More Concerns Regarding Our Cornish Castle At Tintagel

CONCERN SPREADS THAT NEW £4 MILLION FOOTBRIDGE AT TINTAGEL CASTLE HAS MADE ATTRACTION TOO POPULAR - AND COULD DESTROY SITE!

Independent Cornwall Councillor Bert Biscoe "shocked by the scale of the crowds"

Possibility of 'cover up' in planning application made of Cornwall Council

Kernow Matters To Us (KMTU), members of which administer the 'The Cornish are a Nation' Facebook page and several others, has always expressed its concerns regarding the 'developments' at Tintagel Castle.

The castle is administered by English Heritage Community Interest Company (EH) on behalf of the Duke of Cornwall, Charles Windsor. EH is an arms length creation of the undemocratic EH quango.

Since the construction of the the new footbridge, increasing concerns have been voiced regarding the destruction of the ancient site which is a cash cow for EH. Large sums raised there are taken away from Cornwall.

CORNWALL COUNCILLOR (IND) BERT BISCOE SPEAKS OUT IN MEDIA:

Cllr. Biscoe, who is a longstanding member of Cornwall Council and being an independent councillor is free from the centralising and deceptive restrictions of distant and uncaring Westminster political parties has now gone public following a visit to Tintagel.

Several Councillors have little real interest in our country, but Cllr. Biscoe is one of a group who have a genuine love for Kernow.

He said, “By creating the means to access it, significantly more people are going there and it has started to put pressure on the archaeology.

There are now far more people going than ever before.

Tintagel is a very valuable site. Partially for the mythology around King Arthur but mostly for its archaeology and also the story of the formation of the land told by the geology.

My concern is that this bridge now facilitates so many more on to the island.

And then there is this silly statue they have put up there that has become a selfie magnet.

You see people crowding around and getting their photos taken, but actually Tintagel is a really important site to lean about the real story of early Britain.

English Heritage are trading on the mythology of King Arthur to get people playing on the fantasy – and possibly trashing the archaeology as a result.

This is a serious issue about the conservation of British heritage. What matters most? Financing English Heritage or making sure we conserve and protect the architect?”

When I was there I saw 100 people on the island. It was rammed. There used to be a dozen a day as it was a steep precarious climb and a taxing job to get there.

English Heritage have done what they have done and just taken advantage of the situation as it stands but I think they have gone beyond an ethical mark.

They could tarmac over it to protect archaeology but you would lose the impact.

But a balance has to be struck so they don’t destroy the resource.

I have had some support. People who consider issues to do with heritage and conservation see the point I am making and support the view the law needs to be reformed to stop other sites going the same way."

LORD LIEUTENANT SPEAKS OUT:

Interestingly, word has it that the Lord Lieutenant for Cornwall, Colonel Edward Bolitho was been heard openly stating at the recent gathering of Gorseth Kernow that the Cornwall Heritage Trust should have control of ALL sites in Cornwall under the 'management' of English Heritage. There was astonishment that Colonel Bolitho had at long last spoken out about real Cornish concerns instead of toeing the 'party line'. KMTU has the names of those who heard him say this.

CORNISH PATRIOT CRAIG WEATHERHILL SAYS:

Meanwhile, renowned Cornish author, historian and architect, Craig Weatherhill, hmself a Bard and without doubt, a fine and honest Cornish patriot, has said the following:

"I am still deeply angered that my 4-page detailed objection (on several grounds) to the planning application was concealed and withheld from the Strategic Planning Committee by the case officer, who also seriously misled them as to the scale of objection, despite a previous (2015) case in the High Court that ruled against the Council for doing the exact same thing in another application. My subsequent complaint was whitewashed as the Council predictably exonerated itself.

The following remarks were made by a Cornish geotechnical company, Cornwall Geoconservation Group (CGG). for the planning application.

"The geology into which the bridge was to be rock-anchored is "riddled with low-angle thrust faults and higher angled normal faults." "Further aggressive rock bolting will be needed as the building project progresses or at some time in the more distant future."

They were ignored by the case officer, who preferred the contrary word of a company based in Godalming! (Surrey)

Tintagel was once (c.450-c.700) one of the most important and prestigious places in the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean. Yet here we have "English" Heritage contemptuously treating it like a kiddies' play park (with the National Trust following suit at Kynance Cove and Levant), regardless of the damage from increased footfall erosion, and all for the sake of enhancing their profits. To hell with the history, and the iconic dignity of the site. Not a word from the site's owner, the Duke of Cornwall, who doubtless gets his cut from the proceeds."

THE MYTH OF DISABLED ACCESS:

Another observer has noted:

"The bridge was supposed to make it accessible to everyone, such as people who are disabled, however when I went there the other day I discovered once you are across the bridge you can only go a few feet before you have to climb some steep steps, and walk up and down hills!"

THE KMTU CAMPAIGN GROUP SAYS:

KMTU says that English Heritage has NO place in Kernow. Our heritage predates that of England's and is not English Heritage at all. It is Cornish heritage and Cornish history.

We have now become aware that as we write, EH signs are once again being attacked by activists and although we do not condone criminal damage, we do fully understand the sincere feelings held by those who detest the arrogant and imperialist English Heritage whose best place is the other side of the River Tamar along with other English quangos, groups and organisations.

We are surprised that EH has so quickly forgotten the brave actions of the Cornish Stannary Parliament patriots during Operation Chough 1999 to 2002 which culminated in an utter shambles of a court case at Truro Crown Court when criminal charges against Cornish people were dropped.

There is an easy way to stop damage being caused to EH signs. Kick EH out of Kernow. They have no place here. Cornwall should run Cornwall and that includes our heritage. That is democracy.

DON'T JOIN OR SUPPORT 'ENGLISH HERITAGE'

Better to join the Cornish Heritage Trust, membership of which allows free access to EH adminsitered sites in our Duchy of Kernow.

CHT website here: http://www.cornwallheritagetrust.org/

Press reportage:

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/travel/concern-new-4m-footbridge-at-tintagel-castle-has-made-attraction-too-popular-and-could-destroy-site/11/09/

http://www.bude-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=113490