19/08/2026
✨A Glimpse into Tintagel’s Past✨📜📸
Step back in time to discover Tintagel as it was more than 125 years ago!
Earlier this year, an old photograph album was acquired by Dr Sue Andrew.
Dating from the final decade of the 19th century, the album contains a fascinating collection of photographs recording places across the South West, including Dartmoor, Tavistock and North Cornwall.
The photographs are believed to have been taken by Thomas Vanstone (1840–1918), who worked for the Tavistock Gazette.
Vanstone was born in Buckland Monachorum and became a printer before later managing the newspaper, while also running a grocery business. Although some of his photographs were used by William Crossing and Beatrix Cresswell to illustrate their books, his work as a photographer is not widely known.
A selection of these remarkable images of Tintagel and the surrounding villages within the parish has now been put on temporary display at Tintagel Visitor Centre.
The photographs offer a wonderful glimpse into the landscape, buildings and everyday life of our area at the end of the 19th century — places that will be familiar, yet wonderfully different from the Tintagel we know today.
📍 Tintagel Visitor Centre
Come along, take a look at this fascinating temporary display and explore our permanent exhibition of old Tintagel while you’re here.
A special thank you to Carol Coupe for the introduction, to Ian Varndell for putting the display together and to Dr Sue Andrew for sharing these fascinating images from the original album.
✨ Come and discover Tintagel’s past for yourself!✨
