EVIDENCE of the Roman occupation of Great Britain exists in the Tintagel area in North Cornwall, where an inscribed stone can be seen at St Materiana’s Church.

In the 19th century, the slate stone featured as a coffin rest at a stile at the east entrance to the churchyard. Carrying a Latin inscription, the stone is said to date from when Licinius was the Roman Emperor between 308AD and 324AD. Experts say it has been called a Roman milestone but is more likely to have been a sign of Roman authority.

Another Roman stone was discovered in 1919 at Trethevey to the east of Tintagel where it had been reused as a gatepost. The granite stone, dedicated to the joint emperors Gallus and Volusianus and now with the heritage protection of a grade II* listed building, is said to date from 251AD to 253AD.

An inscribed stone from the Roman era can be seen at St Materiana’s Church at Tintagel in Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
An inscribed stone from the Roman era can be seen at St Materiana’s Church at Tintagel in Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

South of St Materiana’s Church, on a prominent coastal ridge looking over Dunderhole Point, is a circular Bronze Age burial site. Another such site is located at the top of the hill of Condolden in the parish. The hill is among the highest in the county, outside of Bodmin Moor. Nearby, at Waterpit Down, is an early medieval wayside cross shaft. This stone, according to Historic England, could have been put up on the route of an older Roman road.

The coast south of Tintagel was extensively quarried for slate used in roofing in the past. The sea in the area can appear turquoise-green in colour, this being caused by the presence of copper in the rock and sand on the coast.

Today, the intricate coastal landscape of the Tintagel area, featuring headlands, bays, caves, arches, stacks and blowholes, is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

*Andrew Townsend is a journalist and writer. He further explores the county in the travel book, Cornwall Favourites For One And All!: A Quick Guide To Good Places To Visit Across The County, which is available in print and as an ebook. More details on Andrew’s books and ebooks can be found via this link to his author page on Amazon - https://bit.ly/AndrewTownsendAuthor

Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as an ebook on Amazon.
Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as a book and an ebook on Amazon. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)