Archaeologists believe they have uncovered the birthplace of King Arthur

The birthplace of King Arthur is believed to have been found near a 13th century castle by the English seaside.

A 900-year-old book claimed the iconic 5th century king was born at Tintagel in Cornwall, an assertion treated warily by modern day historians.

But archaeologists have found the remains of a palace at the site, as well as more than 150 fragments of ancient pottery and glass.

The fragments come from as far afield as western Turkey, indicating the family living there had immense wealth.

"If nothing else, it means the legend about where Arthur was born isn’t so fanciful after all and deserves further investigation," author Graham Phillips told the UK's Daily Telegraph.

The most recent finds come after a slate engraved with the word "Artognou", Old English for Arthur, was discovered at the site in 1998.

The discovery is right near a medieval fortification built around 700 years after King Arthur's reign.

It is hard to tell how much of King Arthur's documented life is fact or fiction, with very little documentary evidence of English life during that era of the Dark Ages.