A visit to Tintagel is a visit to King Arthur. Well, a visit to learn all about the legend of the king and his Knights of the Round Table, at least. And while the castle is the must-see spot, there are also other historical locations that are worth tapping up. One of these locations is King Arthur’s Great Halls in Fore Street.
You don’t need long at the halls. There’s hardly a wealth of rooms to explore here. But it’s nevertheless well worth a visit because what you do get is visually enthralling. From the outside, it just looks like a grey granite building with a slate roof but inside, it’s beautiful. In fact, it’s the only intact building in the world dedicated to Arthurian legend, as it was built in the 1930s with the exact intention of promoting the stories attached to the king and his knights.
King Arthur’s Great Halls opened in 1933 and has since seen more than two million people pass through its doors. It’s been featured in many TV programmes and films too, plus there was actually an Order of the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table that was based at the halls in the early 1930s which was revived in 1993. Four Masonic organisations also use the halls. Inside, it contains a round table and granite thrones that are surrounded by 72 stained glass windows, each telling the tale of King Arthur and his knights. This is the largest collection in the world of stained glass panels that depict Arthurian legend and were made in the 20th century.
There’s also a laser show with narration by famous actor Robert Powell for visitors and tours are available. And there’s a wedding service for those who love atmospheric medieval surrounds on their big day. There’s a gift shop too that stocks plenty of books and souvenirs based on the Arthurian legends. All in all, these halls add a little extra to any visitor’s legendary day out in Tintagel.