Tintagel, Cornwall<\/h3>\n ![\""TINTAGEL,\"]( "\\"\"New\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> A carving of Merlin\u2019s face at Tintagel Castle on the peninsula of Tintagel Island, North Cornwall, is\u00a0 inspired by the legend of King Arthur.\/Credit: Photo by Matt Cardy\/Getty Images.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Arthurian legend, Tintagel<\/a> is the home of Igraine, a descendent of Joseph of Arimathea. She is married to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. King Uther Pendragon sees Igraine at a feast and resolves to have her for himself. While Uther\u2019s troops battle those of Gorlois at Dameliock (now associated with the Iron Age hillfort, the Tregeare Rounds), Merlin transforms Uther to make him look like the Duke. He goes to the sea-cradled castle and Igraine sleeps with him, believing him to be her husband. As a result of this deception, she gives birth to the future King Arthur.<\/p>\n You may also like:<\/p>\n
- Guide to King Arthur: history of the legend and best places to visit to follow his trail<\/a><\/li>\n
- Podcast: Finding King Arthur\u2019s Britain in the modern countryside<\/a><\/li>\n
- Day out: Tintagel Castle, Cornwall<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
Tintagel castle.\/Getty<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/div>
![\""Tintagel\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/GettyImages-984795392-a3e0426-scaled.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Tintagel\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Stonehenge, Wiltshire<\/h3>\n ![\""Stonehenge\"]( "\\"\"Stonehenge\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Stonehenge at sunset, Wiltshire, England\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nMedieval visitors to Stonehenge would have had no notion of Neolithic man. Instead, they thought it to be a memorial to British nobles massacred by the Saxons under Hengist and the burial place of Aurelius Ambrosius, a 5th century leader of the Britons, and Uther Pendragon, King Arthur\u2019s uncle and father. Medieval visitors would have thought the stones had come from Africa, via Ireland, and that the last part of their journey was engineered by the young Merlin.<\/p>\n You may also like:<\/p>\n
- Winter solstice 2022: when it is, how to celebrate and best sunset spots in the UK<\/a><\/li>\n
- Guide to Neolithic Britain: when was the Neolithic period, history and best sites to visit<\/a><\/li>\n
- Druids guide: who they are and what do they believe in?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Wayland\u2019s Smithy, Oxfordshire<\/h3>\n ![\""Burial\"]( "\\"\"Burial\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Burial Barrow at Waylands Smithy. Near Uffington. Oxfordshire\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThis dark-mouthed prehistoric barrow in the Berkshire Downs has borne the name of a legendary Germanic goldsmith since at least the 10th century; it appears in a charter as \u2018Welandes Smi\u00f0\u00f0an\u2019. According to Old Norse and Old English sources, an evil king cut the goldsmith\u2019s hamstrings and imprisoned him on an island, making him work for free. Before escaping on wings crafted from the feathers of the island\u2019s birds, he killed the king\u2019s two sons and drugged and raped his daughter, Beadohild. Back in the 10th century, the barrow must have fascinated its first Germanic visitors, the Saxons, with whom this afflicted, menacing character had migrated.<\/p>\n
Dinas Emrys, Snowdonia<\/h3>\n ![\""River\"]( "\\"\"Glaslyn\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Glaslyn river running through Beddgelert valley in the heart of Snowdonia National Park\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThis small, wooded hill in Snowdonia has a pool and medieval ruin at its summit. It is where a legendary usurper called Vortigern attempted to build a tower to protect himself from the rightful British king and invading Saxons, but each night it crumbled. The solution, imparted the child Merlin, was to demolish the tower and drain a pool that lay beneath it. The receding waters revealed a white dragon attacking a red dragon, which Merlin interpreted as an omen of the injuries to be borne by the Britons at the hands of the Saxons.<\/p>\n
The River Ness, Inverness<\/h3>\n ![\""Ness\"]( "\\"\"Ness\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Ness River \u2013 Ness Islands \u2013 Inverness \u2013 Scotland \u2013 United Kingdom.\/credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nAccording to Admon\u00e1n (died 704 CE), the pebble-bedded River Ness is the site of a miracle performed by St Columba, who crossed Scotland to convert the Picts. A water monster had killed a local man and his body lay on the opposite bank. One of Columba\u2019s followers dived into the river to fetch a boat by which they would cross and tend to the deceased. When the monster attacked him, Columba repelled it by means of a prayer.<\/p>\n More related content:<\/p>\n
- Scotland\u2019s great historic sites<\/a><\/li>\n
- British myths and legends: history and best haunted sites to visit<\/a><\/li>\n
- Guide to Scotland\u2019s great trails: history and best walks<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
Loch Ness. \u00a9 Getty<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/div>
![\""Loch\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/09\/lochnessgetty-555b59a.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"lochnessgetty\"\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>The River Severn<\/h3>\n ![\""Bridge\"]( "\\"\"Severn-Bridge\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Sunset behind the Severn Bridge.\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nEver wondered how this ancient waterway got its name? Ancient legend tells us that for seven years, King Locrin \u2013 son of Britain\u2019s founding father, Brutus \u2013 had held a woman called Estrildis in London\u2019s caves. When Queen Gwendolen, daughter of Corineus the giant-slayer, discovered the affair and the birth of a daughter, whose name was Sabrina, she gathered troops and killed Locrin. Then she had Estrildis and Sabrina drowned in the tidal waters of a river. Thenceforth, the river was named the Severn, after the little girl.<\/p>\n
Amy Jeff\u2019s latest book Storyland: a new mythology of Britain<\/em>\u00a0is out now.<\/p>\n
![\""TINTAGEL,\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2022\/02\/GettyImages-525916504-b85faea.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"New\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Arthurian legend, Tintagel<\/a> is the home of Igraine, a descendent of Joseph of Arimathea. She is married to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. King Uther Pendragon sees Igraine at a feast and resolves to have her for himself. While Uther\u2019s troops battle those of Gorlois at Dameliock (now associated with the Iron Age hillfort, the Tregeare Rounds), Merlin transforms Uther to make him look like the Duke. He goes to the sea-cradled castle and Igraine sleeps with him, believing him to be her husband. As a result of this deception, she gives birth to the future King Arthur.<\/p>\n You may also like:<\/p>\n Tintagel castle.\/Getty<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Medieval visitors to Stonehenge would have had no notion of Neolithic man. Instead, they thought it to be a memorial to British nobles massacred by the Saxons under Hengist and the burial place of Aurelius Ambrosius, a 5th century leader of the Britons, and Uther Pendragon, King Arthur\u2019s uncle and father. Medieval visitors would have thought the stones had come from Africa, via Ireland, and that the last part of their journey was engineered by the young Merlin.<\/p>\n You may also like:<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> This dark-mouthed prehistoric barrow in the Berkshire Downs has borne the name of a legendary Germanic goldsmith since at least the 10th century; it appears in a charter as \u2018Welandes Smi\u00f0\u00f0an\u2019. According to Old Norse and Old English sources, an evil king cut the goldsmith\u2019s hamstrings and imprisoned him on an island, making him work for free. Before escaping on wings crafted from the feathers of the island\u2019s birds, he killed the king\u2019s two sons and drugged and raped his daughter, Beadohild. Back in the 10th century, the barrow must have fascinated its first Germanic visitors, the Saxons, with whom this afflicted, menacing character had migrated.<\/p>\n This small, wooded hill in Snowdonia has a pool and medieval ruin at its summit. It is where a legendary usurper called Vortigern attempted to build a tower to protect himself from the rightful British king and invading Saxons, but each night it crumbled. The solution, imparted the child Merlin, was to demolish the tower and drain a pool that lay beneath it. The receding waters revealed a white dragon attacking a red dragon, which Merlin interpreted as an omen of the injuries to be borne by the Britons at the hands of the Saxons.<\/p>\n According to Admon\u00e1n (died 704 CE), the pebble-bedded River Ness is the site of a miracle performed by St Columba, who crossed Scotland to convert the Picts. A water monster had killed a local man and his body lay on the opposite bank. One of Columba\u2019s followers dived into the river to fetch a boat by which they would cross and tend to the deceased. When the monster attacked him, Columba repelled it by means of a prayer.<\/p>\n More related content:<\/p>\n Loch Ness. \u00a9 Getty<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Ever wondered how this ancient waterway got its name? Ancient legend tells us that for seven years, King Locrin \u2013 son of Britain\u2019s founding father, Brutus \u2013 had held a woman called Estrildis in London\u2019s caves. When Queen Gwendolen, daughter of Corineus the giant-slayer, discovered the affair and the birth of a daughter, whose name was Sabrina, she gathered troops and killed Locrin. Then she had Estrildis and Sabrina drowned in the tidal waters of a river. Thenceforth, the river was named the Severn, after the little girl.<\/p>\n Amy Jeff\u2019s latest book Storyland: a new mythology of Britain<\/em>\u00a0is out now.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Stonehenge, Wiltshire<\/h3>\n
![\""Stonehenge\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-491580658-1940a16.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C435"\" "\\"\"Stonehenge\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Wayland\u2019s Smithy, Oxfordshire<\/h3>\n
![\""Burial\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2014\/02\/burial-chamber-560ea16.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C465"\" "\\"\"Burial\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Dinas Emrys, Snowdonia<\/h3>\n
![\""River\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2021\/06\/Glaslyn-river-running-through-Beddgelert-valley-in-the-heart-of-Smowdonia-National-Park-bdac430.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Glaslyn\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>The River Ness, Inverness<\/h3>\n
![\""Ness\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2022\/02\/River_Ness_Inverness-272db22.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"Ness\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>The River Severn<\/h3>\n
![\""Bridge\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/12\/Severn-Bridge-9acf453.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"Severn-Bridge\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>