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Summary - not yet available

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 1060.1
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 23165.53

Monument Type(s):

• TUNNEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

A rock-cut tunnel on the north west of the plateau on Tintagel island is noted by Leland in 1540 (b1). Facing directly seawards, it was revealed by a fall in the roof and recorded by Radford, but its function and date are unknown. It is not associated with mining and was probably not inteded to be hidden (h1, b8). The floor slopes rapidly downwards following the strata, and the sides arch rapidly inwards and are 1.5M wide and 1.5M high. Small crevices in the upper parts of the side - walls may have taken the ends of short beams from which foodstuffs could have been suspended, and a draught which blows through almost all the time, suggest a possible use as a cold store for food. The tunnel was cut using metal tools and Thomas dates the feature to the thirteenth century (b8, b15). It is visible on aerial photographs (p1-5). The monument was included in the Schedule on 9/10/1981 and the scheduling updated on 18/11/1996.

--------------------------------
Site history:
2: 1976. QUINNELL, NV / OS
3: 1976. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
5: 1982. DARK, K / UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD
7: 1984. RCHME
8: 1985. PRESTON JONES, A AND HARTGROVES, S / CAU
10: 1986. THOMAS, C / RCHME
12: 1988. THORPE, C / CAU
--------------------------------

<1> Leland, J, 1535, The Itinerary of John Leland (Bibliographic reference). SCO3862.

OSP, 1973, 73 / 005 / 235 - 6 (Photographic Record). SCO15479.

CUC, 19, AX 32 - 4, 36 (Photographic Record). SCO9317.

<2> Carew, R, 1969, The Survey of Cornwall 1602, 191 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3044.

<3> Wilkinson, JJ, 1871, Tintagel Castle, VOL 3, 231 (Article in Journal). SCO5049.

JAT, 19, CORNFILM 2/23A,26A,28A,29A (Photographic Record). SCO9331.

<4> WHITLEY, HM, 1885, NOTES ON GRENVILLE'S PLOT OF TINTAGEL CASTLE (Unedited Source). SCO6437.

CAU, 1989, VARIOUS (Photographic Record). SCO18009.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

NMR, 1999, SX0489/31-3 (Photographic Record). SCO18812.

<6> Radford, CAR, 1935, Tintagel, Castle and Monastery, VOL 15, 4, 415 (Article in Journal). SCO5143.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<8> Radford, CAR, 1935, Tintagel Castle (DOE Guide) (Bibliographic reference). SCO4214.

<9> Thomas, AC, 1981, A Provisional List of Imported Pottery from Post Roman Western Britain & Ireland (Bibliographic reference). SCO4597.

<10> Browse, RG, 1982, Tintagel Castle, VOL 21, 189-190 (Article in Journal). SCO2926.

<11> Thomas, AC, 1984, Tintagel Site Report, 25/5/1984 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4640.

<12> THOMAS, AC, 1986, TINTAGEL CASTLE (ENGLISH HERITAGE GUIDE BOOK) (Unedited Source). SCO8852.

<14> Hartgroves, S & Walker, R, 1989, Excavations in the Lower Ward, Tintagel Castle, 1986 (Cornish Studies No.16, 1988), VOL 16, 9-30 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO5116.

<15> Thomas, AC, 1988, Minor Sites at Tintagel Island, VOL 16, 49-60 (Article in Journal). SCO4627.

<16> Thomas, AC, 1988, Cau Excavations at Tintagel Island in 1988, VOL 16, 49-60 (Article in Journal). SCO4600.

<17> Padel, OJ, 1988, Tintagel in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries, VOL 16, 61-66 (Article in Journal). SCO5135.

<18> O'Mahoney, C, 1988, Medieval Pottery from Tintagel: a Summary, VOL 16, 67-68 (Article in Journal). SCO4040.

<19> Thorpe, C, 1988, Incised Pictorial Slates at Tintagel, VOL 16, 69-78 (Article in Journal). SCO4717.

<20> THOMAS, AC, 1989, LECTURE TO CAS, 20 JAN 1989 (Unedited Source). SCO8919.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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