Among its noble representatives are ranked the great Sir Francis Drake, Sir Thomas Cottington, Secretary of State to Charles I., and Sir Richard Weston, afterwards Earl of Portland and Lord Treasurer in the same reign.[33] But the most interesting circumstance relative to Tintagell, is its being the reputed birth-place of the renowned King Arthur; respecting whom, it was the opinion of Lord Chancellor Bacon, that there was truth enough in history to make him famous, besides that which was fabulous. His history, however, has been so blended with the marvellous, by the monkish historians, that some authors have been disposed to doubt even his having ever existed; and certainly the circumstances connected with his asserted birth at Tintagell, are not among those parts of his story which are most entitled to credit. The certainty, however, that there has been a _Castle_ at this place, cannot be imaginary, even if we only judge from the ruins now existing; but as far as regards its origin, there are many different accounts, and none, perhaps, whose authority can be relied on. That there should have been a castle erected here, in the time of the antients, is very probable, as few places are so well calculated for the mode of warfare then in practice. The commanding and open situation of this spot, with other concurrent circumstances, leave but little doubt that this fortress was erected long previous to the Conquest. “The ruins now existing, consist of two divisions, one scattered over the face of the main promontory, and another over the peninsula, which is severed from it. The walls of the former are garetted and pierced with many little square holes, for the discharge of arrows. They seem to have included within them, two narrow courts. At the upper end of the most southern of them, are the remains of several stone steps, leading probably to the parapet of the walls. Here the ramparts were high and strong, this being the quarter overlooked by the neighbouring hill. As they wound round to the west, however, less labour had been expended upon their structure, for a hideous precipice of 300 feet deep, to the edge of which they were carried, prevented the fear of any assault in that quarter. The works on the peninsula had been anciently connected with those on the mainland, by a draw-bridge thrown across the chasm, in the division above mentioned.”[34] This however had gone to decay in Leland’s time, and the only means of approaching this part are by a dangerous and narrow ascent, winding up the cliffs on the western side.