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There is a coastal village in the beautiful region of Cornwall that houses one of the most fascinating sites in Britain: Tintagel, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, is known as the place where myth meets history - it's a place that has been intertwined with Arthurian myth for centuries, one just as epic as the other. The cinematic windy cliffs of Tintagel host the ruins of a millenary fortress and the remains of a bustling civilization so awe-inspiring that across the centuries, many have wondered if Tintagel was the real location of King Arthur’s birth or even the legendary Camelot. Tintagel offers ravishing seaside views, mysterious archeological sites, legendary caves, and the most charming coastal town on this side of Britain; it’s not hard at all to see why Tintagel is the stuff of legends.

Tintagel Castle, Where History Meets Legend

The history of the Tintagel region goes back to the 1st century AD, during the Romano-British period, but archeological evidence suggests it only became an important region during the lower Middle Ages. Though no awe-inspiring Roman ruins indicate little opulence during that period, many Roman artifacts have been found on-site. After the end of the Roman occupation in the 5th century, with the rise of the Kingdom of Dumnonia, Tintagel Castle is built, and Tintagel is thought to have become a bustling center of commerce, with evidence of several residences on the peninsula and evidence of trade and luxury goods from far across to the Mediterranean in much greater volume than at anywhere else in Britain and Ireland; Tintagel was possibly the seat of Dumnonian royalty.

By the 8th and 9th centuries, though, the area was completely deserted, and the original castle fell into decay. The reasons for this are unknown and might never be explained. Despite its fall, the Dumnonian Kingdom in Tintagel might have left echoes throughout the centuries, for in the 1100s, Geoffrey of Monmouth would, for the first time in writing, link the historical Tintagel to Britain's most famous figure: King Arthur.

Related: 10 Best Things To Do In St. Ives, Cornwall

Tintagel And King Arthur

Arthurian myth is an uncentered web of works that have been changed and added to through the centuries. Historians debate on whether King Arthur existed or not; mentions of rulers leading the Britons against the Saxons have been found, dating back to the 9th century, but the stories and myths we know and love today can be traced back to Geoffrey of Monmouth 1138 work History of the Kings of Britain - widely thought to be mostly fiction, despite its title.

In this writing, Monmouth places Arthur’s conception at Tintagel Castle, wherein Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s father, can enter only by magic.

  • It is said that Richard, Earl of Cornwall and brother of Henry III, built himself a castle on the Tintagel peninsula in the 1230s in an attempt to recreate Arthurian romanticism.
  • In the 1300s, Edward the Black Prince reworked parts of the already crumbling new Tintagel Castle - Richard’s construction was evidently quite a lot cheaper than the original Tintagel stronghold.

By the 15th century the castle would be deserted again, and it would continue to be so for several centuries, but Tintagel’s role in Arthur’s kingdom and stories keeps on growing and gaining a life of its own: in 1480, Antiquary William Worcester named Tintagel as Arthur’s birthplace, and from the 1600s on Tintagel was incorporated further as Arthur’s castle, from where he ruled with his Knights of the Round Table and Merlin the Wizard, and Tintagel island as the remains of the legendary Camelot. Merlin’s Cave, down on Tintagel Cove, beneath the gorge that time excavated between the original main gate and the castle’s courtyard, served as inspiration for Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Arthurian poems Idylls of the King.

It was like this that Tintagel’s history fed into the Arthurian myths, and the myths ended up shaping its history in an ever-evolving circle. It’s easy to see how the dramatic cliffs of Cornwall and the towering medieval structures of which only ruins remain today would have been the birthplace of epic myths.

Visiting Tintagel

Tintagel Castle was a clifftop stronghold, sitting mighty atop Tintagel Island (which is technically a peninsula). The way from Tintagel’s city center and Castle Road is a trek that can be made by foot, but it can be a steep path.

Visitors can hire Land Rover shuttle services for lifts and down the hill to the castle grounds.

Entrance To The Castle

The entrance to the castle is where visitors need to show their castle tickets and also where the original castle gateway used to sit. The first ruins of a great construction start to appear as the Cornwall sea shimmers off the coast below. During the early Middle Ages, the entrance and the main area of the castle were divided by a narrow bridge that was eroded by time. For years visitors who came to Tintagel had to climb down the steps into the bank of the beach below and back up the rocks into Tintagel’s main courtyards, but since 2019 a brand new suspended bridge has been placed.

Island And Main Tintagel Courtyard

The first thing that greets visitors after crossing the bridge is a doorway into what used a great medieval fortress, dramatically opening up to the ruins of the castle and the stormy sea below. Ruins of walls, room divisions, flooring, and convivial areas have been uncovered, making it possible to walk where royalty and their entourage and servants once lived in this medieval palace.

On the island, footpaths and remains of early Dumnonian settlements are also visible. Replicas of some of the archeological findings of the region dot the ruins, adding to the experience, as do the expert guides that will explain the history and myth of Tintagel’s ruins.

Related: Cadbury Castle: The Site Of King Arthur's Legendary Court At Camelot

Gallos, King Arthur’s Statue

Across the island, standing watch over the ruins, stands Gallos. Gallos, which is the Cornish word for “power,” is a 2.4-meter-tall bronze sculpture depicting a ghostly figure wearing a crown and supported by a longsword. At once imposing and ephemeral, the kingly statue by artist Rubin Eynon is popularly known as “King Arthur’s statue,” inspired both by the myths and the history of Tintagel as a medieval fortification.

The Tintagel Gardens

The - literally - flourishing remains of a medieval walled garden are a sight in the atmospheric Tintagel. Historians believe Richard, earl of Cornwall, built the garden in homage to the tale of Tristan and Iseult, whose tragic medieval love story is depicted in carved stones in the garden.

Tintagel Cove And Merlin’s Cave

Tintagel Cove is a partially hidden gem below the Tintagel cliffs. When the tide is low, it's possible to enter the mystical Merlin’s Cave, nestled directly beneath the rocks of Tintagel Castle. The mysterious beauty of the cave and the dramatic rise of the cliff above it make it easy to imagine a towering castle sitting atop it, weathering the storms of Cornwall - and it’s even easier to see why it’s been the inspiration for so many epic myths.

Exploring the cave and playing at the beach is a perfect way to end a visit to Tintagel, as a beachside café offers a place to relax and take in all the activities of the day.

Always check the tides before visiting the beach. There are no lifeguards on post.

  • Access: Parts of Tintagel Island can be explored individually, but to enter the Castle ruins and cross the bridge, visitors need to book a visit and purchase tickets at the English Heritage website.
  • Ticket Prices: $18 USD for adults, $11 USD for children
  • Hours: 10 AM to 2:30 PM

More To See

Tintagel village is the perfect headquarters from which to visit Tintagel Castle, and it’s well worth staying in the town for a couple of days to see everything. Tintagel is home to cozy cafés, specialty shops, exoteric haunts, and even more historical landmarks. The Victorian Camelot Castle Hotel and Tintagel’s Old Post Office dating back to the 14th century, are just a few of the attractions this stormy, mythical seaside town has to offer.