Camelford, England: travel guide to the north Cornwall market town, its Arthurian legends and Bodmin Moor

Camelford is a small market town in north Cornwall, England, set on the River Camel about ten miles north-east of Bodmin and within easy reach of Bodmin Moor and the dramatic Atlantic coast. Steeped in legend and surrounded by ancient landscapes, it is a quiet base for exploring one of the most evocative corners of the county.

For travellers searching for Camelford Cornwall, King Arthur and Camelot, Slaughterbridge or things to do near Bodmin Moor, the town blends genuine medieval history with some of Britain's most enduring myths.

History and Arthurian legend

Camelford became a borough by royal charter granted in 1259 by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, and from 1552 it sent two members to Parliament until it was abolished as a rotten borough by the Reform Act of 1832. Because of its name, the town has long been linked to the legendary court of Camelot, though historians treat the connection with caution. Nearby Slaughterbridge is traditionally identified as the site of the Battle of Camlann, where King Arthur is said to have been mortally wounded fighting Mordred; an ancient inscribed stone there has been associated with the legend, and the site is now home to an Arthurian Centre.

Town and surroundings

Camelford's Town Hall, built in 1806, is topped by a distinctive weather vane in the shape of a golden camel and now serves as the local library. The riverside Enfield Park offers gentle walks along the River Camel. Just outside the town rise Rough Tor and Brown Willy, the highest points in Cornwall, on a stretch of Bodmin Moor scattered with Bronze Age hut circles, cairns and stone circles such as Fernacre.

Practical information

Camelford makes a convenient base for north Cornwall: the cliff-top ruins of Tintagel Castle, also linked to the Arthur legend, lie a few miles away, and the harbour village of Boscastle and the wild walking country of Bodmin Moor are all close at hand.