Tintagel Castle, Cornwall


7th July 2013

 Our castle hunt begins in Cornwall with this beautiful 13th century castle located on the peninsula island of Tintagel. The castle is rich in Arthurian legend - rumoured to be the birthplace of King Arthur. It is thought the headland could have been an Iron Age or Saxon fort . 
1145 - A chapel and great hall was built by Richard, an illegitimate son of Henry I
1230s - the remainder of the ruins you see today were the product of Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall. 

The castle itself is quite ruined, compared to others, but particularly on a sunny day the location is absolutely stunning. Be warned of the very steep steps though and definitely not an ideal castle to do in wet/windy weather as there is no shelter! A walk around the headland enables you to explore a dark age settlement as well as spectacular views across the North Cornish coast. Nestled between the castle ruins of the headland is Tintagel beach and at low tide you can walk to Merlin's cave. 

Owned by English Heritage
Car parks located in the village of Tintagel
Shop, cafe, toilets
Guidebooks available and an exhibition 
Dogs allowed

 Whilst you're in the area we would recommend a visit to the old post office in Tintagel - with a surprising feature in the roof - all we're saying is beware of the dragon ;) !

 N & K

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Old Wardour Castle, Wiltshire

Image
30th May 2017 1390s - built for John, 5th Lord Lovell, this is a hexagonal castle! 1578 - the castle is modernised by Sir Matthew Arundel Civil War - during an attempt to reclaim the castle the owner partially blew up the castle! The damage caused was never repaired, partly because the lands/castle were confiscated from Henry Arundel after the Civil War 1700s - New Wardour castle is erected and the old castle becomes a popular, romantic ruin We loved how different this castle was to anything we've seen so far. The different colour brick work is beautiful and the architecture stunning. The views of the lake are pretty and make sure you walk around the perimeter of the castle because no side is the same. Audio tour worth it! The grotto in the gardens is fun to explore (and very romantic 😉 ) .  Owned by English heritage  Own car park Small shop and toilets Guidebook and audio tour  Dogs allowed  N & K  
Read more

Richborough Roman Fort and Amphitheatre, Kent

Image
26 th June 2015 Since the Roman invasion of Britain in 43AD until the end of their rule (410AD), the site of Richborough was used as fort. Over time it became a town – with a mansio, temples and amphitheatre – and then a port. In the late 3 rd century the site was refortified due to the threat of the Saxons. After Roman rule ended, the site was occupied by the Saxons. This site was so interesting and the ruins are impressive when you consider how old they are. We would definitely recommend the audio tour, but there are also information panels dotted around the site. The exhibition next to the shop, about Roman life, is also interesting. Unfortunately we could not find the amphitheatre so we suggest asking in the shop for exact directions! Owned by English Heritage Designated car park Dogs allowed Small shop, toilets Guidebooks, audio tours N&K 
Read more

Corfe Castle, Dorset

Image
31st May 2017 978 - Rumour has it that the site of today's Corfe Castle was the location for King Edward the Martyr's murder, by his stepmother 1086 - William the Conqueror began building the castle 1105 - Henry I is thought to be responsible for building the 23 metre tall stone keep 1106 - Henry I imprisons his brother, Robert of Normandy, at Corfe Castle, after seizing the throne 1130s - The castle finds itself in the midst of action during the Anarchy between Stephen and Matilda 1199 - 1214 - King John imprisons his niece, Princess Eleanor of Brittany at Corfe During King John's reign he was a frequent visitor to the castle, strengthening its defences and building the Gloriette 1220 - 1294 - Henry III and Edward I make several alterations to the castle, including converting from timber to stone, strengthening defences and adding towers Henry VII gifted the castle to his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort 1509 - Lady Margaret dies and the castle is passed ba...
Read more