Tintagel is a coastal promontory site on the north Cornish coast, occupied intensively in the 5th–7th centuries AD as a high-status secular settlement, almost certainly a seasonal stronghold or royal centre of the rulers of Dumnonia. Over a hundred rectilinear stone-footed structures are scattered across the island and adjoining mainland headland, alongside the later 12th–13th century castle of the earls of Cornwall built by Reginald and Richard, and the medieval parish church of St Materiana on the mainland cliff.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
Tintagel is the most important post-Roman secular site in Britain, marked by an exceptional concentration of imported Mediterranean and Gaulish pottery and glass — Phocaean Red Slip Ware, African Red Slip, Late Roman amphorae (LR1, LR2) and B-ware — testifying to long-distance trade with the eastern Mediterranean and direct contact with the post-Roman elite of Dumnonia. The site's later association with King Arthur through Geoffrey of Monmouth (12th century) is legendary rather than historical, but the archaeology genuinely confirms it as a place of extraordinary wealth and power in the sub-Roman period.
Excavations by Radford in the 1930s (initially misinterpreted as a Celtic monastery), by Burnham and Thomas, and most recently by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit/
Tintagel is a coastal promontory site on the north Cornish coast, occupied intensively in the 5th–7th centuries AD as a high-status secular settlement, almost certainly a seasonal stronghold or royal centre of the rulers of Dumnonia. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a settlement site from the Roman period in Britain.
Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland is classified as a Roman settlement — a civilian site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Later Prehistoric to Roman round 500m NE of West Carne Farm (16.8 km), Nanstallon (22 km), Later prehistoric to Romano-British multiple enclosure fort and prehistoric round barrow, 350m south east of Bogee Farm (24.2 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
Aubrey Research generates detailed historical reports for any location in Britain, incorporating Roman heritage, Domesday Book records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and much more. Enter a nearby address to begin.
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on Roman heritage, Domesday records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Romano-British and early medieval settlement, medieval church, castle and associated features on Tintagel Island and adjoining mainland