King
Arthur's Great Halls, a
magnificent building which houses the Round Table associated with King Arthur
and his Knights. The Hall has a very tasteful 'Show' of the story of Arthur
and the building itself is certainly worth a visit. The stones used for the building
came from many quarries all over Cornwall and the 73 stained glass windows are awe
inspiring. The windows are the work of one lady, a Miss Whall, whose father's
work is found in many Cornish churches. There are no doors in the hall and
it has a corridor running around it. The main part of the building was built in the 1930s by Mr.
Glasscock,
who was a partner in the old firm of Monk & Glass Custard Powder. The other partner
was a relation of Bob Monkhouse, the comedian. Mr. Glasscock, built the hall as
the headquarters of a movement known as the Fellowship of the Knights of the
Round Table.
The beautiful old building was originally a Fourteenth-Century Manor House
and was later the local Post Office in Tintagel. The Old Post Office has
been owned by the National Trust since 1903 and in 2003 celebrates it's
centenary. It is a rare survival of an early Plantaganent
Manor House. It was built in the mid 14th century when the Tintagel Castle belonged
to the Black Prince, (1330 - 1376). In 1551 the building and much of the adjoining
land was enfranchised in the Borough of Trevena-Bossiney (now Tintagel), by King
Edward VI (the boy king), in order to increase the power of the Crown of
Parliament. During the latter part of the reign of Queen Victoria, it was used
as a post office. It closed in about 1872 as a post office and became a tourist
attraction latterly.
The
magical, beautiful St Nectan's
Glen is a must for a visit when you come to Tintagel.
The
peace and mystery has to be enjoyed and experienced, this surely is close to
heaven?
The termination of the wonderful walk is the lovely St Nectan's Kieve.
The
Visitor Centre in the Cornwall Council car park was built in 1999.
Visitors can find out
much information about Tintagel and the centre itself is very interesting. Originally,
despite the need for a Visitors Centre, many locals thought the building to be
too modern for the village. Now it is gradually being accepted as a 'modern'
part of the village and no doubt in years to come, could also be a part of
Tintagel's attractions. E Mail: tintagelpc@btinternet.com
Tintagel
Castle is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and managed by English Heritage.
In
legend it was King Arthur's Castle fortress and was believed to have been
constructed around AD1140.
It was built by Earl Richard of Cornwall, the
youngest son of King John. The Castle ruins, after nearly eight centuries,
remains the property of Earl Richard's successor, the Duchy of Cornwall. The
castle is visited annually by over 200,000 visitors from all over the world
