226 TINTAGEL CASTLE. 



nor force of handes can easelye seuer the one from the other." 

 Leland, in 1538, speaking of Tintagel, says : "This Castelle hath 

 bene a marvehis strong and notable forteres, and almost situ loci 

 inexpugnabile, especially for the dungeon that is on a great high 

 terrible cragge, environed with the se, but having a drawbridge 

 from the residew of the Castelle unto it. There is yet a chapel 

 standing witliyn this dungeon, of S. Ulette alias Ulianne. Shepe 

 now fede within the dungeon. The residew of the buildinges of 

 the Castel be sore wether-beten and yn ruine, but it hath beene a 

 large thinge." In another place he says — "The Castel had be 

 lykhod iij wardes, whereof ij be woren away with gulfying yn of 

 the se : withowte the isle renneth alonly a gate house, a walle, 

 and a fals braye dyged and walled. On the isle remayne old 

 walles, and yn the est parte of the same, the grownd beyng lower, 

 remayneth a walle embateled, and men alyve saw ther, yn a postern, 

 a dore of yren. There is in the isle a prety chapel, with a tumbe 

 on the left syde." " Halfe the buildings," says Carew (1602), " were 

 raised on the continent and the other halfe on an iland, continued 

 together (within mens remembrance) by a drawebridge, but now 

 diuorced by the downefaln steepe cliffes on the farther side ; which, 

 though it shut out the sea from his wonted recourse, hath yet 

 more strengthened the late iland ; for in passing thither you must 

 first descend with a dangerous declyning, and then make a worse 

 ascent, by a path, as euerie where narrow, so in many places, 

 through his sticklenesse occasioning, and through his steepnesse 

 threatning, the ruine of your life with the failing of your 

 foote. At the top two or three terrifying steps giue you en- 

 trance to the hill, which supplieth pasture for sheepe and conyes : 

 ujDon the same I saw a decayed chappell." " Under the iland runs 

 a caue, thorow which you may rowe at ful sea, but not without a 

 kinde of horrour at the uncouthnesse of the place." Norden, 

 (1584 or 5) describing the ascent to the island, says, "by a verie 

 narrow rocky e and wyndinge waye vp the steepe sea clyffe, vnder 

 which the sea wanes wallow, and so assayle the foundation of the 

 lie, as may astonish an unstable brayne to consider the perill, for 

 the leaste slipp of the foote sendes the whole bodye into the de- 

 uouringe sea ; and the worste of all is higheste of all, nere the 

 gate of entraunce into the hill, where the offensiue stones so ex- 

 posed hange ouer the head, as while a man respecteth his footinge 



