UK castle linked with legendary King Arthur at risk of crumbling into sea


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

An English castle believed to be where King Arthur was conceived could be lost forever as climate change quickens the pace of coastal erosion.

Tintagel Castle, perched on top of the clifftops of North Cornwall, is one of several English Heritage sites at risk from rising seas.

The body says the rate of land loss over recent years is “alarming,” placing many of its coastal properties in jeopardy.

It has now launched a major fund-raising drive to shore up the sites it manages.

"Erosion along England's coastline is nothing new but the rate of land loss that we have seen over the past few years is alarming, and some scenarios indicate that sea levels could increase by up to a metre by the end of the century,” said Rob Woodside, director of estates at English Heritage.

"To give this some context, last century sea levels rose by 14cm along the southern coast of England.

"Climate change is accelerating the issues faced by our coastal heritage and creating huge challenges for organisations like English Heritage seeking to protect it."

The site of Tintagel Castle has been inhabited since the late Roman period but it came to fame in the 12th century, when chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth named it was the place where King Arthur was conceived.

His mythological account of the history of the kings of Britain, Historia Regum Britanniae, cemented King Arthur, and Tintagel's, place in the national imagination.

The legendary king is said to have led a knightly fellowship called the Round Table. Although historians cannot confirm he actually existed, many believe he was a real warrior from the sixth century who led British armies against Saxon invaders.

It is believed the association with King Arthur prompted Richard, Earl of Cornwall, to build a castle at Tintagel in the 1230s.

The site has long-since battled with erosion, with parts of the castle already falling into the sea by the 14th century.

The 14th-century Piel Castle, which is also at risk, is located on a rapidly eroding low-lying island about a kilometre from the coast of Morecambe Bay. PA
The 14th-century Piel Castle, which is also at risk, is located on a rapidly eroding low-lying island about a kilometre from the coast of Morecambe Bay. PA

But English Heritage said areas of the cliff directly in front of the castle had been lost, affecting the viewing area and the coastal path.

It aims to raise £40,000 to repair the damage and that caused by last winter's storms.

Tintagel Castle is not the only castle vulnerable to coastal erosion. Others include Bayard's Cove Fort near Dartmouth in Devon, which was built in Tudor times and is vulnerable to flooding because it is located on a terrace cut from the rocky river bank.

The Garrison Walls, an English Heritage property on the island of St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly is another at risk.

The walls, which were built to strengthen the island's defences after the attempted invasion by the Spanish Armada, have "pinch points" which take the full force of the tide and make them vulnerable to erosion.

Several fortresses built by Henry VIII are also in peril. A huge section of the 18th century east wing of Hurst Castle in Hampshire collapsed in February 2021 after the sea undercut its foundations.

Calshot Castle, another of Henry VIII's fortifications located close by, is battling erosion, and its low lying site puts it at risk from flooding as sea levels rise.

Piel Castle, which dates back to the 14th century, is located on a rapidly eroding low-lying island around half a mile from the coast of Morecambe Bay.

Built to guard Barrow-in-Furness against pirates and Scots raiders, swathes of the surrounding island have already been lost, while some of the castle fell into the sea in the 19th century.

In recent years, English Heritage said the sea banks and modern gabion sea defences, loose stones shaped into blocks by wire cages, had been undermined by coastal erosion, costing at least £25,000 to repair.

Mr Woodside said hundreds of heritage sites in the UK and around the world are increasingly at risk.

"If these coastal properties are to survive the coming decades, we will need to strengthen their walls and build sea defences to protect them. It is for this reason that we are launching a public appeal to raise funds for this vital conservation work," he said.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The five pillars of Islam
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Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.

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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

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Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez(subject to fitness), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain      

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

The studios taking part (so far)
  1. Punch
  2. Vogue Fitness 
  3. Sweat
  4. Bodytree Studio
  5. The Hot House
  6. The Room
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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SPECS

Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman

Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 306hp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

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if you go

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Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.

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Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.

The tour

Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg

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Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
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Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Ticket prices

General admission Dh295 (under-three free)

Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free

Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets

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6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m

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8.15pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m

9.50pm: Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m

9.25pm: Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Updated: September 23, 2022, 12:04 PM`