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'Merlin' carved into the rocks at Tintagel English Heritage has commissioned a carving into the rocks at Tintagel. As this is the News Section I will refrain from expressing a personal view. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/merlin-carving-tintagel |
Posted by tjj14th February 2016ce Edited 14th February 2016ce |
King Arthur planning to return to TintagelKing Arthur is planning a dramatic return to his native North Cornwall next year - by standing for election to the newly-established Camelot ward of the district council! Members of the council decided to name the ward, which includes Michaelstow, St Teath and Tintagel, "Camelot" after a review of boundaries completed earlier this year... continues... |
Posted by phil 9th January 2003ce |
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Visited 21.4.12 Whatever your views on all things ‘King Arthur’, this is a great place to visit. Whilst Karen and Sophie were happily looking around the ‘themed’ shops, I of course headed out towards the Castle/Cliff Fort with Dafydd. It is a bit of a hike from the town out to the headland and I’m afraid it would be difficult (impossible) for those with mobility problems. There are a series of steep stone steps to get up to the headland. For those who are able to make it the views are simply superb. Waves crashing on rocks all around; fine coastal views on both sides. (It helps of course if the weather is good!) There actually isn’t that much to see of the castle ruins although the outline of the ‘Dark Age’ buildings are very interesting. There are several information boards scattered around and much more details in the guide book you can buy. We then made our way down onto the beach to have a look at ‘Merlin’s Cave’ (Dafydd wanted to throw pebbles into the sea). This is even more difficult to access than the castle as the lower concrete steps have been washed away by the sea and you have to clamber over large boulders. There were lots of people about but you do need to be fairly agile. Unsurprisingly Dafydd developed his ‘bad leg syndrome’ on the steep walk back up to the town and we agreed on a joint carry/walk solution. By the time I reached the top of the slope I was pretty well knackered. Perhaps the £3 I could have paid to have been driven up the hill in a Land Rover wasn’t so expensive after all? All in all well worth a visit. Don’t let the ‘Arthur’ hype put you off. |
Posted by CARL 25th April 2012ce |
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17/06/2003 Our latest visit to Tintagel ended in us not even visiting the castle. The village is quite awful now so we parked just outside the village towards Boscastle and visited St. Nectans Glen and waterfall, which will not disappoint. Afterwards we carried on to Boscastle and paid our latest visit to the Museum of Witchcraft, where we always end up spending a couple of hours reading every exhibit, a must see. |
Posted by griffp 7th July 2003ce Edited 7th July 2003ce |
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In a stroke of genius I booked another week in Cornwall for the week the clocks change, and a week of stunning weather! It is early April and Bodmin Moor is tinder dry. Just before I arrived there had been several small fires in North Cornwall nd the day I left there was a large gorse fire at the other end of Cornwall (on the Lizard peninsula). I stopped off in Dartmoor on the way, the sun was blazing and Fernworthy forest was so peaceful. Although it’s usually only the circle that is talked about Fernworthy is one of these ‘complexs’ with a stone circle , two cairns and cairn circles, two stone rows, and possible others. I was so taken in that I began to think I was an archaeologist for a day and soon I will have to unleash diagrams onto this fantastic TMA site! The south side of the forest also has a stone row. And a brisk walk onto the moor brings you to the Greywethers, a restored and stunning double circle. I also tried to find the Heath Stone on the way out. Does visiting ancient sites get much better than today? On Sunday I went to the St Breock Downs area, checking out the St Breock Wind Farm Barrow, the colossal Men Gurta Menhir, and peering at the St. Breock Downs Menhir. I then moved south to the China Clay country (sounds like a theme park) to find the moved Menevagar / Roche Longstone and the huge Hensbarrow - this is the highest natural point in the area and the views back across the valley are stunning, with the St Breock Downs wind farm clearly visible. However, if you ignore the nice bit of the view you could just as easily think you are sitting on the moon as the clay works surround you. To round off a pretty lazy day I visited the two sites closest to where I was staying – Headon Barrow and Warbstow Bury, the later being quite stunning and the best-preserved hill slope fort in Cornwall. On Monday I pleasured myself (steady on!) with a trip to the St.Austell Brewery - http://www.staustellbrewery.co.uk - and onto Mevagissey for sarnies on the harbour. I had forgotten my maps so instead of heading off for some yomping on Bodmin Moor I had to pull Plan B out, which was a visit to The County Museum in Truro - http://www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk - I knew that the famed cup marked stone from the Tregiffian Burial Chamber was there, as was a copy of the Rillaton Cup, and other things. There is a huge amount to see and as they are a registered charity it is £4 well spent (and please fill out a Gift Aid form, so they can reclaim your tax!) Tuesday led me on a huge barrow hunt, including the massive Tich Barrow, one of the Starapark Barrows, the Advent Triple Barrow (a rarity), and the Crowdy Reservoir Barrow and then several wind swept hours in the Roughtor area, including the Showery Tor ring cairn and cheesewring, and the Showery Tor Embanked Avenue, the Showery Tor Downs Cairn, Roughtor Slopes Cairn and three possible standing stones in the area. In an action packed day I also went to the fascinating King Arthur’s Hall, , the nearby King Arthur's Downs Stone Circles, the Casehill Cairn, and explored around the area; expect a diagram soon! On the way home I had a quick stop at Helsbury Castle. Like it or loathe it I thought The Museum of Witchcraft - http://www.museumofwitchcraft.com - was worth a visit so the next day I went to see it in Boscastle’s picturesque harbour. I was glad to see the Museum asking people not to have fires, leave rubbish or ‘inappropriate offerings’ at ancient sites. Later I visited three great cliff castle’s close by – Willabury Cliff Castle (Boscastle) plus the fascinating ‘stitch’ system of agriculture on Forrabury Common, Willabury Cliff Castle (Tintagel), and Tintagel itself. I also saw the curious Rocky Valley Rock Carvings but I’m even less convinced now. I had a quick search for Ugworthy Barrows (actually over the border in Devon) and the rare Woolley Long Barrow. I really don’t seem to have got the hang of these ‘holidays’ have I? Not much resting going on, so I only went out on the moors late on Thursday, and spent some of Friday re-reading one of favourite books on the beach at Crackington Haven (‘Life and Times of Michael K’ by J.M.Coetzee if anyone is interested). So several hours on Thursday were spent on Fox Tor & East Moor and in the Leskernick area of Bodmin Moor. Two totally different environments in one way (the former gorsey and brown, the later green but scarred and pitted like the moon) separated by the A30 but both full of ancient sites, and continued finds. East Moor includes the Fox Tor Stone Row (apparently), the East Moor Stone Row, and possible Menhir / Stone setting, and the Nine Stones of Altarnun. The Leskernick area is still being explored and new things still being found. My few hours included Leskernick Stone Row, a cairn near the stone row, Leskernick Stone Circel (Northern), Leskernick Stone Circle (South), the Leskernick ‘Quoit’, the Cairns on the summit of The Beacon, and a possible Kerbed Cairn and Barrow Cemetery on The Beacon This post appears as part of the weblog entry Another Kernow Week
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Posted by pure joy6th April 2003ce |
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Visited 28 06 1994 Tintagel 1994 meant my 30st birthday, and much more besides that. I'm an Arthurian buff (though not necessarily a believer) and to be here at Arthur's supposed birthplace on my birthday meant a lot. The village is too touristic to stay long (only if you want your Arthurian stuff, it's THE place to be and spend your money dearly). Best run along to the coast and the Norman castle, and of course the peninsula beyond. This is where the (in)famous ARTOGNOU stone was discvered, a fake to some (of course, ALL referring to Arthur must be..), proof to others (nonsense, it's a different name), very nice old stuff to me. This was a true Dark Ages site, possibly a monastery, but more likely a palace of sorts, owned by a powerful lord with control over shipping and possibly even across the Channell. Maybe not Arthur, but Arthurian for sure! |
Posted by Vortigern13th November 2002ce |
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... We came to Tintagell Head, a spot more than commonly interesting, not only from the grandeur of its local scenery, but its connection with names and events of our remotest history.From 'A voyage round Great Britain, undertaken in the summer of the year 1813', by Richard Ayton and William Daniell (a pair who look very dapper in their portraits, and who are (sometimes) refreshingly sympathetic to the poor and their living conditions). |
Posted by Rhiannon2nd October 2012ce Edited 3rd October 2012ce |
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University of GlasgowTintagel Excavations 1998 |
Posted by Vortigern 13th November 2002ce |
English HeritageTintagel Castle |
Posted by Vortigern 13th November 2002ce |
The Saxon ShoreTintagel's Place in post-Roman Britain |
Posted by Vortigern 13th November 2002ce |
The Saxon ShoreA New Interpretation of the "Artognou" Stone |
Posted by Vortigern 13th November 2002ce |
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