Designed to complement the castle’s indoor exhibition, the new outdoor interpretation invites visitors to explore the 18 acre site in a new way. A series of panels reveal 1500 years of Tintagel’s past – from royal stronghold, to thriving trading port, to a castle of romantic legend.

A highlight of the new interpretation is Gallos (meaning power in Cornish) a bronze sculpture inspired by the legend of King Arthur, by the historic kings and royal figures associated with Tintagel. Created by artist Rubin Eynon, this eight foot figure of a king watches over his realm, the land ahead of him, the Atlantic sea beyond.

Elsewhere a stone compass points to places across the British Isles connected with the Arthurian legend while engraved stepping stones around the island garden tell the medieval tale of Tristan and Iseult. On the beach, close to Merlin’s Cave, a discreet carved face represents Merlin, a figure associated with the site since the 12th century and immortalised by the poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Crafted from bronze, slate and stone, the materials used to create the sculptures also reflect Tintagel’s industrial past.

Jeremy Ashbee, English Heritage’s Head Curator, said: “With our exhibition and with this new interpretation, visitors to Tintagel can now get a complete overview of its history – from the artefacts discovered there to the legends associated with it.

“You cannot understand Tintagel’s history without understanding how the legends shaped it. Our new interpretation explains this and places these legends within the context of Tintagel’s overall history and significance.

“Our different sculptures complement this massive and rugged landscape and give hints to how Tintagel’s stories have both shaped it and have attracted people over the centuries. We can’t wait for people to visit and to see it for themselves.”

Tintagel Castle has a unique story, where archaeology, history and legend are intertwined – all of which are explored on site. During the 5th and 6th centuries, it was an important royal stronghold of the kingdom of Dumnonia. The several thousand pieces of exotic Mediterranean pottery found at Tintagel (some of which are on display in the exhibition) suggest its role as a thriving trading port and high status settlement – economically it was one of the most important sites in the whole of Britain, importing luxury goods from North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

This settlement, believed to have been a seat of Cornish kings, may have inspired early legends about the site, becoming the setting for the love story of Tristan and Iseult and for Geoffrey of Monmouth’s 12th-century description of the conception of King Arthur. These legends in turn led Richard, Earl of Cornwall to choose this location as the site of his medieval castle in the 1230s. Much later, after a revival of interest in the Victorian period, writers, artists and tourists were inspired by Arthurian stories to visit the dramatic ruins.

Visitors will be able to experience the new outdoor interpretation at Tintagel Castle from Friday 29 April 2016.

About the Artists

Rubin Eynon – all bronze elements including ‘Gallos’, a sculpture inspired by both the legend of King Arthur and Tintagel’s royal history

An experienced artist based in Neath, South Wales, Rubin specialises in site specific bronze sculpture inspired by historic settings. Previous commissions have included work at St. David’s Bishops Palace and Caerphilly Castle. The centrepiece of Rubin’s work at Tintagel is the sculpture ‘Gallos’ – which took six months to design, sculpt and cast in bronze.

Peter Graham – Sculpture of Merlin at the entrance to ‘Merlin’s Cave’

Peter Graham is an artist based in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, who creates carvings and hand cut signs to commission for historic and contemporary settings. He is an expert in historic stone carving, and worked on the face of Merlin on location at Tintagel.

Architectural Stone - stonework around the site including all new interpretation plinths, the compass, and ‘Tristan and Iseult’ story stepping stones.

Architectural Stone is part of the MS-Group of companies, whose stonemasonry tradition dates back as far as 1821. At Tintagel they have used traditional techniques and local slate to create plinths for the new interpretation panels, crafted the engraved story stones which can be seen in the island garden, and worked in collaboration with Rubin Eynon to produce the Arthurian compass.

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic monuments, buildings and sites – from world famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, from Roman forts on the edges of empire to Cold War bunkers. With English Heritage’s new freedom as a charity, its ability to engage with millions of people is now greatly strengthened. A major programme of investment in its properties is under way and a priority is to deliver inspirational projects of the highest quality that capture the public’s imagination.

In Cornwall English Heritage looks after 17 historic sites and is committed to presenting the Cornish language, history and culture at those sites, including Tintagel Castle. The charity has worked with the Cornish Language Partnership to include the Cornish language throughout the new interpretation, the exhibition, and signage at Tintagel.

Tintagel Castle, dramatically situated on a windswept Cornish headland, is one of the most spectacular historic sites in Britain. It is also one of the most legendary, linked with the tales of King Arthur since the Middle Ages. The remains of the 13th-century castle, built in the 1230s and 1240s by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, brother of Henry III, stand among the remains of a much earlier Dark Age settlement where high-status leaders may have lived and traded with far off shores, importing exotic goods and trading tin. Today it is one of Cornwall’s most iconic historic attractions – annually welcoming 200,000 visitors each year.