Tintagel Castle Merlin carving sparks 'Disneyfication' row

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**reds8n**

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-35837271

A rock carving of Merlin at a coastal cave reputedly linked to the legend of King Arthur has been branded a "Disneyfication" of the site.
English Heritage, which commissioned the artwork, has been accused of "commercialising" Tintagel Castle, the rumoured birthplace of King Arthur.
Cornwall councillor Bert Biscoe has written to the charity to complain about the "comic-book face".
It said the carving would help visitors understand the history of the site.
'Cornwall not Disneyland'
The work sits at the mouth of the so-called Merlin's Cave, where it is said the wizard took Arthur as a baby to keep him safe.
In his letter, independent councillor Mr Biscoe also complained about a proposed 8ft (2.45m) model of an Arthurian knight which is set to be bolted into rocks near the castle.

"This is one of the most heavily designated pieces of landscape and archaeology in Britain," he said.
"If we start carving comic book characters into the geology, where do we stop? This is not Disneyland, it's Cornwall."
The carving was finished in February by local craftsman Peter Graham.
English Heritage said plans for its "outdoor interpretation scheme" received planning permission last year, and include plans for "several artistic installations inspired by the legends of Merlin, King Arthur and Tristan and Iseult".
"These legends have all had a profound impact on shaping Tintagel, and will help visitors to understand how the site grew and developed over the centuries," it said.

...hmm... yeah.

Bit unsure about this overall.

More than happy to do things to help areas like that, gotta keep those tourists coming and it is a beautiful area.

.. And -- generally -- I dig it when mankind does big ass sculptures/similar like this. I'd quite pro more statues and monuments and things -- makes things much more interesting and characterful.

.. But then again there is a time and a place, and of course a style, and I'm not quite sure this fits or is deserving.

edit : it's not really that large or impressive really is it ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12159673/English-Heritage-accused-of-vandalism-after-Merlin-scuplture-at-Tintagel-Castle-causes-outrage.html

**jhe90**

Hmm, it does serve a purpose to try and bring sites history to life..

**Kilkrazy**

I quite like the Merlin Face. It seems to fit into the landscape, and plays into the Merlin part of the Arthurian legend in which Nimue eventually imprisoned Merlin in a cave. I'm not happy about the idea of an 8 foot Knight statue.

However perhaps it's best to leave these monumental places in their natural state, apart from necessary maintenance. Build an Arthur/Merlin theme park somwhere else where you don't have to change the existing landscape.

Alternatively, create a smartphone virtual reality app for modern young people to be able to think they are seeng knights and stuff. As an old fart, it seems to me that there is a fine line between exciting interactive learning opportunities and dumbed down theme park features.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

When I saw the face and thought it was huge I was prepared to be appauled,

but scrolling down and seeing how big it really is, shrug

and an 8ft knight does seem a bit odd, not big enough to be really impressive, but to big to be realistic

**Smacks**

The place is already a bit of a tourist trap anyway, with souvenir shops, ticket booths, and railings everywhere. I think a lot of people from abroad are drawn by the Arthur myth (which is apocryphal at best). Personally, I thought Tintagel was a bit rubbish: you pay £7.50 to get in, and then it's just an old wall... Not that I have anything against old walls, but for £7.50 I actually expect some goddamned Disney!

**Silent Puffin?**

jhe90 wrote:
Hmm, it does serve a purpose to try and bring sites history to life..

What history would that be?

**jmurph**

I am not a big fan of such permanent alterations to historical sites as they irreparably damage the structure. Fortunately its small.

**AndrewGPaul**

Kilkrazy wrote:
I quite like the Merlin Face. It seems to fit into the landscape, and plays into the Merlin part of the Arthurian legend in which Nimue eventually imprisoned Merlin in a cave. I'm not happy about the idea of an 8 foot Knight statue.

However perhaps it's best to leave these monumental places in their natural state, apart from necessary maintenance. Build an Arthur/Merlin theme park somwhere else where you don't have to change the existing landscape.

Alternatively, create a smartphone virtual reality app for modern young people to be able to think they are seeng knights and stuff. As an old fart, it seems to me that there is a fine line between exciting interactive learning opportunities and dumbed down theme park features.

What is their "natural state"? The way they look now? It's a ruin, so it's already vastly changed from what the builders intended.

The castle itself was built after the legends of Arthur began to spread. It's as much of a deliberate exploitation of myth as this new carving is.

It's just more history, really. Give it a few centuries and it'll be pointed out as an example of how we interpreted the older myths around the location, and adapted it to our culture.

**Kilkrazy**

It's an equally valid expression of modern culture to decide not to disneyfy the site by adding a knight statue.

**Chongara**

Silent Puffin? wrote:
jhe90 wrote:
Hmm, it does serve a purpose to try and bring sites history to life..

What history would that be?

The literary variety, I imagine.

I can get not wanting to modify the site, I don't get the "comic book" character angle in the complaints. It's not like the character is a modern invention or anything, nor him being like an old guy with a beard. The carving here seems roughly in line with depictions of the character that date back 100s of years. I mean it's not universal sure but I think you could probably point to this carving and go "Yo. That's Merlin" to folks back in the day and they wouldn't say whatever their equivalent of "You crazy dawg" was, but instead "Yeah. That sure looks like a Merlin carving"

**kronk**

It's not my land, so I can't say if it's right or wrong, but it doesn't bother me.

**Iron_Captain**

If it is that small, I don't really have an issue with it. Overall, I am in favour of preserving Tintagel in as much of an original state as is possible. It is a really neat place.

**George Spiggott**

It's not even a proper castle, just a castle shaped building.

**Kilkrazy**

Tintagel Castle is the ruins of a castle built by Richard, Duke of Cornwall in the mid 13th century. It's as real a as Corfe, or Sherborne old castle, both of which are ruinous (Corfe having been slighted after the Civil War.)

The Merlin face is at the Merlin's Cave, which is down on the beach below the castle.

**George Spiggott**

Kilkrazy wrote:
Tintagel Castle is the ruins of a castle built by Richard, Duke of Cornwall in the mid 13th century. It's as real a as Corfe, or Sherborne old castle, both of which are ruinous (Corfe having been slighted after the Civil War.)

It's not the ruinous state it's that it's effectively a manor house in the shape of a castle. It doesn't have proper defensive walls. It's more like Sherborne Castle than Sherborne Old Castle.

**Kilkrazy**

I checked Tintagel in a couple of my castle books.

It's not included in Observer's Book of Castles (Brian K Davison) however Discovering Castles in England and Wales (John Kinross) has this about Tintagel:

The site of King Arthur's legendary castle on the edge of the cliff, the ruins today are of the great hall, probably built in 1145 by Reginald, Earl of Cornwall, Henry III's brother. Richard [Earl of Cornwall] added an outer ward connected by drawbridge to the island ward. It also had a fortified landing stage.

These outworks have been lost in the passage of time, leaving only the hall that looks like a manor house.

**LordofHats**

Criticizing a site as a manor house in the shape of a castle is kind of silly. All castles were essentially manor houses. Just bigger and often with fortified defenses of earth, wood, and stone.