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Tintagel
(Castel Dyntagell), Cornwall
The legendary birthplace of King Arthur. It was the home of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, who was killed by Uther's men during a battle after Uther had held the castle under siege. The night of the battle, after Gorlois had left the castle, Uther entered it under an enchantment by Merlin to give Uther the appearance of Gorlois. He then took the Lady Igraine (Gorlois' wife). The result was Arthur was born. Merlin took the babe away to be fostered in a secret location until the time was right for him to be proclaimed King.
Some 250ft above the wild Atlantic coast of northern Cornwall rises Tintagel Castle. Originally a promontory, It is now more an island, reached by a precarious path. The remains on the island are of the 13th & 14th centuries, built on the foundations of a fortress even older. It used to be thought that this castle was in Geoffrey of Monmouth's mind when he made it Gorlois' home, but recent opinion holds that there may have been an older tradition at work.
Extensive remains have been found above the castle, of buildings from the 5th or 6th centuries - Arthur's time. For many decades, this was considered to be a Celtic monastery and thus discounted as a chieftain's stronghold. The current opinion, however, is that these remains are indeed the headquarters of a local lord, and thus the legend is given more credence in the 1990's than it has had for over 100 years.
"Uther and Igraine were wed in what seemed, to some, the most indecent haste. The haste was necessary ... Igraine was with child. And nine months after the siege, still close-kept in Tintagel Castle, she gave birth to a boy-child. She named him Arthur."
Although the majority of the remains that still stand at Tintagel are from the 13th & 14th Centuries rather than the original 5th century buildings, it is still an impressive sight. The views of the sea and local coastline that can be seen from the headland are second to none, totally breathtaking. All the steps that lead up to the remains on the promontory can be rather steep and rather strenuous if you're unfit like I am. The can also be slippy if the weather is wet. After saying that, the sights that greet you when you reach the top totally reward you for the effort of the climb! Fantastic!
Even the climb down the rocks onto the sand so that we could reach the caves below was worth the effort. Once again it was steep and slippy, and there are actually signs to say that the cliffs are not safe and that you climb down the cliffs at your own risk.
The only sad thing about Tintagel is that the Atlantic sea is constantly wearing away the coastline. The promontory is now so close to be an island because of erosion that it is now reached by a bridge over the gap. Merlin's Cave underneath the castle is constantly being worn by the tide when it comes in and can now be walked straight through to the other side! There is a fear that with this constant erosion of the coastline, and more so with Merlin's Cave directly underneath the castle, that eventually in years to come, this fantastic part of our heritage will be lost forever to the Atlantic. Obviously it would take a great number of years before this happens, but the reality of the eventual outcome is such a shame.
Directions
The village of Tintagel is found on the coast of Cornwall. Once in the village the castle Tintagel is signposted and easy to find.
Note: The walk from the village to the promontory and castle (and back again) can be strenuous depending on how fit you are., and cars are not allowed down the track. However the Coastguard runs a service where by, for a small sum, a Land Rover will take you down to the shore and you can get a return journey this way.
Photos
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