A FORMER ‘keeper of the keys’ of Tintagel Castle has been commemorated with a headstone to give her a fitting memorial.

Florence Nightingale-Richards was the keeper of the keys, or custodian, of Tintagel Castle, and held the role for over 70 years!

Introduced to the role at the age of 12 by her father, Edwin Richards, in 1869, Florence would greet visitors as they came and went, and would later be given the responsibility of leading historical tours around the site.

Florence would retire at the age of 82, in 1939, and died in Launceston in 1949, buried up until now in an unmarked grave at St Materiana’s Church in Tintagel.

In 2017, two Tintagel ladies — Lynda Aldridge and Kathy Hipperson — were keen to commemorate Florence with a fitting tribute, and began to raise money to have a headstone made to mark her burial.

At the beginning of 2018, this was achieved, and a small gathering of supporters came together on Tuesday, May 29 to honour Florence and her new headstone, which was placed in the churchyard.