On the trail of King Arthur

Discover the English Heritage sites with a connection to the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table

Legend noun

a very old story or set of stories from ancient times, or stories, not always true, that people tell about a famous event or person

Cambridge English Dictionary

Land of legends

Many places around England have been associated with the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table. No-one really knows whether the stories about him were based on a real man, or whether he was just a fictional character.

In the 12th century, Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a book called The History of the Kings of Britain. It contains a story of King Arthur, and later versions of it became very popular. However, because Geoffrey’s book was a mixture of facts and things he made up, it’s difficult to be certain about which parts of the story he invented, and which were true – or even if any of it was true!

Whether or not King Arthur was a real person, there are lots of places with stories of this famous king and his knights that you can visit, so we’ve put together a mini trail of some of our favourites. You can explore these sites for yourself and find out more about them on our website.

As for King Arthur? We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you think the stories are fact or fiction!

A map of Britain with illustrations of a giant, knight, wizard, ship and monsters

King Arthur’s Round Table, Cumbria

This mysterious circular earthwork is between 3,000 and 4,000 years old. A few hundred years ago people started to link it with the legend of King Arthur and meetings of his knights at their round table. It’s also been suggested that jousts may have been held here.

Arthur's Round Table

Arthur's Round Table

Mitchell’s Fold Stone Circle, Shropshire

This prehistoric stone circle probably consisted of 30 upright stones (15 survive today). Local legend says it was here that Arthur drew his sword Excalibur from one of the stones, showing he was the rightful king. Another tale says that a witch was turned to stone here, and the circle of stones was built around her to stop her from escaping.

Mitchell's Fold Stone Circle

Mitchell's Fold Stone Circle

Arthur’s Stone, Herefordshire

This 5,000-year-old Neolithic burial chamber has been associated with King Arthur since the 13th century. According to legend, it was here that Arthur killed a fearsome giant, who left the impression of his elbows on one of the stones as he fell to his death. Another tale says that the giant fell backwards on to the large stone covering the monument, breaking it into two pieces.

Tintagel Castle, Cornwall

Tintagel was a stronghold of the rulers of Cornwall between the 5th and 7th centuries. In the 12th century, Geoffrey of Monmouth associated the site with the wizard Merlin and early events in the story of King Arthur. Inspired by these associations, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, built a fabulous new castle at Tintagel in the 13th century. It was a place of royal make-believe rather than warfare.

Earl Richard's castle may have looked a bit like this

Earl Richard's castle may have looked a bit like this

Stonehenge, Wiltshire

The construction of Stonehenge began in about 3000 BC. But according to the 12th-century writer Geoffrey of Monmouth, the stone circle was built in a single day in AD 485 on the orders of King Arthur. With the help of Merlin, the massive stones were moved from Ireland and rebuilt on Salisbury Plain as a memorial to the people who died at the hands of Anglo-Saxon invaders.

Trilithon stones at Stonehenge

Trilithon stones at Stonehenge

Dover Castle, Kent

For centuries, this fortress protected England from invasion. It was here that Arthur was believed to have defeated Mordred, his possible son, in a battle over who should be king. Sir Gawaine, Arthur’s greatest knight, was killed in the fight. In the 15th century, Gawaine’s skull was believed to be preserved in the castle’s chapel.