Tintagel Castle is a medieval fortification located on the peninsula of Tintagel Island, adjacent to the village of Tintagel in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The site was possibly occupied in the Romano-British period, due to an array of artefacts dating to this period which have been found on the peninsula, but as yet no Roman era structure has been proved to have existed there. It subsequently saw settlement during the Early Medieval period, when it was probably one of the seasonal residences of the regional king of Dumnonia. In the 13th century, during the Later Medieval period, after Cornwall had been subsumed into the kingdom of England, a Castle was built on the site by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, which later fell into disrepair and ruin. Archaeological investigation into the site began in the 19th century as it became a tourist attraction, with visitors coming to see the ruins of Richard's castle, excavations in the 1930s however revealed significant traces of a much earlier high status settlement that had trading links with the Mediterranean during the Late Roman period.
Not incidentally, the Castle has a long association with the Arthurian legends, going back to the 12th century when Geoffrey of Monmouth in his mythical account of British history, the Historia Regum Britanniae described Tintagel as the place of Arthur's conception. According to the tale told by Geoffrey, his father, King Uther Pendragon, was disguised by Merlin's sorcery to look like Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall the husband of Ygerna, Arthur's mother.
Today, Tintagel Castle is a tourist destination, as it has been since the mid 19th century, and it is managed by the governmental organisation English Heritage.
for more information

Site Telephone
01840 770328
Regional Office
0117 9750 700
Customer Services
0870 333 1181
Tourist Information
Tintagel Visitors Centre: 01840 779084; Camelford (Summer only): 01840 212954; Padstow: 01841533449

Address
Bossiney Road, Tintagel, Cornwall - PL34 0HE

Today's opening times
02 January 2012
Closed

Tickets
Adults: £5.50
Children: £3.30 (5-15 years)
Concessions: £5.00
EH Member Cost: Free
Family Ticket: £14.30

Food & Drink
We look forward to welcoming you to our Beach Cafe with its breathtaking views. We use local suppliers where possible, and support Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance products.

• Cornish cream teas
• Crab sandwiches
• Hot and cold drinks
• Proper Cornish Pasties

Shop
Books, medieval and Arthurian themed gifts and toys, jams and chutneys all stocked.

Parking
All parking in the village, 600 metres away, pay and display (not operated by English Heritage). Regretfully, there is no disabled parking on site (Land Rover service available - see above).

Access
Due to the geography of the local area, access to the Castle is via at least 100 steep steps. Surfaces in the Castle include grass, gravel, cobbles and flagstones. Many of the surfaces are uneven and include changes of level.
The island element of the site is a natural Cornish headland which includes several cliffs. Parts of the Castle can be viewed from Glebe Cliff; the National Trust has set aside an area beside the church for this purpose.
A Land Rover service (April - October) can take visually impaired and ambulant disabled people to the exhibition and shop (additional charge). No need to book, except for large groups - please contact the site in advance.
Access to the Castle 'island' is difficult for disabled visitors (via over 100 steep steps).

Events at Tintagel Castle

some photos