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Though it has been proven to be an imitation of the legendary table around which King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table congregated, this table hanging in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle itself dates back to late medieval times.

Constructed from English oak dates in the later years of the 13th century, the round tabletop hangs in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle, built under Henry III. Considered one of the finest surviving aisled halls of the 13th century, the Great Hall is all that remains of the medieval castle originally constructed for William the Conqueror in 1067.

The round table is believed to have been made in about 1290, for a "Round Table" tournament (festival) near Winchester held to celebrate the betrothal of one of Edward I's daughters.

The tabletop measures 5.5 meters in diameter and weighs 1,200 kg. Though originally a table standing on legs, it has been displayed hanging on the west wall since 1873, when it was moved from the east wall where it had hung prior to that time (since at least 1540, and possibly since 1348).

The artwork you see on the table today dates to the reign of Henry VIII who had the table painted with the Tudor Rose at its center. The outer design is thought to portray Henry as King Arthur on his throne, surrounded by 24 places, each bearing the name of one of the legendary Knights of the Round Table.

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Though it has been proven to be an imitation of the legendary table around which King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table congregated, this table hanging in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle itself dates back to late medieval times.

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Dozmary Pool is a legendary body of water located on Bodmin Moor.

In 1951, the pool received a designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but its historical importance stretches back much further than that.

Local legend holds that Dozmary Pool is where the Lady of the Lake from many Arthurian tales could be found. Most notably, the legends suggested that it was here that King Arthur was granted the sword Excalibur. The legends may outlast the lake itself, however. Long supposed to be bottomless, the lake is now only a few feet deep and sometimes dries up completely.

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Dozmary Pool is a legendary body of water located on Bodmin Moor. In 1951, the pool received a designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but its historical importance stretches back much further than that. Local legend holds that Dozmary Pool is where the Lady of the Lake from many Arthurian tales could be found.

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Dozmary Pool is associated with many legends. It is suspected of being the body of water into which Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur after King Arthur was mortally wounded. The pool is also said to be a haunt of the Lady of the Lake, guardian of Excalibur. It is also said to be bottomless and to have a tunnel connecting it to the sea.

Dozmary pool the name of which means 'drop of sea', dried up in the year 1869 quashing any notions of truth to the legend. Neolithic arrowheads were found in the dried pools bed.

The site is also linked with local legends of Jan Tregeagle who was charged with emptying the pool with a broken limpet shell.

Directions: The pool is reached off a minor road from the A30 near the Jamaica Inn from Bolventor.

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Skip to content Dozmary Pool is associated with many legends. It is suspected of being the body of water into which Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur after King Arthur was mortally wounded. The pool is also said to be a haunt of the Lady of the Lake, guardian of Excalibur.

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Along the wild northern coast of Cornwall, Tintagel Castle is where history meets legend - combining the ruins of a Dark Age castle with the mythical stories of King Arthur. All of which comes with a dramatic setting on one of the UK's most spectacular stretches of coastline. Legend has it that this was where Arthur was conceived. His father Uther Pendragon was besotted with the Duke of Cornwall's wife Ingraine. So when he heard the duke had been killed, Pendragon got Merlin to use his magic and disguise him as the duke. Ingraine thought he was her husband so she slept with him and Arthur was conceived. And in an impressive bit of forgiveness, when she learned the truth she agreed to marry Pendragon anyway.

Read more: The Eden Project: Cornwall's Garden of Eden

Away from the world of Arthur and back among the historical evidence, the castle ruins at Tintagel date back to the 13th century, but Tintagel's history goes a lot further back than that. The site was first used as a Roman military outpost, then in the fifth and sixth centuries it was a summer residence for Cornwall's Celtic royalty. The coastal location meant it grew into an important port on a vast trade network to the Byzantine empire. This meant the kings had access to all sorts of exotic luxuries, and the remains of olive oil jars, Mediterranean pottery and Andalucían glass have all been discovered around the castle.

When the Celtic kings left, Tintagel was left to revert to nature. That's until Geoffrey of Monmouth published his book, History of the Kings of Britain, in the 12th century. A kind of historical fantasy novel, it introduced the story of King Arthur's magical conception in Tintagel. From then on the legend was born and Tintagel became famous across Europe. So when Richard, Earl of Cornwall, wanted to build a new castle in 1233, he decided that Tintagel's Arthurian and Cornish royal connections made it the perfect spot. Its heyday didn't last long though and by 1330 it was being used as a temporary prison and grazing land for sheep.

But a few centuries later fame was thrust upon Tintagel again - this time it was Alfred Lord Tennyson's poems that revived interest in the legends of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. That and the arrival of the railways in Cornwall brought an explosion of visitors to the site, and they keep on coming. In summer now the site can see over 3000 visitors a day - with plenty of Arthur-themed family activities. But on a sunny early spring day the paths were quiet and there was plenty of space to roam around.

Part of what makes Tintagel so special is its location. It's almost an island, just joined onto the mainland by a narrow neck of land. You can see how it made such a good location for a fortress. You need a decent head for heights as to get to the top you climb across over a wooden bridge and up a steep flight of stairs cut into the side of the rocky cliff. And from there you can look down onto the sea way below, and the waves crashing onto the rocks with the full force of the Atlantic behind them. With the jagged Cornish coastline stretching off into the distance on each side of the island it's a breathtaking place.

Not much of the castle is still standing - best preserved is the Great Hall with its arched doorway and slit windows. Low stone walls also show where houses, kilns and a chapel once stood. But Tintagel has plenty of secrets still to discover. Excavations only started in the 1930s and it wasn't until fire broke out and burnt away the headland's covering of heather that artefacts started to be found. There's been a stream of pottery, carvings and coins from the Iron Age to the medieval period. But less than 10% of the site's been excavated so far so who knows what else there's still to find - who knows, maybe Arthur left his mark after all?

The details

Tintagel Castle is open from 10am-6pm from March to September and until 5pm in October. The rest of the year it's open 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday only, except during February half-term. Entry costs £8.40 for adults, £7.60 for students/over 60s and £5 for children aged 5-15. Or it's free if you're an English Heritage member - annual membership gets you entry to 400 sites across the country and costs £54 per adult or £96 for joint membership, and you can get three months free if you sign up by Direct Debit.

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Tintagel Castle: King Arthur's Legendary Cornwall - On the Luce travel blog

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Along the wild northern coast of Cornwall, Tintagel Castle is where history meets legend - combining the ruins of a Dark Age castle with the mythical stories of King Arthur. All of which comes with a dramatic setting on one of the UK's most spectacular stretches of coastline.

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Description

Aerial view of Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) viewed from the east. The Welsh name translated means the island in the currents and we can see that the swirling currents can be seen in the Bardsey Sound in the foreground. The island has a long and interesting history. The English name Bardsey comes from Viking times and means the island of bards. In Medieval times it was a place of pilgrimage for the devout and three pilgrimages to Bardsey was equivelent to one to Rome. Taken 26 June 2005.

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Aerial view of Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) viewed from the east. The Welsh name translated means the island in the currents and we can see that the swirling currents can be seen in the Bardsey Sound in the foreground. The island has a long and interesting history.

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Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) travel | Wales - Lonely Planet

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Explore Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. | This mysterious island, 2 miles long and 2 miles off the tip of the Llŷn, is a magical place. In fact, it's one of many candidates for the Isle of Ava­lon from the Arthurian legends.

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Fact or fiction, the story of King Arthur continues to capture the world's imagination. With the release of a new movie, we list the places in the UK where key events may (or may not) have taken place

1: The Round Table, Winchester

Round Table in Winchester (Dreamstime)

A wedding gift from Guinevere's father, King Leodagan of Carmelide, the Round Table is an icon of the Arthur Legend, as beloved as Camelot and the Holy Grail. Big enough to seat 150 knights, it was where Arthur plotted and celebrated with the men that served him.

Today, a considerably smaller version of the Round Table hangs from a wall in the Great Hall in Winchester. It only has room for Arthur and 24 of his knights, and thoughtfully allocates a name to each slot to discourage unseemly squabbles about who sat where.

Commissioned by Edward I in 1290, and decorated with a Tudor Rose by Henry VIII, the table is still substantial, 20 feet in diametre and weighing in at a massive 2,600 pounds. It's one of the most popular tourist spots in Winchester.

2: Dozmary Pool, Cornwall

Dozmary Pool. Lady of the Lake not shown. (Dreamstime)

A small lake in the middle of the desolate Bodmin Moor, Dozmary Pool is thought to be the home of the Lady of the Lake, the ethereal, raven-haired woman who bestowed Excalibur upon Arthur, the legendary sword that gave him his powers. It is also where Sir Bedivere returned the sword after Arthur's death.

Today, the lake and the area around it has been designated an Area of Outstanding Beauty and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Archaeologists have found traces of Neolithic artefacts on the shores and indications of pagan worship.

No signs of an ancient sword or a mythological lady have been discovered, however, casting doubt on Sir Bedivere's story that a 'hand of a woman reached out of the lake and caught the sword' when he threw it back in. It is now a popular spot for wintering birds and migrating wildfowl.

3: Tintagel Castle, Cornwall

Ruins of Tintagel Castle (Dreamstime)

According to legend, Tintagel Castle is not only where King Arthur was born, but also where he was conceived, after Merlin performed a bit of shapeshifting trickery to get Arthur's Dad, Uther Pendragon, into the bed chamber of Igraine, who was the love of his life but sadly wed to another man, the Duke of Cornwall.

Set dramatically on a peninsula on Tintagel Island, the remains of the castle certainly look like they belong in an Arthurian legend. Built on the site of a more ancient castle by Richard, Earl of Cornwall in the 1230s, it held no military or strategic purpose and was inspired by the Arthurian legend alone. A 3D model of the headland demonstrates how the site has developed through time.

4: Cadbury Castle, Somerset

View from Cadbury Castle in Somerset (Dreamstime)

One of a handful of sites around the UK claiming to have been Camelot, Cadbury Castle in can at least lay claim to have been the stronghold of a warrior king called Arthur, sometime around the 6 th Century. Whether it was the King Arthur of legend remains unclear.

What is known is that the 18-acre hill fort was occupied on and off from the time it was constructed during the Iron Age. It fell pretty quickly to the Romans, before being extensively renovated in 400 AD.

Located five miles north-east of Yeovil, modern day visitors can seek out Arthur's hunting causeway and the obligatory King Arthur's Well. Be warned: King Arthur and his knights are said to be sleeping in a cave under the castle, and every seven years, on Midsummer's Day, they ride out across the land at night.

5: Amesbury Abbey, Wiltshire

Church of St Mary and St Melor, Amesbury (Creative Commons: Matthew Black)

Amesbury is the oldest occupied settlement in Britain and, if legend is to be believed, the place where Guinevere retreated to a convent after Arthur died. According to Thomas Malory, author of Le Morte d'Arthur, she pursued a life of fasting, prayer and penance, receiving the occasional visit from Lancelot but otherwise living a pure and solitary life. Upon her death, Lancelot took her body to Glastonbury and buried her beside Arthur.

Today, the former Benedictine Abbey survives as the Church of St Mary and St Melor, a stout church in the heart of rural Wiltshire. Be aware that a nearby stately home has taken upon the name Amesbury Abbey and operates as a nursing home for the old and frail, some of whom may or may not believe they are Queen Guinevere.

6: Glastonbury Abbey and Tor, Somerset

Chalice Well (Dreamstime)

Set on an ancient ley line and pungent with patchouli oil, Glastonbury has long been a stronghold of mysticism and spirituality. It should come as no surprise then that it is also rumoured to be the final resting place of King Arthur and his beloved Guinevere.

After being mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlann, Arthur was taken to the healers of the Isle of Avalon (Glastonbury Tor, if legend is to be believed.) Their efforts to save him were in vain and he was buried on the south side of the Lady Chapel at Glastonbury Abbey, conveniently located at the bottom of the hill. When Guinevere died years later, she was interned next to him.

Today, a small plaque marks the spot amongst the atmospheric remains of the abbey. After paying your respects, make sure you pop next door to the Chalice Well gardens, where the waters run rust red, purportedly because that's where the Holy Grail is buried. Drinking the water from the well is said to have restorative effects.

7: Dinas Emrys, Gwynedd, Wales

Dinas Emrys, from Pennant's A Tour In Wales, 1778 (National Library of Wales)

This rocky and wooded hillock near Beddgelert in Gwynedd in north-west Wales might not look much today, but it has certainly played an important part in both Arthurian Legend and Welsh history. It is here that Merlin, Arthur's best friend and supernaturally gifted ally, was born and where two particularly combative dragons, one white, one red, lived. Upon Merlin's birth, the dragons fought. The red dragon won and was adapted as the national symbol of Wales.

Today, all that remains is base of a stone tower built after the death of Owain Gwynedd in the late 12th century. It is a pleasant walk, rising some 250 feet above the Glaslyn River valley, where visitors will be rewarded with spectacular views over the southern end of Llyn Dinas in Snowdonia.
Guy Ritchie's film Main image: Charlie Hunnam as King Arthur (Daniel Smith) King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, opens in cinemas across the UK on May 19, 2017.

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7 best places in the UK to uncover the legend of King Arthur

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Fact or fiction, the story of King Arthur continues to capture the world's imagination. With the release of a new movie, we list the places in the UK where key events may (or may not) have taken place Round Table in Winchester (Dreamstime) A wedding gift from Guinevere's father, King Leodagan of Carmelide, the Round Table is an icon of the Arthur Legend, as beloved as Camelot and the Holy Grail.

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Legends of King Arthur swirl about Glastonbury like a tantalizing fog from the nearby Somerset marshes. The nearby hill fort at South Cadbury has long been suggested as the location for Camelot. Indeed, excavations of South Cadbury suggest that it was in use during the early 6th century, which is the likeliest era for the real Arthur to have lived.

The association of Arthur and Glastonbury goes back at least to the early Middle Ages. In the late 12th century the monks of Glastonbury Abbey announced that they had found the grave of Arthur and Guinivere, his queen. According to the monks, an excavation found a stone inscribed "Here lies Arthur, king." Below the stone they found the bones of a large man, and the smaller skeleton of a woman. The monks reburied the bones in the grounds of the abbey, where they were a very handy draw for pilgrims. The site of the grave can be seen today in the abbey grounds.

Glastonbury Tor, the enigmatic conical hill that rises above Glastonbury, has been linked with the Isle of Avalon, where King Arthur was buried after his death. This isn't so farfetched as it may sound, for a millennium ago the water level was much higher, and the tor would indeed have been an island. Avalon was also called "the isle of glass" which does suggest similarities to the name "Glastonbury".

The Holy Grail, the object of Arthur's questing, is said to be buried beneath Glastonbury Tor, and has also been linked to Chalice Well at the base of the Tor.

One final myth of Arthur at Glastonbury: the landscape around Glastonbury is said to have been moulded and shaped so that the features (such as roads, churches, and burial mounds) create a zodiac calendar replete with Arthurian symbology. Like so many of the Arthurian myths, so much is open to interpretation and your own predisposition to believe or disbelieve.

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Legends of King Arthur swirl about Glastonbury like a tantalizing fog from the nearby Somerset marshes. The nearby hill fort at South Cadbury has long been suggested as the location for Camelot. Indeed, excavations of South Cadbury suggest that it was in use during the early 6th century, which is the likeliest era for the real Arthur to have lived.

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Glastonbury Tor is a mysterious place and surrounded by myth and legend.

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