Coronation Stone, Kingston upon Thames

The Coronation Stone is an ancient sarsen stone block which is believed to have been the site of the coronation of seven Anglo-Saxon kings. It is currently located next to the Guildhall in Kingston upon Thames, England. Kingston is now a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames in Greater London.

Toponymy

In Old English, tun, ton or don meant farmstead or settlement, so the name Kingston appears to mean farmstead of the kings. A local legend that these Saxon coronations gave Kingston its name is contradicted by the records of the 838 council.^[1]

History

Æthelstan was consecrated king at Kingston in 925, Eadred in 946 and Æthelred the Unready in 979. There is also some evidence that Edward the Elder, Edmund I, Eadwig and Edward the Martyr were consecrated in the town.^[2]

According to John Stow, writing in the late sixteenth century, Æthelstan was crowned on a stage in the market place, but it was later believed that the kings were crowned in the ancient church of St Mary, which collapsed in 1730. A large stone block was recovered soon afterwards from the ruins of the chapel, and it has since been regarded as the "Coronation Stone" of the Kings of the English. It was used for a time in the late 18th century to the early 19th century as a mounting block, but in 1850 it was placed in the market place on a plinth in front of the old Town Hall (on the site now occupied by the 'Market House' today).^[3] which had the names of the seven kings believed to have been crowned on it inscribed around the side.^[2]

Future plans

In 2017, Kingston Council was considering an option of re-siting the coronation stone from the Guildhall's frontage back to its original location within the churchyard of Kingston's old parish church, All Saints' Church.^[4]

Notes

^ Dickens, Charles Jr. (1994) [1879, 1887]. Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames (facsimile ed.). Devon: Old House Books. ISBN 1-873590-12-1.
^ ^a ^b Keynes, Simon (2001). "Kingston-upon-Thames". In Michael Lapidge; John Blair; Simon Keynes; Donald Scragg (eds.). The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 978-0-6312-2492-1.
^ Historic England. "Coronation Stone (1080066)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
^ "Where England Began". All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames. Retrieved 18 January 2017.

External links

Media related to Coronation Stone at Wikimedia Commons

51°24′30″N 0°18′24″W / 51.4084°N 0.3068°W / 51.4084; -0.3068

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[1] Dickens, Charles Jr. (1994) [1879, 1887]. Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames (facsimile ed.). Devon: Old House Books. ISBN 1-873590-12-1.

[blackwell-2] Keynes, Simon (2001). "Kingston-upon-Thames". In Michael Lapidge; John Blair; Simon Keynes; Donald Scragg (eds.). The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 978-0-6312-2492-1.

[3] Historic England. "Coronation Stone (1080066)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 August 2020.

[4] "Where England Began". All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames. Retrieved 18 January 2017.

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v t e Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Districts	Berrylands Chessington Coombe Hook Kingston upon Thames Kingston Vale Malden Rushett Motspur Park (part) New Malden Norbiton Old Malden Seething Wells Surbiton Tolworth Worcester Park (part)
Attractions	Bentalls Chessington World of Adventures Coronation Stone Dorich House Kingston Museum Kingston upon Thames Guildhall Out of Order sculpture Picton House Rose Theatre Kingston Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston University The Queen's Promenade, River Thames
Bridges and tunnels	Clattern Bridge Kingston Bridge Kingston Railway Bridge
Parks and open spaces	Bonesgate Open Space Canbury Gardens Castle Hill Coombe Hill Wood Edith Gardens Elmbridge Open Space Ham Lands Hogsmill River Park Jubilee Wood Latchmere Recreation Ground Raeburn Open Space Rose Walk Southwood Open Space St Andrew's Square Tolworth Court Farm Fields The Wood
Constituencies	Kingston and Surbiton Richmond Park
Rail stations	Berrylands Chessington North Chessington South Kingston Malden Manor New Malden Norbiton Surbiton Tolworth Worcester Park
Places of worship	All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames St Agatha's Roman Catholic Church, Kingston upon Thames St John's Church, Kingston upon Thames St Luke's Church, Kingston upon Thames St Andrew's Church, Surbiton St Mark's Church, Surbiton St Raphael's Church, Surbiton
Sport	Chessington & Hook United F.C. Corinthian-Casuals F.C. Kingstonian F.C. Kingston Regatta Kingston Rowing Club Surbiton Hockey Club
Other topics	Council Grade I and II* listed buildings People Public art Schools
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