Find the nearest History & Heritage in Cornwall

Now in ruins Tintagel Castle is Cornwall’s most iconic site where the legend of King Arthur was born. A strong hold of the Earls of Cornwall, the castle was built in the 13th Century. Located on one of the most dramatic and windswept locations in Cornwall. You have a small exhibition and shop along with a cafe. You need to be energetic to visit the castle as you have to negotiate a hill down from the village and then up many steps, once at the top there is lots to explore. The path down from the village has a landrover service for a small charge.

The Tregiffian Burial Chamber is a Neolithic or early Bronze age chambered tomb. An entrance passage, lined with stone slabs, leads into a central chamber. It is a rare form of a passage grave, known as an Entrance grave. This type of burial chamber is also typical in the nearby Isles of Scilly.

Levant Mine and Beam Engine is part of Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site. Includes the only Cornish beam engine anywhere in the world that is still in steam at a tin and copper mine.

Saint Mawes Castle is among the best-preserved of Henry VIII’s coastal artillery fortresses. The castle was one of the chain of forts built between 1539 and 1545 to counter an invasion threat from Catholic France and Spain, it guarded the important anchorage of Carrick Roads, sharing the task with Pendennis Castle on the other side of the Fal estuary.

Mullion Cove Harbour is a working small protected harbour cmpleted in the 1890s. Whilst the village has a wonderful collection of shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants, and art galleries. In the centre of the village, the 15th century church of St Mellanus with its carved oak bench-ends depicting biblical scenes.

Dupath Well is a granite well-house of c. 1500 that stands over an ancient spring, that was believed to cure whooping cough. Built by the Augustinian canons of nearby St Germans priory, it houses the remains of an immersion pool for cure-seekers.

St Michael’s Mount, a rocky island crowned with medieval church and castle. One of England’s most famous and dramatic coastal attractions. The oldest surviving buildings date from the 12th century, when a Benedictine priory was founded here. Accessible on foot at low tide across a causeway, at other times it is reached by a short boat trip. The island is managed by the National Trust and includes cafe/restaurant and shop. The gardens have limited opening times as they can’t cope with the large amount of summer visitors, see the National Trust website for more information.

Godolphin was considered in the 17th century to be the most fashionable house in Cornwall. There are many fascinating walks on the estate, which includes Godolphin Hill and more than 400 recorded archaeological features.

Mount Edgcumbe House is the former home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe, first built in the 1500s. Set in Grade I Cornish Gardens within 865 acres Country Park.

Part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, impressive Cornish beam engines and industrial heritage discovery centre. This is a dramatic reminder of Cornwall’s mining heritage.

Chysauster Ancient Village, 2,000 year old Iron Age settlement. The village of stone-walled homesteads known as ‘courtyard houses’, found only on the Land’s End peninsula and the Isles of Scilly. The houses line a ‘village street’, and each had an open central courtyard surrounded by a number of thatched rooms. There are also the remains of an enigmatic ‘fogou’ underground passage.

Trerice House, an Elizabethan manor house built in 1570s. The house is well preserved with fine interiors whilst the garden includes orchards. Managed by the National Trust and the Barn restaurant offers morning coffee, freshly made lunches, a delicious selection of cakes.