The scrawling was found on a 2ft stone at the medieval castle in Cornwall

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The scrawling was found on a 2ft stone at the medieval castle in Cornwall and features a fascinating mixture of Christian symbols, Latin writing and Greek lettering. Experts believe the strange combination in the engraving indicates somebody was practicing writing a text. The Latin inscription underlies the lingering influence of Roman culture in Britain long after the departure of Roman troops in the 4th and 5th centuries AD. Michelle Brown, a writing expert from the University of London, said: “The lettering style and language used, as well as Christian symbols exhibiting Mediterranean influence and contacts, all reveal precious clues to the culture of those who lived at Tintagel in the 7th century.”

The castle has been linked to the birthplace of King Arthur

Ms Brown deciphered the strange inscription with textual expert Oliver Padel, who specialises in Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge. Ms Brown said: “The text suggests a high level of literacy and an awareness of contemporary writing styles associated with the early illuminated manuscripts of Britain and Ireland.” The stone has both Roman and Celtic names inscribed on it, such as ‘Tito’, which means Titus, and ‘Budic’, which hints at a multi-cultural 7th century community at the site half on the Cornish mainland and half on jagged headland that juts into the sea. The castle has also been linked to the birthplace of King Arthur and dubbed one of the most spectacular in Britain by English Heritage.