Image credit: Bruce McSheehy
florence ‘nightingale’ richards
Everyday Life, Hospitality
1856-1949
Suggested by Lynda Aldridge
Lynda writes,
“ Florence Nightingale Richards was custodian and keeper of the keys of Tintagel Castle for most of her life. She guided visitors around the site sharing her tales of King Arthur. She was an eccentric character who some thought could have stepped out of an Arthurian tale herself. To travel writers of the day she was known as ‘The Famous Miss Richards’.
Florence was very proud of the fact that for many years Tintagel Castle had been in the care of herself, her mother Sarah and her Grandmother Catherine. Her grandfather was the Miller and the family had lived in the old borough mill for generations. After her mother died she lived alone in the valley for nearly 40 years taking care of the castle and its visitors.
She would have met many notable people and on several occasions met Sir Henry Irving, the first actor to receive a knighthood and the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Florence described him as, ‘a fine upright gentleman’. Other visitors such as Thomas Hardy and his wife Emma made many visits to Tintagel and the surrounding area in her day. Florence was mentioned in various publications and one travel writer wrote in 1934, ‘she will surely join King Arthur when she goes’.
She was born on the 21st October 1856 and was given her evocative name the year her namesake returned from the Crimean War.
She died in 1949, age 92 and was laid to rest in the churchyard of St Materiana overlooking the castle ruins. I have been researching the life of Florence and her family for many years, but much of their story is lost. You can learn more about Florence from my article on the English Heritage website and a short video on the Tintagel Castle Facebook page.”