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English Heritage Book of Tintagel

Spectacular site on the Cornish coast

Tintagel is a grand and spectacular site on the Cornish coast. Its name conjures up Arthurian legend and it has been much visited and written about since the Middle Ages.

Myths and facts

The site consists of the Island; the castle Tintagel; and the church and churchyard each with its own history, some of which is only partly known. The author, Charles Thomas, is excavating at Tintagel Castle and in this book he brings all the strands together, deciphering the clues, deconstructing some of the myths and building a model of this multi-faceted site.

History of Tintagel Castle

After a period as a Roman settlement and military outpost, Tintagel is thought to have been a trading settlement of Celtic kings during the 5th and 6th centuries. Legend has it that one of these was King Mark, whose nephew Tristan fell in love with Yseult (or Isolde). Their doomed romance is part of Tintagel's story. The remains of the 13th-century castle are breathtaking. Steep stone steps, stout walls and rugged windswept cliff edges encircle the Great Hall, where Richard Earl of Cornwall once feasted. There are many unanswered questions and legends surrounding Tintagel Castle. The castle has an amazing capacity to surprise us, even after years of investigation.