Tintagel

Tintagel is an English castle, currently in ruins, located near the village of Tintagel in Conrwall.

History

In Arthurian legend, Tintagel is best known as the site of Arthur Pendragon's conception. Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, became obsessed with Igraine, the wife of Duke Gorlois of Cornwall. Aware of Uther's feelings for his wife, Gorlois declared war on Uther and locked Igraine away in Tintagel. With the help of Merlin, Uther gained entrance to Tintagel disguised as Gorlois and spent the night with Igraine. Whether Igraine herself is fooled by Uther's disguise or she takes him to her bed knowing who he really is varies with the different tellings of the tale. Gorlois was killed in battle shortly afterwards, freeing Uther to marry Igraine. In some versions of the story, Arhur is both concieved and born at Tintagel.

The facts of Arthur's parentage and conception have not yet been revealed, so it is impossible to say which - if any - of the tales surrounding Tintagel are accurate.

Tintagel is one of the places that Arthur and Griff visit in their search for Merlin. There is a cave at the base of the cliffs Tintagel stands on known as "Merlin's Cave," which is probably the reason Arthur and Griff thought they might find the wizard there. Arthur has stated that he and Griff already searched for Merlin in every place that seemed a possibility to them before heading to Knight's Spur, so it is unclear whether the pair has already been to Tintagel or will seek Merlin there at some future date.

Real-World Background

Archaeologists believe that Tintagel was originally a Roman fort built during the third or fourth century. After the departure of the Romans, the site was home to a Celtic fortress. The actual castle was not built until 1233 by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. Richard had the castle built in an older style to help associate it with the legends of Arthur and the Cornish kings in hopes of winning favor with the people of Cornwall. Subsequent earls had little interest in the castle and allowed it to fall into ruin. The Victorian era saw a renewed interest in the tales of King Arthur, turning Tintagel from a forgotten ruin into a popular tourist destination.

Tintagel also has a special significance in the production history Gargoyles. The ruined castle and its cliff-side location served as the inspiration for Castle Wyvern.

See also

• Tintagel at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia