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Wander Between Myth and Reality at Tintagel Castle
Published by Emmanuelle Fontaine, Writer
Country: United Kingdom 
The Experience
When I was 12-years old, I became fascinated by the Legend of King Arthur after watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. While touring Cornwall years later, I heard that Tintagel Castle, on the northwestern coast of the county, was believed to be the birthplace of the legendary King. It was my chance to finally discover the mythical site and live the Legend.
Tintagel Castle can be reached by a Land Rover taxi service from the village of Tintagel; but I opted for the coastal footpath. Starting from the impressive thousand-year-old St Materiana’s Church, then passing the slanting Celtic and Christian crosses scattered in the graveyards, I then followed the trail snaking along the cliff.
Tintagel Castle was built on Tintagel Head, a rocky headland in the Atlantic Ocean attached to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The ancient causeway was destroyed by erosion and visitors used a series of steep stairs to access it. The first tourists had not yet arrived and all I could hear was the waves crashing against the cliff one hundred meters below, and the occasional seagull cry which enhanced the feeling of isolation. There is not much left of Tintagel Castle: a doorway opening on a striking ocean view, the crumbling remains of fortifications threatening to collapse onto the cove below, and a maze of knee-high lichen-covered foundation walls. The atmosphere contained something unique and spellbinding.
As I walked around the ruins of Tintagel Castle, the morning fog still wrapping the island in its shroud, it was not hard to imagine a long-forgotten world where human beings mingled with fairies and magicians. I thought about young beautiful Igraine hidden in Tintagel fortress by her jealous husband when he realized that his king, Uther Pendragon, wanted her for himself. With Merlin’s help, Uther used a subterfuge to sneak into the castle and seduce the young woman. That night, as the story says, they conceived Arthur, the future king.
Under Tintagel Castle at the bottom of the cliff a large opening in the rock marked the entrance to Merlin’s cave where the enchanter spent several years during Arthur’s childhood. I climbed down the rocks to reach the small beach and peeped in. The wind swirling into the open mouth of the cave and the cold gloomy tunnel added to the supernatural aura of the place. I half-expected the famous magician to come out, upset at being disturbed. But as a wave gently came and licked my shoe, I remembered that the cave filled completely with water at high tide and so nobody could possibly find shelter here.
Was Arthur only a legend, or did he really exist? The lack of any convincing historical evidence leaves the debate open. But for the inhabitants of Tintagel and many others, there is no doubt that the place had been the setting of historical events at a time when magic was part of everyday life and it was sometimes used to alter destiny. Some villagers swear that the spirit of Merlin still haunts the cave where he used to live. A visit to the atmospheric Tintagel Castle might convince you of that too.
Tintagel Castle can be reached by a Land Rover taxi service from the village of Tintagel; but I opted for the coastal footpath. Starting from the impressive thousand-year-old St Materiana’s Church, then passing the slanting Celtic and Christian crosses scattered in the graveyards, I then followed the trail snaking along the cliff.
Tintagel Castle was built on Tintagel Head, a rocky headland in the Atlantic Ocean attached to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The ancient causeway was destroyed by erosion and visitors used a series of steep stairs to access it. The first tourists had not yet arrived and all I could hear was the waves crashing against the cliff one hundred meters below, and the occasional seagull cry which enhanced the feeling of isolation. There is not much left of Tintagel Castle: a doorway opening on a striking ocean view, the crumbling remains of fortifications threatening to collapse onto the cove below, and a maze of knee-high lichen-covered foundation walls. The atmosphere contained something unique and spellbinding.
As I walked around the ruins of Tintagel Castle, the morning fog still wrapping the island in its shroud, it was not hard to imagine a long-forgotten world where human beings mingled with fairies and magicians. I thought about young beautiful Igraine hidden in Tintagel fortress by her jealous husband when he realized that his king, Uther Pendragon, wanted her for himself. With Merlin’s help, Uther used a subterfuge to sneak into the castle and seduce the young woman. That night, as the story says, they conceived Arthur, the future king.
Under Tintagel Castle at the bottom of the cliff a large opening in the rock marked the entrance to Merlin’s cave where the enchanter spent several years during Arthur’s childhood. I climbed down the rocks to reach the small beach and peeped in. The wind swirling into the open mouth of the cave and the cold gloomy tunnel added to the supernatural aura of the place. I half-expected the famous magician to come out, upset at being disturbed. But as a wave gently came and licked my shoe, I remembered that the cave filled completely with water at high tide and so nobody could possibly find shelter here.
Was Arthur only a legend, or did he really exist? The lack of any convincing historical evidence leaves the debate open. But for the inhabitants of Tintagel and many others, there is no doubt that the place had been the setting of historical events at a time when magic was part of everyday life and it was sometimes used to alter destiny. Some villagers swear that the spirit of Merlin still haunts the cave where he used to live. A visit to the atmospheric Tintagel Castle might convince you of that too.
When to Go to Tintagel Castle
Tintagel Castle is open all year round, but I recommend avoiding the winter months that are wet, cold and foggy. A good time to visit Tintagel Castle is during the spring and summer months, between May - July. Cornwall is a beautiful and authentic land with a lot of places of historical interest and many trails to hike along the coast.
Odds n' Ends
Tintagel Castle was built in the 13th-century, several hundred years after the death of King Arthur. Now, only the ruins remain, but in its day this fortification was a stronghold of the Cornish Earls and it stands as an iconic site along the Cornish Atlantic coastline. The town of Tintagel is believed to be the birthplace of King Arthur during the English Dark Ages before the Normandy invasion of 1066. During this time, little is known of the exact history of England and its peoples, but according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, there was a great and noble king of this time believed to be King Arthur.
Places to Stay Nearby
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0 miles away
The Cornishman Inn is located in the heart of King Arthur's country on the busy main street of the popular tourist village Tintagel. No visit ... 0 miles away
$55 GBP+
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- Cardiff Castle: A Museful Mingled Masterpiece
- Cardiff Castle is part medieval castle, part Gothic mansion, and is a mixture of old and new, enchanting the eye and exciting the imagination. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Castle is the Norman Keep, a medieval dungeon or fortress structure dating back to the 12th century. The remains of a fireplace and a set of stairs are visible within the stone Keep, and if you ascend the stairs you will reach the top of the Keep, which offers a lovely view of the grounds. Norman Keep is encircled by a water-filled trench, and this miniature moat is ...88 miles away.
Books and DVDs
Elsewhere on the Web
- King Arthur - The Mythology and the Legend - ThisIsNorthCornwall.co.uk
- King Arthur is an important figure in the mythology of Great Britain, where he appears as the ideal of kingship both in war and peace.
- Tintagel Castle -English-Heritage.org
- With its spectacular location on Cornwall’s dramatic and windswept Atlantic coastline, Tintagel is a place of magic and myth where the legend of King Arthur was born.
Media References
- Lost Cities of Britain: The Quest for Camelot - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- This is the land of the local ruler and warrior whom all true Cornishmen acknowledge as a historic founder of their Celtic ''otherness,'' and who has little to do with the chivalric medieval figure who bestrides English literature.
- A Walk in the West Country - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- Teased by a tang of salt air, we tried to guess how far ahead lay the open sea, but gaps in the thick hedge only showed us rolling meadows and scattered sheep.
- Introduction to Cornwall - NYTImes.com (newspaper)
- The ancient duchy of Cornwall is in the extreme southwestern part of England, often called "the toe."
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