A stroll in the grounds of Scone Palace

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Scone Palace
Scone Palace

We had a couple of weekends in Perth in 2016. Both times we visited Scone Palace (and however you pronounce the thing that you eat, this Scone is definitely Scoon). The first visit was in so-called flaming June when it poured. We toured the house (no photography) and had a quick look at the Chapel on Moot Hill, crowning place of the Kings of Scots and home to the Stone of Scone aka the Stone of Destiny, before taking refuge back in the car.

Scone Palace
Peacock
Chapel carving
Chapel and Stone of Scone
Chapel

As we knew there was far more than this to the grounds, we were determined to go back for a proper stroll. Fortunately, our visit in December, although very cold, was dry and we enjoyed a couple of hours there.

We started again at the palace, where we were intrigued by the white peacock which I thought might have been an albino. However, according to Wikipedia, although albino peafowl do exist, they are quite rare and almost all white peafowl have a different condition called leucism. An albino peacock will have red or pink eyes whereas one with leucism will have normal eye-colour – which I think you can clearly see here (if you click to enlarge the photo).

Scone Palace
Peacock
White peacock
White peacock

We followed the path round Moot Hill to the site of an old tomb and then the David Douglas Pavilion at the edge of the Pinetum. David Douglas was born in Scone in 1799 and worked as a gardener at the palace for seven years. He went on to become an explorer and a great plant hunter.

Tomb
David Douglas Pavilion

The highlight of the grounds for me was the Murray Star Maze with its copper beech hedges and water nymph in the centre. The pattern is designed to resemble the owner’s family tartan, Ancient Murray of Tullibardine, and is in the shape of a five-pointed star which is part of the family’s emblem. The shortest way to its centre is only about 30 metres although there are over 800 metres of paths altogether. We walked something in between those distances!

Murray Star Maze
Murray Star Maze
Murray Star Maze

The village of Scone once stood within the grounds of the Palace. However, when the medieval house was rebuilt in 1803 and the new Palace grounds were landscaped in 1805 the entire village was relocated two miles away and became known as ‘New Scone’. Aren’t aristocrats lovely?

Ancient Burial Ground of Scone
Ancient Burial Ground of Scone

There are still many reminders of old Scone around the grounds. The Ancient Burial Ground of Scone, above, is one. The Mercat Cross and 16th century archway which was the grand entrance to the ‘City of Scone’, below, are others. Some of the stonework has been nicely restored here.

Mercat Cross
Archway to old Scone
Archway to old Scone
Archway to old Scone
Archway to old Scone
Archway to old Scone

Finally we paid our respects to the Highland Cattle, one of which had rather an alarming glint in its eye. Fortunately, they were safely behind a robust fence.

Highland Cattle
Highland Cattle

I hope you’ve enjoyed your stroll round Scone Place’s grounds. I’m linking it to Jo’s Monday Walks which this week has gorgeous blue Portuguese skies to cheer you up.

Scotland, UK ,

84 Comments »

  2. What a lovely post you have here….and stunning photographs too. Thank you for sharing with me a place I will never be able to afford to visit in person. I love to see places all over the world and with descriptions and photographs such as these I feel like I was there with you. =)

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  4. Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : Lagoão Trail | restlessjo

  6. Thank you for sharing all these beautiful places. The stonework is amazing, and the Copper beech maze looks beautiful – love this tree. White peacock is gorgeous, and I would probably spend another hour walking behind him 🙂

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  7. I would love to explore that beautiful Murray Star Maze and see it from above as well. I am not familiar with Copper Beech Hedges nor have I ever seen a white peacock, but they are both quite lovely. Amazing that they moved the village of Old Scone to New Scone during the 1800s refit!

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  11. What a clever idea to create the maze in a plant that gives such beautiful colour. I love mazes and this one is quite special. A friend of ours, who comes from Drymen, has the surname Douglas. I wonder if David is an ancestor. He knows he is descended from the Black Douglas, which is quite interesting I think.

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  13. It is years and years (40 possibly!) since I visited Scone, and the main thing I remember is the peacocks! I don’t think I had seen peacocks ‘in the flesh’ before. So never mind all the history associated with the place, it was all about the birds wandering in the grounds for me!

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  14. Oh the copper beech is a delight! And now I am going to have to check my photos of a white peafowl to see if it is one of the rare ones or not. We didn’t have time to visit Scone so thank you for the tour. I do have some interesting Scottish headstones to share once I get up to that part of my trip! Taking a loooong time to write all these places up!

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  15. I’ve just discovered I was only following you as Linley so no wonder I’m miles behind – the perils of having multiple personality disorder online! Another day out to add to my list now I’m based in Glasgow – thanks!

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  17. Are the hedges in the maze always that color? When I first saw the photo, I assumed the leaves were just dead for the winter, but then you said the name was “copper beech.” Also, that last fellow was definitely giving you the eye…good thing there was a fence!

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    • I had to go back to a picture I took of the sign at the entrance to check I had said the right thing there! Apparently the hedge is a mixture of normal and copper beech so I wasn’t quite right. This is autumnal for all of them. The copper beech is more purply earlier in the year apparently. I’m no botanist!

      Yeah, definitely giving us the evil eye that one was.

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  18. Hi Anabel – lovely photos and descriptions … what incredible stone carvings – and I bet there’s lots more to see and learn about … yes probably on my bucket list! Cheers and thanks for the tour … Hilary

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  29. I love Highland cattle – but definitely when they are behind a fence! I remember coming here when our son was small. We had a great day out, he was fascinated with the Stone of Scone (and how it was pronounced!). Lovely to revisit in your post Anabel.

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  30. What a beautiful walk! That maze is so lovely dressed in its coppery leaves. I’ve seen white peacocks before and assumed that they were either albino or from a different pea-family. I hope leucism isn’t harmful to the bird. Do you know if they breed together?

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  31. I’ve been driving by very close to the entrance gates dozens of times over the years but always with friends who were single minded and into hill-walking with no interest in palaces, stately homes or extensive grounds. Nice to see some photos of the place as I do like a wide range of other stuff if I get a chance.

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  32. I have seen white peacocks but didn’t know they were rare. I love this walk you took because of the beautiful archways and the old cemetery. The one with the angel/cupid on it and something else (I can’t figure out) looks like it would mean something??

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  34. Lovely place and I am always fascinated by the pronunciation of words in English which have no relation to the spelling…so many exceptions. It makes English a language that is easy to learn but difficult to master…(Suzanne)

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