Discussion
of Camelford's Arthurian
Connection
By
David Nash Ford
C A M E L F O R
D
Cornwall's
Camelot
If
Somerset has its Camelot candidate then Cornwall must
have one too.
The
Tradition: Old Cornish legend relates how
King Arthur's principal fortress of Camelot now lies
buried beneath the small Cornish town of Camelford, a
place in the heart of King Arthur Country with an
obviously connected name. Shakespeare locates the town
in Cerniw in King Lear when the Duke of Kent
addresses the Duke of Cornwall thus:
"Goose,
if I had you upon Sarum Plain,
I'd drive ye cackling home to Camelot."
Possible
Conclusions: The connection between
Camelford and Chrétien
De Troyes' Camelot appears to be solely based
upon the town's name, "The Ford over the River
Camel". The Shakespearean reference, as well
as being extremely late, is far from certainly
addressed to the Duke of Cornwall. Kent is likely
talking to Oswald with whom he had been arguing
immediately prior to Cornwall's entrance. It is true
that Tintagel
is not far from Camelford and that Slaughter Bridge,
one of the most persistent claimants to be the site of
the Battle
of Camlann, is only a mile to the North on the
same River Camel; but this latter identification
appears to have been based on the mistranscription of
a nearby Dark Age memorial stone which was thought to
include the word "Arthur". It seems
likely that Camelford has no true Arthurian
associations whatsoever.
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