The village is one of many across the UK that claim to have been the site of the legendary Camelot
Numerous locations across the UK lay claim to being the site of Arthurian legend's Camelot, with Tintagel on Cornwall's coast being one such place.
Tintagel thrived as a port town from 450 AD until about 650 AD, and Mediterranean pottery fragments from this era can still be discovered in the region today.
Following the decline of trade in the area, Tintagel's historical record is sparse until Geoffrey of Monmouth identified it as King Arthur's conception site in his historical work The History of the Kings of Britain, around 1136.
According to legend, Uther Pendragon seduced Igraine, Duke Gorlois of Cornwall's wife, with the wizard Merlin's assistance.
Tintagel's mention in this text led to an unusual trade in 1233, about a hundred years later, when Richard, Duke of Cornwall, Henry III's younger brother, swapped three of his manors for 'the island of Tyntagel', which remains connected to the mainland by a narrow land bridge.
After acquiring the land, Richard began building the castle, which now lies in ruins nearly 800 years later. Although he is known to have entertained guests at the castle, it's unlikely he spent much time there, as he embarked on a crusade in 1240 and was elected King of the Romans in 1257.
By 1337, the grand hall of the castle had already descended into a state of ruin. Edward the Black Prince transformed the hall into smaller structures, yet Tintagel Castle largely remained deserted throughout history, with only a solitary chaplain maintaining the castle.
Despite the castle's desolation, Tintagel was once again associated with King Arthur when William Worcestre identified it as the birthplace and conception site of Arthur in his writings from 1480.
While Tintagel Castle itself was certainly not the fabled Camelot, having been constructed long after the era of Arthurian legend, the mythology of the area persists.
The tales of King Arthur's conception and birth, along with the story of Camelot, are not the only myths tied to Tintagel. The legend of Tristan and Iseult, or Tristan and Isolde, is also said to have unfolded in the village, as depicted in several poems from the 12th century.