Scheduled MonumentsEnglandRomano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland

Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland

England
List entry 1014793
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1014793
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
13.6 hectares
Grid reference
SX 04984 89124
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Tintagel Castle is a late medieval stronghold occupying a dramatic headland on the north Cornish coast, comprising substantial remains of a 13th-century castle built by the earls of Cornwall on a site with deep archaeological significance. The castle includes a hall complex, gatehouse, and ancillary buildings set within defensive walls on the island itself, connected to the mainland via a narrow ridge. Archaeological investigations have revealed evidence of earlier Romano-British and early medieval settlement on the site, including sixth-century structures that may represent high-status occupation, and a later medieval church dedicated to St Materiana situated on the mainland promontory. The dramatic topography, legendary Arthurian associations, and substantial remains of the castle together with evidence of pre-Norman occupation make Tintagel exceptionally important for understanding both medieval military architecture and the transition from Roman to post-Roman settlement patterns in south-western Britain.

Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1014793. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland?

Tintagel Castle is a late medieval stronghold occupying a dramatic headland on the north Cornish coast, comprising substantial remains of a 13th-century castle built by the earls of Cornwall on a site with deep archaeological significance. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1014793.

Who is responsible for protecting Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland?

Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1014793.

What other scheduled monuments are near Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Round called Castle Goff (7.1 km), The Castle Goff Stone and Valley Truckle Cross in St Julitta's churchyard (7.6 km), Three wayside crosses in St Julitta's churchyard (7.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland

Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland stands on Upper Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Late Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.