500 years of history wiped out in seconds as Scone Palace archway is demolished by van

• Scone Palace was first built in the 1600s near the site where the first kings of Scotland were crowned

But the 16th-century archway, the oldest surviving part of the palace, was reduced to rubble yesterday by a white van man after he crashed into it.

Officials at the historic palace said the iconic symbol - which was all that remained of the approach to the Augustinian Abbey which once stood on the palace lawns - was hit by a van being driven by contractors.

The driver was on his way to pick up a marquee used at an event over the weekend.

However, the contractor appeared to misjudge the height of the arch and smashed into it, causing the entire archway to collapse. One visitor said: "It is completely destroyed."

The archway stood proudly at the entrance of Scone Palace since the 16th century...

... only to be instantly reduced to rubble after a collision with a contractor's van

Suzanne Urquhart, chief executive at Mansfield Estates, which operates the castle, said they were "devastated".

She added: "We were notified of the accident shortly before 1pm and took immediate steps to make the area around the archway safe.

"We are currently taking advice from Historic Scotland and have arranged for conservation architects to examine what remains of the archway as soon as is practical, with a view to undertaking a reconstruction project in the longer term.

"Clearly we are devastated that such a priceless monument and important piece of Scottish history has been destroyed in this manner. However we are thankful that neither the driver nor any member of the public was injured."

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Craig McIntyre, 28, who was visiting the palace yesterday, said: "He must have hit it pretty hard is it is totally ruined. It's a real shame as it was a nice feature in the grounds but it is totally gone now."

The cost of the damage was still being assessed last night, although sources at the Mansfield Estate described the structure as "priceless" yesterday.

A police spokesman said they attended the scene. He said: "He struck a 500-year-old archway. No-one was injured."

Public access to the palace and grounds remains unaffected by the incident. The van driver had gone to the palace to collect a marquee that had hosted the annual Perth Hunt Ball in the grounds of Scone Palace.

The 80-a-head black-tie event is held every year to coincide with the September race meeting at Perth racecourse.

Scone Palace is one of the most important buildings in Scotland. A Category A listed building, the palace was first built in the 1600s. It was rebuilt in 1808 for the Earls of Mansfield by William Atkinson.Built of red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is a classic example of the late Georgian Gothic style.

In the Middle Ages the land was the site of a major Augustinian abbey, Scone Abbey, although nothing now remains above ground level.

However, the site's history dates back much further, as it was the crowning place of the Kings of the Scots on the Stone of Destiny down to Alexander III and was the Pictish capital.

For centuries the greatest treasure at Scone was the Stone of Scone upon which the early Kings of Scotland were crowned.

When Edward I of England carried off the Stone of Scone to Westminster Abbey in 1296, the Coronation Chair that still stands in the abbey was specially made to fit over it.

Robert the Bruce was crowned at Scone in 1306 and the last coronation was of Charles II, when he accepted the Scots crown in 1651.

The grounds were the birthplace of the Douglas-fir tree species, after being introduced by David Douglas.