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The Guardian
09-05-2025
- The Guardian
See the stuff of legend: explore England's epic history this summer
You don't have to go far to be transported to a different world; England is bursting with incredible, whacky, haunting and majestic sights that have made history, inspired legends and spurred stories for thousands of years. What's more, English Heritage has made this history accessible for everyone, with interactive exhibitions, informative tours, children's activities and period performances. Here are seven of the best if you want your summer to be an epic one. While there are numerous debates about what this iconic circle of giant stones means (is it a 4,000-year-old burial site, religious monument, astronomical tool or a combination of all three?), what everyone agrees upon is that standing in its presence is an awe-inspiring, spine-tingling experience – not to mention a great photo opportunity. Located high up on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire, this Unesco world heritage site is a feat of engineering, and the nearby exhibition sets you the impossible task of moving a mighty sarsen stone yourself or, the slightly more doable one of stepping into a Neolithic village and experiencing what life was like then. A visit to Tintagel Castle is not for the faint-hearted; the fortress straddles a precipitous headland (known as the Island) and the north Cornwall mainland, and is connected via a footbridge that takes you above the craggy outcrops and crashing waves below. Of course, Tintagel is all about bravery, having been – according to the 12th-century historian Geoffrey of Monmouth anyway – the place where King Arthur was conceived. When the tide is out, you can follow in the footsteps of the young king and explore the mystical Merlin's Cave or head on to the peninsula and pay homage to his legend at the stunning bronze sculpture of Gallos. Built by King Henry II to defend the short stretch of sea between England and France, Dover Castle, or 'England's mightiest castle', has seen pomp, pageantry and its fair share of plotting over the years. But its role in recent history is probably its most impactful; it was beneath the 12th-century castle, in a series of gloomy tunnels and communications rooms, that Operation Dynamo, AKA the Dunkirk evacuation, was masterminded in 1940. Today, visitors can tour these secret wartime tunnels, before stepping back into the light – and medieval times – to watch a nail-biting joust, take part in an adventure quest or enjoy the castle-themed play area. It's not often that you get to go 'behind the scenes' when it comes to the British monarchy, but Osborne offers a unique glimpse into what Queen Victoria and her family got up to when they weren't running an empire. Children and adults alike will be enamoured by the Swiss Cottage, an Alpine-style chalet where the nine royal children created their own private world, trying their hand at everything from growing vegetables to making bread, in interiors built at three-quarter scale to suit their size. Elsewhere, visitors can take a look at a bathroom (and bathtub) fit for a queen in Victoria's personal dressing room and see the bedroom where she died, aged 81, in January 1901. Despite its name, Hadrian's Wall is so much more than a 73-mile stone structure built by the Romans to mark the northern frontier at that point. See what all the fuss is about at Housesteads Roman fort in Hexham, Northumberland. Here, kids can find out what the Romans did for us by dressing up in traditional garb, handling replicas of Roman objects and exploring the interactive exhibition. Meanwhile, in the Corbridge Roman town, you'll discover they weren't so different to us as you walk along a real second-century high street, where they shopped for everything from bread to weaponry. OK, perhaps there were a few differences. Whitby Abbey will send a chill down your spine – and it's not just because the 13th-century ruins are perched up high on the windy East Cliff. It was here in the seaside North Yorkshire town, in the summer of 1890, while on a week-long holiday, that Bram Stoker conceived Dracula. Nowadays, a trip here is like stepping into his gothic horror story. Like Dracula (who was in the guise of a large dog), you can plod up the infamous 199 steps or search for his victims among the abbey's graves. There are also plenty of seasonal activities to sink your teeth into, including the ever-popular interactive summer performances – if you're daring enough. In between marrying, divorcing and beheading wives, Henry VIII built St Mawes Castle, in Cornwall, a 16th-century fortress, to protect Falmouth from invasion. To really appreciate its majesty and clover-leaf shape, the castle is best approached by sea from Falmouth – and visitors can take their pick, arriving via the foot ferry or car ferry. Those of a gory persuasion will not be disappointed – there are murder holes under the arch as soon as you enter the guardhouse and a deep hole, or 'oubliette' where prisoners and unruly soldiers were kept. For cannons as impressive as the views, head to the landscaped gardens where a saluting battery of guns points out to sea, warning uninvited guests to stay away. Approached by a causeway, the tidal island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland is heavily connected to Christianity in Britain. Irish monks settled here in AD 635, but it was the arrival of Cuthbert in the 670s who really put it on the map – a monk-bishop who went on to become the most important saint in northern England in the middle ages. He died in 687 and when his tomb at the priory was opened 11 years later, his remains hadn't decayed. Thus began the cult of Cuthbert. Yet it could do little to stop a major Viking raid in 793, an attack on this sacred heart of Christianity that destroyed his church, with plunder and slaughter. The ninth-century Doomesday stone, uncovered here, features a carving of seven warriors brandishing battle axes and swords on one side, and proves that Christianity survived the Viking onslaught. You'll be able to see the stone if you visit the ruins of the 12th-century priory church, as well as St Cuthbert's Isle, used by Cuthbert as a retreat, and accessible at low tide. English Heritage is for everyone and has something for everybody – so find your special place today
The Guardian
03-05-2025
- The Guardian
The makings of a legend: how did Tintagel Castle become the place where King Arthur was said to have been conceived?
Before Camelot and the Round Table, there was Tintagel. This now-ruined island fortress, first built during the fifth and seventh centuries, is a castle of two halves. It straddles the north Cornwall mainland and 'the island of Tyntagel' or headland, whose causeway disappeared between the 14th and 17th centuries. The fortress's two parts are now connected by a spectacular new 70-metre long footbridge, high above the sea, that was opened by English Heritage in 2019. Although there's some evidence of Roman occupation, it was in about AD500 that Tintagel really prospered. A community grew up, trading tin with the Mediterranean world, and fragments of pottery and extensive ruins suggest that this was an intensive period of occupation. For some unexplained reason, activity seems to have suddenly died out and, for the next 500 years, the headland was abandoned to the elements. Today, Tintagel Castle is managed by English Heritage. With winding paths, dramatic views and haunting ruins, it's a must-see part of any Cornish trip – particularly for kids, who are sure to find themselves enraptured by the castle's connection to England's most enduring legendary figure – King Arthur. That we think we know so much is down to the 12th-century historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, who wrote that this was the place King Arthur was conceived in the fifth century. The legend goes that the ancient British king Uther Pendragon fell in love with Ygerna, the wife of a baron, Gorlois of Cornwall. Sensing something was afoot, Gorlois removed his wife to Tintagel but then, rather imprudently, headed off to another fortress nearby, assuming that Tintagel's remote location and fortifications would be enough to protect his wife and her honour. In his absence, Uther called on the magic of Merlin to transform himself into the likeness of Gorlois and seduced Ygerna who then conceived Arthur, and we all know the story from there. Without a doubt, Geoffrey of Monmouth was inspired by Tintagel's stunning position, but Cornish folklore and the fortress's position as a stronghold for the region's rulers, also played their part in giving this place legendary status. Whatever the origins, when Geoffrey of Monmouth linked Tintagel to King Arthur, it transformed the castle's fortunes. For one thing, it's the reason that, in 1233, the younger brother of Henry III, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, swapped three large Cornish manors for this small parcel of virtually useless land on the Cornish coast. Apart from a land bridge that connected the island to the mainland, there was very little to recommend this inhospitable headland. But location is everything and, over the next eight years, Richard built a castle, consisting of an outer bailey on the clifftops of the mainland and a great hall and chambers on the headland. To further enhance Tintagel's impressive credentials, Richard added a medieval walled garden, possibly in reference to the story of the adulterous affair between Tristan and Isolde, the wife of Tristan's uncle, King Mark of Cornwall. While this story had separate origins, it's become entwined in Arthurian legend too, with much of it taking place at Tintagel, the stronghold of King Mark. Richard wasn't just showing off about his home's illustrious history for the sake of it, though; it's likely that Tintagel's association with King Arthur helped him keep the locals, who had a tendency to be independent, in check. He wasn't even the only member of his family to employ such a tactic; his nephew Edward I later had a round table made at Winchester, seized the 'Crown of Arthur' from Welsh princes and rebuilt what was allegedly the tomb of Arthur and Guinevere at Somerset's Glastonbury Abbey. The Tintagel Castle of today allows visitors to immerse themselves in this legend of King Arthur. When the tide's out, kids can enjoy the small sandy beach and explore the eerie Merlin's Cave, where the magician was said to have worked his magic. Up above, on the rugged island, is the brooding bronze Gallos sculpture depicting a regal figure clutching a sword. Meaning 'power' in Cornish, the artwork was inspired by the Arthurian legend. The new footbridge makes it easy for visitors to brave the journey across to the headland but in case you still want a bit of a thrill, there's a 4cm gap in the centre between two cantilevers where you can glimpse the crashing waves below. You can often spot seals swimming in the water, coastal birds sheltering from the wind and see waterfalls cascading into the sea from the cliffs above. Tintagel is a truly magical place, whether you believe in the legend of King Arthur or not. Visit Tintagel and soak up the atmosphere in this place steeped in myths and legends. When in Cornwall, you can also visit Pendennis and St Mawes castles, both of which have holiday cottages you can stay in.
