TINTAGEL (tin-taj'el) or TREVENA, village, Cornwall, England, 41 m. N.W. of Camelf ord. Pop. (1921) 1,307. It stands on a bare upland, close to the sea; and below it is Tintagel Haven, or Porth, a small cove surrounded by cliffs of almost black slate. Ruins of a castle are built partly on the main land, partly on a rugged promontory, Tintagel Head, united by a narrow peninsula to the shore. The Norman walls are so dark ened and weathered that, from a little distance, they seem a part of the rock itself. The cruciform parish church of St. Marcelliana stands on a high cliff, west of the castle. Although restored, it retains traces of Saxon workmanship in the chancel, besides two Norman doorways, a font of the same period, a stone altar bear ing five crosses and a fine 5th-century brass. In the church yard the graves are buttressed, storms being frequent and vio lent. For a time the church belonged to Fontevrault abbey in Normandy ; but it was made over by Edward IV. to the collegiate church of Windsor. A 9th-century roodstone stands in the village.
Portions of the vicarage date from the 14th century.
Tintagel (Tintajol, Dundagel) is a parish a portion of which appears in the Domesday Survey as Bossiney (Botcinnu). The castle probably existed in pre-Saxon times, and under the Norman earls of Cornwall was rebuilt, embattled and fur nished with munitions of war. It was in a ruinous condition in Leland's time (c. 1540). The borough of Bossiney, which appar ently owed its existence to the castle, shared its fortunes. Its char ter was surrendered to Charles II. and a new one obtained from his brother in 1685. Provision was made for the administration of the borough. Bossiney acquired the right of electing two members of parliament in 1553. In 1784 the vicar of Tintagel, as mayor and only qualified elector, enjoyed the probably unique privilege of returning two members to the House of Commons. In 1832 there were ten resident legal voters within the borough and nine out-voters. The Reform Act transferred their votes to the county.