By Dave Lord

SCOTLAND’S MOST famous conspiracy theory took another twist at the weekend as a photographer told The Courier how he was called out in the middle of the night to take snaps of the “real” Stone of Destiny.

The photographer also revealed details of a nationalist plot to keep the famous artefact and symbol of independence hidden from the English.

Most people believe the stone is safely housed in Edinburgh Castle but a significant number of Scots insist the one on public display in the capital is a fake.

It is claimed the real stone is hidden in a secret location in Highland Perthshire—less than 50 miles from its original home in Scone.

A Perthshire photographer took a picture in 1996 of what he insists is the authentic Stone of Destiny.

At the same time the ancient coronation stone was purportedly being transferred from London to Edinburgh Castle following devolution.

He claims to have been called out “in the dead of night” to take the picture as the stone was moved from one secret location to another.

“The story is utterly fantastic but I completely and utterly trust the source of the information,” the photographer said.

“If anybody else had called me in the dead of night I might have had a few choice words for them but I felt I just had to listen.

“I was told that I was urgently required to document the moving of the stone from one secret location to another—apparently it was being moved to keep it safe.”

The photographer tentatively made his way to the specified location and found a small band of nationalists moving the huge stone under cover of darkness.

“It was quite a sight and really awe-inspiring,” he said.

“Of course everyone has heard tales about the stone being swapped, but I was assured this was the real one.

“Apparently it has been housed in Perthshire for decades and is moved periodically.”

The photographer said generations of Scots have been charged with keeping the real stone safe.

“The exact whereabouts of the stone cannot be revealed but are passed down from father to son,” he said.

“Being out there in the middle of the night was pretty dramatic and these people are certainly convinced the stone they have is the real thing.

“I guess it is pretty hard to prove but they are adamant the stone was swapped.

“They claim they were charged with securing its future and would do anything to keep it safe.”

The photographer spoke about the experience for the first time amid hopes the the new nationalist government might encourage the stone’s keepers to reveal its location—and possibly even return it to its “rightful” home in Scone.

Meanwhile, the mysterious group calling themselves the Knights Templar appear to back up the photographer’s peculiar tale, insisting the stone is indeed hidden “in the Aberfeldy area.”

They claim it is the one famously stolen from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1950, saying the stone returned south a year later was a fake.

This means, they say, the stone given back to Scotland after devolution in 1996 is “irrelevant” and the “real” artefact will not be seen in public until Scotland is an independent country.

They have maintained they would like it to be placed under the speaker’s chair when an independent Scottish parliament convenes for the first time.

Apparently only seven people know the whereabouts of the “real” stone.

When contacted by The Courier a Scottish Executive spokeswoman insisted the real stone remains on display in the capital.

“Although, for whatever purpose or end, there will always be those who will dispute the authenticity of the stone now on display at Edinburgh Castle, those who have had the opportunity to examine it in detail all concur that there can be little or no doubt that it is of great antiquity and that it is the same Stone of Destiny removed to Westminster Abbey by Edward I in 1296,” she said.

Around 10,000 people lined the Royal Mile to watch the procession of dignitaries and troops escort what most people believed to be the Stone of Destiny from Holyrood to the castle on its return from England in 1996.

However, as far as a group of fervent nationalists and at least one photographer are concerned, they were wasting their time—as the symbol of independence never left its homeland.