King's Table facts for kids
The King's Table was a special carved stone table in England. It was a big symbol of royal power. Kings and queens used this table for important events like coronation feasts and state banquets, starting in the 1200s.
What Was the King's Table?
The King's Table was made from a type of stone called Purbeck marble. This stone came from a place called Dorset in England. The table was very old, possibly made around the mid-1200s. Over hundreds of years, it was repaired many times to keep it in good shape.
A Table Through History
Many famous kings used the King's Table:
- King Edward I was the first king known to use it. He was the king who brought the famous Stone of Scone from Kingdom of Scotland to England.
- The table might have been made during the time of King Henry III.
- Henry VIII used the table for big parties after he married Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.
Broken and Found Again
The original King's Table was sadly broken into pieces by Oliver Cromwell. This happened after the English Civil War, a big conflict in England. The broken pieces were then buried under the Palace of Westminster.
Later, during the English Restoration, a new King's Table was made. The pieces of the old table were placed in the foundation of a raised platform, called a dais. This platform was built in Westminster Hall in the 1600s. King James II used this platform for his coronation banquet.
The first piece of the original table was found again in the 1960s. It was discovered under the floor of Westminster Hall. More pieces of the table were found by archaeologists in 2006.
See also
- King’s Bench
- Jewel Tower
