Ever taken an interest in the legend of King Arthur? We go on the trail of the iconic Celtic king, with a visit to Tintagel in Cornwall, UK
Background
We’ve always loved to explore real-life places where the lines between historical facts and myths and legends have blurred over the years. Perhaps it’s due in part to our home city back in the UK being Nottingham, made famous internationally by one of the most disputed and, at the same time iconic of mythical historical characters, Robin Hood. It has always fascinated me how folk tales and stories can become part of the public consciousness, elevated to something close to historical reality, despite their origins being firmly rooted in fiction. Our experiences during our recent journey through the fairytale lands of Germany, to places such as The Pied Piper’s Hamelin and Repunzel’s Tower, were other great examples of this modern day phenomena.
With that in mind, we were keen to pay a visit to the town and castle of Tintagel, perched high on the rocky northern coast of Cornwall, in the southwest corner of the United Kingdom. Steeped in myth and legend, the town’s main draw is a claim that its castle was the place of conception for the legendary English Celtic king, Arthur. This is a reputation that Tintagel still draws upon today to lure numerous tourists from all over the world, so expect to see all things Arthur during any visit.
This all makes for a fun and vibrant coastal town to visit, at any time of year, as we discovered during a grey October weekend when we made the trip ourselves, in our classic motorhome with 4 young children.
The King Arthur Connection
One of the most iconic and romanticised characters of English folklore, the legendary Celtic warrior king, Arthur, has taken his place in history as a hero who fought off Anglo Saxon invaders, alongside his knights of the round table. Having been thought to have ruled during the ‘dark ages’, a large portion of British history where almost nothing was documented, only tantalising clues remain as to whether any of this ‘history’ is rooted in fact. Most of the character that we recognise today has in fact evolved through the ages via various famous and popular works of fiction. It is unclear how much, if any, of his legend is true. However, none of this appears to have dented his lasting reputation.
The part of his legend that relates to Tintagel is that of his conception, with this supposed to have occurred on the headland that is home to Tintagel Castle. This story was first proposed back in the 12th century, and involved magic and sorcery from the wizard, Merlin. Despite no mention of Arthur having been born at (or ever even visiting) Tintagel in this text, the popularity of this story spawned more subsequent tales of Arthur being born and living at Tintagel Castle, something that is still strongly disputed to this day.
Whatever the case, the legend lives on, with Tintagel positioning itself right at the forefront to cash in on its enduring popularity. For anyone visiting the modern day town, his legacy is impossible to ignore.
Tintagel Castle
Unsurprisingly, the main tourist attraction at Tintagel is the castle. Built out of the local shale rock, the construction has not stood up to the challenging elements of the Cornish coast, and now lies largely in ruins. That doesn’t mean it is not still a fascinating place to visit, however.
Recent archaeological excavations at the site have uncovered evidence that date the settlement back as far as the Roman era, with numerous pottery fragments providing evidence of an extensive international trade network to the ports of the Mediterranean and beyond. Following the Roman withdrawal of Britain, this thriving town appears to have declined and most likely been replaced by a Celtic monastery or elite settlement playing home to the local kings, before a castle was first built on the site in the 13th century.
Seen as the traditional place for Cornish kings, the castle was constructed in an old fashioned style for the time, in an attempt to make it appear more ancient. However, due to a lack of ongoing maintenance through the following centuries, the castle fell into disrepair and became increasingly dilapidated, its decline mirroring the ongoing erosion that was separating the headland from the mainland to create the modern day castle island.
A renewed fascination with Arthurian legends during Victorian times brought the first waves of mass tourism to the town and castle, something that remains to this day. No trip to Tintagel would be complete without a visit to its emblematic castle.
Visiting the Castle
Nowadays the castle is managed by English Heritage as a private visitor attraction (something that itself is contentious with Cornish separatists who resent the use of ‘English’ for a site in Cornwall). Tickets can be bought in advance via their website.
Visitors are guided around a circuit of the castle ruins, eventually reaching the focal point of the ghost-like sculpture of Arthur, placed high on the clifftop. On a clear day it is possible to enjoy wide-ranging views along the rocky and scenic Cornish coast. A visit to the castle typically takes 1-2 hours.
The recent addition of a raised footbridge that connects the castle island to the mainland has improved the visitor experience (as well as making it more accessible), as it means that the long stairways down to the beach below and back up the other side can now be avoided. However, this descent down to the beach is definitely still worth doing in one direction at least, as the steps down make for an interesting walk. As well as reaching a sandy beach, there are also some fun cave and tunnel features in the rocks (one of which, in line with the Arthur theme, has been titled as ‘Merlin’s Cave’), as well as a small waterfall.
Elsewhere in Tintagel
There’s no escaping the fact that most visitors to Tintagel will be coming for the castle. In all honesty, there’s not an enormous amount else to do. That said, the beach is nice (although quite a walk downhill to reach), there are plenty of themed and novelty souvenir shops to browse, and there is a children’s playground located close to the entrance to town.
The town also boasts a range of bars and restaurants to relax and refuel in. Sitting down to enjoy a traditional Cornish cream tea (with scone with plenty of jam and clotted cream) is always a pleasure. If wanting a quick snack on the move, nothing in these parts beats a Cornish pasty – a pastry snack traditionally filled with meat and potatoes, but now available with a large assortment of filings. The Cornish Bakery, located near to the entrance to the castle, serves up some great examples. If looking for something a bit different, their spiced cauliflower pasty is incredible.
Staying in Tintagel
There is a good selection of guest accommodation in Tintagel for anyone looking to stay. As well as many local guesthouses, there is also the grand Camelot Castle Hotel, for anyone wishing to immerse themselves further in Arthurian legend.
If visiting in a motorhome (as we were), it is possible to park in the large town centre car park, where overnight stays are permitted (for a reasonable fee). The parking meters only take coins however, so be sure to arrive with a pocket full of them! We enjoyed a quiet and peaceful overnight stay in this car park when we visited.
Around Tintagel
Tintagel is just one of a countless number of interesting destinations to visit and things to do in the county of Cornwall. A long-time favourite with domestic tourists, its charming fishing villages, sandy beaches, favourable climate and laid-back surfer vibe are now just starting to also gain more international recognition. Although notoriously difficult to reach by road, once arrived, a visit around the attractions of Cornwall makes for a perfect touring holiday.
For more of the Legends of Arthur, head further to the east into the ancient kingdom of Wessex. The mystical town of Glastonbury in Somerset is another place that perpetuates such legends, with the town claiming to be the burial place of Arthur’s legendary queen, Guinevere. Further east still, at the city of Winchester, a visit to the city’s 13th century Great Hall allows visitors to view what is claimed to be the original round table around which Arthur and his knights were supposed to have sat.
In summary
Tintagel and its castle are fascinating places to visit in Cornwall. For anyone who is a fan of historical myths and legends, particularly those that surround the iconic figure that was King Arthur, a trip to the town is something not be missed. Although there is not too much to see or to keep you in the town beyond the castle itself, that does not detract from the experience of a day trip or short stay when visiting or touring elsewhere in Cornwall. We always love visiting Cornwall and our kids loved exploring and learning about the magical legacy of Tintagel castle. It is always fun to follow in the imagined footsteps of some of the most famous characters from the past, and none come more cherished from an English perspective, than that of King Arthur.
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