Novel set in Overijssel 1961
Talking Location With Sam Davey – TINTAGEL
21st May 2025
#TalkingLocationWith … Sam Davey, author of The Chosen Queen: the mystery and magic of TINTAGEL, Cornwall.
The Chosen Queen
is a bold feminist reimagining of Arthurian legend that gives the women who shaped the kingdom of Camelot the recognition they deserve.
I first went to Cornwall more than thirty years ago, and like so many before me, fell in love with the place. There is so much that is glorious – the soaring cliffs and rugged coastline, hidden caves and golden beaches, temperate climate and lush, flowering meadows – plus the fact that Cornwall is steeped in history, in mystery, and in tales and traditions of myth and magic, including, of course, its close association with the stories of Camelot and the origins of King Arthur.
These are very much centred upon Tintagel, a small village built partly on a headland projecting out into the Atlantic. The village, which has been a settlement for at least 1500 years, is home to the ruins of Tintagel Castle, and is mentioned in 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his book the “History of the Kings of Britain” as the place where King Arthur was conceived. Cornwall – and very specifically Tintagel – is also the setting for my novel The Chosen Queen – a feminist retelling of the origins of the Camelot stories – which has at its heart the story of Igraine, Duchess of Cornwall, and proud chatelaine and defender of Tintagel.
The ruins of Tintagel Castle and bridge
The castle, whose name in Cornish is Din Tagell, meaning “the fortress of the narrow entrance” can now only be accessed by a controversial and rather dramatic bridge, opened to the public in 2019, and consisting of 40,000 locally sourced slate tiles, stacked vertically in stainless steel trays.
Slap bang in the middle of the bridge is a 4cm gap – which gets bigger in periods of cold weather and smaller when it is warm – and which some visitors find rather disconcerting!
Merlin’s Cave
Directly below the castle is the opening of a cave – known as Merlin’s Cave, and immortalised by Tennyson in his poem The Idylls of the King as the place where Merlin emerged with the new born baby, child of Igraine and Uther Pendragon – and destined to become Arthur – the legendary Once and Future King.
Archaeological records show that Tintagel has been inhabited for centuries, indeed there was a prosperous and significant settlement at Tintagel as early as the fifth century AD – and the people who lived there took an active part in trading and commerce with Mediterranean partners even after the Romans left British shores in AD 410.
The ruins of Tintagel Castle
My novel tells the tale of Igraine, a Welsh princess married to the Cornish War Duke, Gorlois, a match arranged for political advantage, but which blossoms into love.
Ancient prophecies have revealed that Igraine’s child will be a great leader, destined to wield the mighty sword known to many as Excalibur, and unite the British Isles, but when Gorlois begins to forsake the ancient magics, Merlin and Vivian, the Lady of the Lake of Avalon, plot to destroy Gorlois, and to create a union between Igraine and the High King Uther Pendragon.
This leads to bloodshed and civil war, and when Gorlois and his army leave to go to battle, it is left to Igraine to protect her people and the land, inspiring and encouraging the women of Cornwall to tend the fields and ensure a fruitful harvest.
The book is set at a time when the old pagan ways were still followed by many, and Igraine is an Avalon-trained practitioner of the magics. The story culminates in the celebration of midsummer Solstice on the cliffs above Tintagel, and as part of my research, I spent time learning more about Wicca and the history of pagan rites and practices.
Cornwall is a place that has a long association with magic and mystery. One of the places I visited was the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, in the tiny harbour town of Boscastle. The museum is dedicated to European witchcraft and folk-magic and its collection of such objects has been described as the largest in the world.
Statue of King Arthur, Tintagel
It was here that I came across the strange and rather unsettling image of a shapeshifter – a fox whose face has been replace with the wax mask of a woman. This inspired me to gift Igraine with the power to inhabit the minds of animals – and to use this power to fly free, far away from the castle which eventually becomes her prison, by inhabiting the mind of a seagull.
Commissioned by English Heritage and completed in 2016, this eight foot tall bronze statue of King Arthur now stands on the clifftops of Tintagel, gazing out to sea.
His story has always been linked to this place – but I would argue that this is really only because of his mother – Igraine – the Chosen Queen, whose story it has been my delight and privilege to reimagine.
I would love it if one day, a statue to her could also be commissioned, and the two could stand together in this beautiful and magical place.
Sam Davey
Connect with the author via her website
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