Rocky reception for Brutus stone move

A property company's plan to move the historic London Stone has outraged heritage groups.

The limestone block, thought to be a former Roman milestone, was written about by Shakespeare and Dickens. The relic is also known as the Stone of Brutus after the founder of London; an old saying claims: "So long as the Stone of Brutus is safe, so long will London flourish."

But property firm Minerva wants to move the London Stone from its alcove in a wall of 111 Cannon Street to a site around the corner in the Walbrook building.

English Heritage and the Victorian Society strongly oppose the plan. Both groups have written to the City of London urging it to refuse Minerva's planning application.

In its letter, the Victorian Society says: "The motivation behind this appears simply to be to facilitate the redevelopment of 111 Cannon Street. This is unacceptable." Its conservation adviser Chris Costelloe said: "The Stone has become a symbol of the city for at least 900 years."

Minerva claims that the move would make it easier to view the stone since it is currently below ground level behind an iron grille.