Tintagel Castle is one of the most dramatic ruined sites in England — not because of the quality of the medieval masonry (it is modest) but because of its position, thrust out on a rocky headland above the Atlantic with the sea visible on three sides and cliffs falling away steeply beneath the walls. English Heritage maintains the site, and the new bridge across the gap between the mainland and the castle island, opened in 2019, makes the approach more straightforward than it used to be.
The medieval castle was built in the 1230s, possibly by the Earl of Cornwall, Richard of Cornwall, who had Arthurian associations in mind when he chose the site. Below the medieval ruins, excavations have revealed a substantial settlement from the 5th and 6th centuries — including fragments of fine pottery imported from the Mediterranean, suggesting a place of wealth and power in the post-Roman period. This is the period of the legendary Arthur, and the connection is not dismissed by serious archaeologists. The site is busy in summer; early morning visits are more rewarding.