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 Tintagel -
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A truly spectacular location with an awe inspiring
coastline, the cliffs do not get any higher or more rugged
anywhere in Cornwall.
A place of legend, a place of
King Arthur and the
Round Table.
It all starts from ‘Tintagel
Island’ joined to the mainland by a narrow
neck of rock. The island faces all that the Atlantic has to
offer. From the island onto the mainland the scattered
remains of a medieval castle are to be found.
The remains of this 13th century ruin and the setting are
quite breathtaking, hence the many thousands of visitors who
visit this site every year. Steep stone steps, thick walls
and rugged cliff edges encircle the ‘Great Hall’ where
Richard, Earl of Cornwall once feasted.
A Roman settlement was once here with a military outpost.
Tintagel is thought to have once been a trading centre of
Celtic Kings during the 5th and 6th centuries. It is said
that on, King Mark, whose nephew ‘Tristan’ fell in love with
‘Yseult’ and so the King Arthur legend was born.
Even at this late date new revelations are being discovered.
In 1998 an excavation on the sheltered side of the island
discovered pottery dating from the 5th and 6th centuries as
well as glass believed to be also from this period coming
from Malaga in Spain. Even more remarkable was the discovery
of a 1500 year old piece of slate with two Latin
inscriptions. The second inscription reads ‘Artognou, father
of descendent of Coll has had this made’. Who ‘Coll’ is is
subject to much speculation.
Access to the castle is difficult for the disabled via 100
steep steps. There is a Land Rover service from the village
which takes visitors to the exhibition and shop. Here, there
is a short audio visual tour through the ages introducing
visitors to the castle and its legends. Also during the
summer there are special talks. For further details on the
castle and the King Arthur legend please see the English
Heritage website.
The Catholic church of St Paul is to be found here, it has a
30000 piece mosaic within its walls.
St
Materianas Church
The church is on the hill above the ruins and built between
1080 and 1150. Well worth a visit in its own right.
In the village centre there are all your usual gift
shops/cafes/restaurants/tea rooms/pubs. There is also a
visitor centre and the ‘Hall of Chivalry’. A weekly market
is held on Thursday’s.
The coastline around Tintagel is composed of old Devonian
slate. About a mile south of Tintagel the slate was quarried
extensively for its hard wearing roofing surface. The
turquoise green water in this region is caused by the
slate/sand containing elements of copper.
The nearest beach to Tintagel is
Trebarwith strand. An excellent sandy
beach, half an hour walk or short drive from the village. It
has excellent surfing and some good rock pools when the tide
is out, and some good caves to explore. The beach is nearly
a mile long at low tide but the beach is completely tidal,
there is no sand left at high tide, care should be taken or
you might get cut off. There is a life-guard service during
the summer months, their advice is strongly recommended.
Service include, toilets, beach shop, café.
Access to the beach is over rocks and is therefore not
suitable for wheelchairs.
Approaching Trebarwith via the cliff path you will pass by ‘Hole
Beach’. There is a steep track down,
perhaps more suited to a mountain goat, the beach is only
really accessible at low tide. Quite close to this is the
old cliff quarry workings which are quite spectacular, again
only really accessible at low tide. There are also several
mine shafts along this stretch of coast, one of which has
stalagmites and stalactites. It should be emphasized that
great care should be exercised when exploring anywhere along
this coast.
Tintagel News:
The Cornishman |
VICTORY FOR SEWAGE CAMPAIGNERSThe Cornishman, UK - May 14, 2008This is a great victory for the sea and natural environment of North Cornwall and also the community of Tintagel who fought long and hard to be recognised ... |
North Cornwall TorSheCycles, UK - Apr 17, 2008Riders also visit the legendary Tintagel of King Arthur and the knights of the round table fame. Former Continental professional cyclist Harry Lodge brought ... |
Rapsey steals limelightFalmouth Penryn Packet, UK - Apr 23, 2008FORMER Cornwall strike mark Rapsey stole the show in an entertaining match at Penzance's Penlee Park on Sunday when he notched all four goals in Cornwall ... |
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Tintagel Post Office
Ruins of
Camelot - King Arthurs Castle
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