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Tintagel Castle is a medieval fortification and archaeological site perched on a dramatic headland beside the modern village of Tintagel in Cornwall, England.

The earliest signs of human activity date back to the Roman period, when a small outpost may have occupied the site. Archaeological traces are limited—mainly coins, pottery, and other minor finds—with no evidence of substantial Roman structures.

After the collapse of Roman authority in Britain during the 5th century AD, the region of Cornwall (then the Roman civitas Dumnoniorum) likely became part of the Kingdom of Dumnonia, named after the Dumnonii people. During this time, Tintagel grew into a prosperous stronghold, probably ruled by an elite warlord or even Dumnonian royalty. Excavations show the headland was densely covered with rectangular buildings, protected on the landward side by earthworks and a ditch. Imported luxury goods from Africa and the Mediterranean, including fine pottery and glassware, reveal Tintagel’s role in long-distance trade despite the so-called “Dark Ages.”

Tintagel entered legend in 1138, when Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain tied the site to the Arthurian mythos. He wrote that Uther Pendragon, aided by Merlin’s sorcery, disguised himself as Duke Gorlois of Cornwall to seduce Queen Igerna at Tintagel—conceiving the future King Arthur.

In 1233, Richard of Cornwall, brother of King Henry III, acquired Tintagel and built a new castle with a great hall, deliberately linking the site to Arthurian legend and reviving its association with Cornish kingship. However, by 1337, the castle was already declining, later converted into smaller structures and even used as a prison by the late 14th century.

During the 1580s, with England threatened by Spanish invasion, a survey suggested Tintagel could be fortified again, though no evidence survives of its active use. By the 17th century, neglect and coastal erosion had reduced the site to ruins, leaving the evocative remains seen today.