully belonged was broached again, and it was moved to Edinburgh Castle. Apart from going to London for the coronation of Charles III in May, it has remained there since… or has it?

Stone of Destiny (Image: Newsquest)

After it was found and returned, rumours began to swirl that it was part of a further rouse and that a replica had been made to be deliberately left for the authorities.

It is believed that this was done when the students took the broken parts to a stonemason to be repaired – that as well as fixing the original, a copycat was created.

When pub bosses were refurbishing the Arlington in 2007, they found a large, heavy red sandstone block under a boxed seat – and they were convinced it was the real Stone of Destiny.

Joan Leroy, who managed the pub at the time, told the Evening Times: "It's been sitting under the bar seat for as long as I can remember. It wasn't wrapped in anything, but it's been there all this time and I didn't know what it was.

"It's pretty heavy and I would imagine it took quite a few people to lift it. Some people don't believe it's genuine, but we're sure it's the real deal."

The stone now sits pride of place in a display case within the wall, and to this day the pub maintains that they have the genuine article.

Do you think it is the real Stone of Destiny?