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HER Number:23165.51
Name:TINTAGEL - Early Medieval harbour, Post Medieval harbour

Summary

The Haven, a natural harbour and centre of industry.

Grid Reference:SX 0513 8905
Parish:Tintagel, North Cornwall, Cornwall
Map:Show location on Streetmap

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

  • National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 10612.1.46
  • Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 23165.51
  • SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX08NE 2.10

Monument Type(s):

  • HARBOUR (Early Medieval - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • HARBOUR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

The iron gate at Tintagel is the gap in the wall of probable C14 date that led down to the presumed wharf for the loading and unloading of ships. The jambs, arch and arrow slits in the wall are made of greenstone, and the gateway is supposed to have been closed by an iron gate (b8). The iron gate has always been assumed to be a defence against invasion from the wharf at the foot of the cliffs, and Grenville in 1583 states that there was always five fathoms of water even at low tide for ships to ride in, and that it was accesible in all but north westerly weather (b3, b4). The presence of various rock cut features near the water may indicate the former positions of hoists and derricks; the most prominent of these a rock platform at SX 05189 89116, south of a set of rock cut steps.. It is also likely that this was the site of the harbour used in the early medieval period, and that while the basic parts of the harbour are extant, it is difficult to identify due to erosion, quarrying and mining activity (b15).
During the C19 the Haven was used for three industrial activities; mining, quarrying and fishing. The galena mine (42581), was fed by a large water pipe which took water from the valley to provide power via a wheel, and a staged timber walkway allowed miners to reach the level way above the high-tide mark. A slate quarry was situated on the island above the beach and the harbour was used to import and export slates from here and surrounding quarries (b21).
The monument was included in the Schedule on 9/10/1981 and the scheduling updated on 18/11/1996. The iron gate wall is clearly visible on aerial photographs (p5-6) and was plotted during thhe Cornwall NMP.

--------------------------------
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, 1979, SX0488/1/27-8 (Photographic Record). SCO16661.

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

NMR, 1979, SX0489/7/39-40 (Photographic Record). SCO16663.

<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.

<21> Craze, N, 2003, Tintagel Regeneration Project, Cornwall. Archaeological Assessment (Cornwall Event Report). SCO676.

Sources / Further Reading

[p1]SCO15479 - Photographic Record: OSP. 1973. 73 / 005 / 235 - 6.
[1]SCO3862 - Bibliographic reference: Leland, J. 1535. The Itinerary of John Leland.
[2]SCO3044 - Bibliographic reference: Carew, R. 1969. The Survey of Cornwall 1602. 191.
[p2]SCO9317 - Photographic Record: CUC. 19. AX 32 - 4, 36.
[3]SCO5049 - Article in Journal: Wilkinson, JJ. 1871. Tintagel Castle. JRIC. 3. VOL 3, 231.
[p3]SCO9331 - Photographic Record: JAT. 19. CORNFILM 2/23A,26A,28A,29A.
[p4]SCO18009 - Photographic Record: CAU. 1989. VARIOUS.
[4]SCO6437 - Unedited Source: WHITLEY, HM. 1885. NOTES ON GRENVILLE'S PLOT OF TINTAGEL CASTLE.
[p5]SCO16661 - Photographic Record: NMR. 1979. SX0488/1/27-8. ABP.
[5]SCO4050 - Cartographic materials: Ordnance Survey. 1900s. 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map.
[p6]SCO16663 - Photographic Record: NMR. 1979. SX0489/7/39-40. ABP.
[6]SCO5143 - Article in Journal: Radford, CAR. 1935. Tintagel, Castle and Monastery. Antiquaries Journal, The. 15. VOL 15, 4, 415.
[7]SCO4045 - Cartographic materials: Ordnance Survey. 1970s. 1:10,000 OS Map.
[8]SCO4214 - Bibliographic reference: Radford, CAR. 1935. Tintagel Castle (DOE Guide).
[9]SCO4597 - Bibliographic reference: Thomas, AC. 1981. A Provisional List of Imported Pottery from Post Roman Western Britain & Ireland.
[10]SCO2926 - Article in Journal: Browse, RG. 1982. Tintagel Castle. Cornish Archaeology. 21. VOL 21, 189-190.
[11]SCO4640 - Bibliographic reference: Thomas, AC. 1984. Tintagel Site Report. Copy At CAU. 25/5/1984.
[12]SCO8852 - Unedited Source: THOMAS, AC. 1986. TINTAGEL CASTLE (ENGLISH HERITAGE GUIDE BOOK).
[14]SCO5116 - Cornwall Event Report: Hartgroves, S & Walker, R. 1989. Excavations in the Lower Ward, Tintagel Castle, 1986 (Cornish Studies No.16, 1988). Cornish Studies (JICS) Vol 16. VOL 16, 9-30.
[15]SCO4627 - Article in Journal: Thomas, AC. 1988. Minor Sites at Tintagel Island. Cornish Studies. 16. VOL 16, 49-60.
[16]SCO4600 - Article in Journal: Thomas, AC. 1988. Cau Excavations at Tintagel Island in 1988. Cornish Studies. 16. VOL 16, 49-60.
[17]SCO5135 - Article in Journal: Padel, OJ. 1988. Tintagel in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. Cornish Studies. 16. VOL 16, 61-66.
[18]SCO4040 - Article in Journal: O'Mahoney, C. 1988. Medieval Pottery from Tintagel: a Summary. Cornish Studies. 16. VOL 16, 67-68.
[19]SCO4717 - Article in Journal: Thorpe, C. 1988. Incised Pictorial Slates at Tintagel. Cornish Studies. 16. VOL 16, 69-78.
[20]SCO8919 - Unedited Source: THOMAS, AC. 1989. LECTURE TO CAS, 20 JAN 1989.
[21]SCO676 - Cornwall Event Report: Craze, N. 2003. Tintagel Regeneration Project, Cornwall. Archaeological Assessment.

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records

23165Part of: TINTAGEL - Romano British settlement, Early Medieval settlement, Medieval settlement (Monument)