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Standing Stone / Menhir
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I like Kingston more and more and everytime I go I find more historic places. None as old at the Coronation Stone (lthough the nearby bridge dates from 1180 and is said to be the oldest bridge in Surrey), but still interesting, and a welcome relief from the shoppers. The coronation stone isn't necessarily of any significance pre-900 AD, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility that it was a local landmark or important stone before it was used to crown saxon kings (it would nice to think that kings wouldn't be crowned on any old thing). I deliberatly haven't used the phrase 'Kings of England' because although this era is hardly part of my historical expertise I'm not sure any kings could honestly be said to control 'England' as a whole at this time and I'm sure there is a plaque on Bath Abbey (I lived in Bath for 20 years) saying something about King Edgar being crowned the first 'King of England' there in the 10th Century; which may well be a controversial statement in itself anyway? The stone is greywether sandstone / sarsen....so I wonder if that has any significance?
PS - Historical note - the wonder of the internet tells me that Edgar became King of Mercia and Northumbria from 957 and King of Wessex from October 959 making him ruler of the three most important areas of Britain. Edgar was formally crowned in 973 in Bath Abbey.
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Posted by pure joy
23rd April 2003ce
Edited 23rd April 2003ce
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