Page 158 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

156  ENGLAND ’ S SOUTH C O AST REGION B Y REGION

Ruins of the medieval castle of Tintagel, on the north coast of Cornwall
1 Bude The earl was persuaded to 3 Boscastle
build the castle in this isolated
Cornwall. Map C5. * 9,000. Cornwall. Map B5. * 670.
n Crescent Car Park; 01288 354240. spot by the popular belief that @ Boscastle Bridge. ∑ visit
( Easter–Sep: Fri. ∑ visitbude.info this was the birthplace of the boscastleandtintagel.com
legendary King Arthur.
Once a bustling port, Bude has Fine Mediterranean pottery Squeezed into a narrow natural
become a popular resort due to from the 5th century has been inlet between the ominously
its wonderful golden beaches. discovered here, indicating that rugged headlands of Willapark
In the 18th century, lime- rich the site was a trading centre and Penally Point, tiny Boscastle
sand from the beaches was long before the castle was built. was almost destroyed in 2004
transported along a canal to A clifftop path leads from when the River Valency burst
inland farms, where it was used the castle to Tintagel’s church, its banks. About 2,000 million
to neutralize the acidic soil. The which has Norman and Saxon litres (440 million gal) of water
canal was abandoned in 1880 masonry. In the village, the Old poured at a rate of 64 kmph
but a short stretch survives, Post Office is a rare example (40 mph) through the village in
providing a haven for birds. of a restored 14th-century a single day, and several people
Cornish manor house. had to be airlifted out. The
village has now been restored,
2 Tintagel T Tintagel Castle and a flood defence warning
Tintagel Head. Tel 01840 770328. system installed. The story of
Cornwall. Map B5. * 1,800. Open Apr–Sep: 10am–6pm daily;
@ Opp. Visitor Centre. n Bossiney the flood, along with the rest
Rd; 01840 779084. ∑ visitboscastle Oct: 10am–5pm daily; Nov–Feb: of the village’s history, is related
10am–4pm Sat & Sun. & = œ
andtintagel.com in the Boscastle Visitor Centre,
∑ english-heritage.org.uk which had to be rebuilt after
The ruins of Tintagel Castle, P Old Post Office the original was washed away.
built around 1240 by Richard, Fore St. Tel 01840 770024. Boscastle was North Cornwall’s
Earl of Cornwall, sit on a hilltop. Open Apr–Sep: 10:30am–5:30pm main commercial port until
Visitors can reach the castle via daily; Mar & Oct: 11am–4pm daily. 1893, when the railway arrived
two staircases along the cliffside. & = ø ∑ nationaltrust.org.uk at Camelford. In its heyday, it
was visited by up to 200 ships
a year, mostly from Bristol and
King Arthur Wales, but some from as far
Historians think the legendary away as Canada. It was the only
figure of King Arthur was probably safe harbour for 64 km (40 miles)
inspired by a Romano-British or more, though navigating
chieftain or warrior who led British the small inlet, especially in a
resistance to the Saxon invasion storm, was so hazardous that
of the 6th century (see p34). ships had to be towed in by
Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History 8-man “hobbler” rowing boats.
of the Kings of Britain (1139) is Once the ships were docked,
the source of many legends
connected with him – how he goods were carried by teams
became king by removing the of horses up the steep village
sword Excalibur from a stone, his street to the main road.
final battle with the treacherous By the harbour is the Museum
A painting showing King Arthur in Mordred, and the story of the of Witchcraft and Magic, the
conversation with court dignitaries Knights of the Round Table. UK’s largest public collection
of items related to the occult.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp178–9 and pp190–91

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