Before Camelot and the Round Table, there was Tintagel. This now-ruined island fortress, first built during the fifth and seventh centuries, is a castle of two halves. It straddles the north Cornwall mainland and “the island of Tyntagel” or headland, whose causeway disappeared between the 14th and 17th centuries. The fortress’s two parts are now connected by a spectacular new 70-metre long footbridge, high above the sea, that was opened by English Heritage in 2019.
Although there’s some evidence of Roman occupation, it was in about AD500 that Tintagel really prospered. A community grew up, trading tin with the Mediterranean world, and fragments of pottery and extensive ruins suggest that this was an intensive period of occupation. For some unexplained reason, activity seems to have suddenly died out and, for the next 500 years, the headland was abandoned to the elements.
Today, Tintagel Castle is managed by English Heritage. With winding paths, dramatic views and haunting ruins, it’s a must-see part of any Cornish trip – particularly for kids, who are sure to find themselves enraptured by the castle’s connection to England’s most enduring legendary figure – King Arthur.
Conceiving a king
That we think we know so much is down to the 12th-century historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, who wrote that this was the place King Arthur was conceived in the fifth century. The legend goes that the ancient British king Uther Pendragon fell in love with Ygerna, the wife of a baron, Gorlois of Cornwall. Sensing something was afoot, Gorlois removed his wife to Tintagel but then, rather imprudently, headed off to another fortress nearby, assuming that Tintagel’s remote location and fortifications would be enough to protect his wife and her honour. In his absence, Uther called on the magic of Merlin to transform himself into the likeness of Gorlois and seduced Ygerna who then conceived Arthur, and we all know the story from there.
Without a doubt, Geoffrey of Monmouth was inspired by Tintagel’s stunning position, but Cornish folklore and the fortress’s position as a stronghold for the region’s rulers, also played their part in giving this place legendary status. Whatever the origins, when Geoffrey of Monmouth linked Tintagel to King Arthur, it transformed the castle’s fortunes.
A legendary PR stunt
For one thing, it’s the reason that, in 1233, the younger brother of Henry III, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, swapped three large Cornish manors for this small parcel of virtually useless land on the Cornish coast. Apart from a land bridge that connected the island to the mainland, there was very little to recommend this inhospitable headland. But location is everything and, over the next eight years, Richard built a castle, consisting of an outer bailey on the clifftops of the mainland and a great hall and chambers on the headland. To further enhance Tintagel’s impressive credentials, Richard added a medieval walled garden, possibly in reference to the story of the adulterous affair between Tristan and Isolde, the wife of Tristan’s uncle, King Mark of Cornwall. While this story had separate origins, it’s become entwined in Arthurian legend too, with much of it taking place at Tintagel, the stronghold of King Mark.
Richard wasn’t just showing off about his home’s illustrious history for the sake of it, though; it’s likely that Tintagel’s association with King Arthur helped him keep the locals, who had a tendency to be independent, in check. He wasn’t even the only member of his family to employ such a tactic; his nephew Edward I later had a round table made at Winchester, seized the “Crown of Arthur” from Welsh princes and rebuilt what was allegedly the tomb of Arthur and Guinevere at Somerset’s Glastonbury Abbey.
Tintagel today
The Tintagel Castle of today allows visitors to immerse themselves in this legend of King Arthur. When the tide’s out, kids can enjoy the small sandy beach and explore the eerie Merlin’s Cave, where the magician was said to have worked his magic. Up above, on the rugged island, is the brooding bronze Gallos sculpture depicting a regal figure clutching a sword. Meaning “power” in Cornish, the artwork was inspired by the Arthurian legend.
The new footbridge makes it easy for visitors to brave the journey across to the headland but in case you still want a bit of a thrill, there’s a 4cm gap in the centre between two cantilevers where you can glimpse the crashing waves below.
You can often spot seals swimming in the water, coastal birds sheltering from the wind and see waterfalls cascading into the sea from the cliffs above. Tintagel is a truly magical place, whether you believe in the legend of King Arthur or not.
Visit Tintagel and soak up the atmosphere in this place steeped in myths and legends. When in Cornwall, you can also visit Pendennis and St Mawes castles, both of which have holiday cottages you can stay in.
