A NEW exhibition at Tintagel Castle takes a fresh look at how fact and fiction have contributed to the history of this landmark.

The English Heritage exhibition explores the origins of Tintagel's links to the Arthurian legend, and how this inspired Richard, Earl of Cornwall, to build a castle on the rugged coastal spot in the 13th century.

Set in the castle's visitor centre, the exhibition features exhibits in the shape of oversized open books, offering an introduction to Tintagel Castle through the ages. Historic artefacts, an innovative 3D model of the island, and book sculptures representing the castle's literary fame, bring Tintagel's mysterious past to life.

The castle prospered in the 5th and 6th centuries as a royal stronghold and a thriving port — a key part of a vast international trade network — but it was in the 12th century that Tintagel rose to literary stardom. Scholar Geoffrey of Monmouth first linked Arthur with Tintagel in his History of the Kings of Britain, describing it as the island fortress where Arthur was conceived thanks to the magic of Merlin. The legend has been embellished by writers through the years. It is retold in Malory's Le Morte Darthur and Tennyson's Idylls of the King – which has been transformed into a beautiful book sculpture for the new exhibition.

As well as exploring the stories inspired by Tintagel, the exhibition looks at the developments of the landscape through time. The highlight of the exhibition is a new 3D model of the island, which shows it changing over 1,500 years of history.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.