The images on this page are taken from the 1903 edition of The Story of King Arthur & his Knights, written and illustrated by Howard Pyle
Of all the United Kingdom's many myths and legends, none is more famous or more enduring than those that surround King Arthur.
The story is so well-known and so complex (and conflicting - it all depends whose version you read) that we don't propose to repeat the whole thing on this site. What we will do is provide a brief synopsis of the Arthurian Legend, show you where to go for more information and then look specifically at Arthur's many connections with Cornwall.
King Arthur - the Quick and dirty version
Uther Pendragon, King of much of England, fell passionately and desperately in love with Ygerna (or Ygraine or Igraine), wife of Gorlois (or Gerlas), Duke of Cornwall. At an Easter feast that Uther arranges, he makes it more than clear to Ygerna that he means to have her. In a jealous rage, Gorlois takes his bride to the nearby fortified castle at Tintagel to keep her safe. It was said that three men, by virtue of Tintagel's design, could hold off an army. And it proved true. Uther laid siege to the castle but could not get in.
Therefore, with the aid of his trusty lieutenant Ulfius and his wizard/wise man Merlin (or Myrddin), Arthur is disguised (some versions claim by magic) as Gorlois and gains access to the castle and Ygerna's bed-chanber. Thus is Arthur conceived. (Note: In other versions, Gorlois is killed and Uther marries the widowed and unwilling Ygerna. They have two daughters, Margaise and Morgan le Fay before Arthur. As we said, it depends which version you read - we're not dealing with historical fact here!) Arthur's conception - according to his first chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth - would have been around 475AD. Whichever version you read, Gorlois is killed and Arthur takes Ygerna as his wife, thus legalising Arthur's birth and providing a royal heir.
Uther then dies - whether in retribution for his acts, or in battle - and Ygerna rejects the boy. He is then fostered to Merlin who educates him. And then to a knight, Sir Ector and his son Kay (or Prince Cadwy of Dunster), who teaches him the arts of war. In another version, it is Merlin who claims Arthur as 'his due' for having used his magic to aid Uther.
The rest, as they say, is pseudo-history … Arthur retrieves the sword from the stone ('Whomsoever pulls this sword from this stone is the true born king of England') … marries Guinivere … gets Excalibur (or Caliburn) from the Lady of the Lake … creates the Round Table … engages in a number of quests culminating in the search for the Holy Grail … the ongoing hatred of his nephew Mordred and sister Morgan le Fay … the last battle at Camlann …
As Michael Williams, editor and writer for Bossiney Books points out in his excellent co-authored (with Brenda Duxbury) King Arthur Country in Cornwall:
'When we think of Arthur, we do not think of just one character. In our mind's eye we see a whole theatre of people and places, themes and ideals. We can almost hear the clash of sword in battle. There alongside the King is Guinivere, his Queen, and his wise man Merlin. We see Camelot: royal mysterious Camelot. We see too Lancelot, pledged to noble aims but ... there is the round table., the magical sword Excalibur and a great deal more. The ifs and buts: the impossibility of it all, and yet the probability.'
But was Arthur a 'probability'? Did he exist? Paul Broadhurst, diligent researcher into Arthurian matters and the author of Tintagel and the Arthurian Mythos says:
"There is no doubt that there were many kings called Arthur and this has caused the confusion. Arthur is a Kingship title like Pharaoh or Caesar."
Arthur may be a title. Or he may be based upon Ambrosius Aurelianus, a Romanised Celtic warlord and son of the king of Dumnonia, who opposed the Saxon invasions. Or one of Ambrosius's commanders, called Artorius. (Note: Uther Pendragon succeeded to the throne upon Ambrosius's death).
King Arthur in Cornwall
Tintagel Castle
Tintagel Castle is an extraordinary sight for the first time visitor. Ancient stone walls seem to grow out of the very cliffs, and the headland - almost an island - has a fairytale feel about it, just like St Michaels Mount does.
Sadly, the present castle post-dates traditional dates for Arthur by many hundreds of years. It was built in the 12th century and was never the mediaeval castle of Mallory, Tennyson, Disney or even Monty Python. It was Richard, brother of Henry III, and not Arthur, who built Tintagel - the same king who built Restormel Castle near Lostwithiel. During the 1300s it belonged to the Black Prince, first royal Duke of Cornwall (which is why the Prince Regent is still titled Duke of Cornwall; currently Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall). It then became a prison for some time before a landfall widened the gap between headland and shore and the site was abandoned and left derelict in the 1500s.
Below the headland, you will find Merlin's Cave, a most uncomfortable place for the wizard to have lived as it floods twice daily!
Whatever your stance regarding the Arthurian myth, there is no getting away from the fact that Tintagel is a very special place; extraordinary, inspiring and beautiful.
However, if
you want the myth, a short walk from the castle will bring you to the Hall
of Chivalry, Thomas Glasscock's amazing folly, built in the 1930s. Here
you will find 73 stained glass windows, the Round Table, Arthur's throne and
paintings by Hatherill depicted Arthur's life. Go here
to see more. Or here.
Other Arthurian Sites in Cornwall
Arthur is everywhere in Cornwall. Almost any large rock formation not associated with Giants is associated with Arthur. For example, the Scilly Isles boast two islands called Great Arthur and Little Arthur. The Table Maen is where Arthur is said to have held a council of war.
St Nectan's Glen (also known as St Knighton's Keive), near Tintagel, is where knights were initiated into the order of the Round Table. His last battle is said to have been fought at Slaughterbridge, near Camelford, against his treacherous nephew Mordred. Sir Bedivere was sent to return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake at Dozmary Pool six miles away on the moor. And Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem has Arthur being carried down to the narrow harbour at Boscastle, to be carried onto the barge that was to take him to Avalon. It became a Cornish belief that one day Arthur would return to rescue them from bondage
Lyonesse
Lyonesse was a land said to extend from Lands End to where the Scilly Isles now lie. Some accounts place the Battle of Camlann here. It is also the birthplace of Tristan, the knight who loved the beautiful Isolde. It is perhaps one of the least known Arthur-related legends and one of the most tragic. It's certainly worth retelling it here.
A comprehensive list of locations with links to the Arthurian legend can be found here.
Good sites for information about Arthur and the myths surrounding him include:
Brittania.com (On-line encyclopaedia)
Lynette K Edsall's Camelot Site
Or you can meet the man himself (or his reincarnation - apparently) King Arthur Uther Pendragon:
