Launceston is a town in east Cornwall, about a mile west of the Tamar, the river that divides Cornwall from Devon. It has been a gateway to the county for centuries, and it is known as one of the gateways still, near where the A30 enters Cornwall. In Kernewek it is Lannstevan, the church enclosure of Saint Stephen.
The castle and the county
Launceston Castle was built around 1070 by Robert, Count of Mortain, and it ruled the town from its hill, visible from miles around. The town was the seat of the Earls of Cornwall until Lostwithiel replaced it in the thirteenth century, and it later served as the county town of Cornwall: the county's assizes were generally held here until 1838, when Bodmin took over that role.
The town today
The A30 now bypasses the town, and the Launceston Steam Railway runs a narrow-gauge line through the valley in summer. The poet Charles Causley was born and lived in Launceston, and died here in 2003. The town's motto, Royale et Loyale, recalls its loyalty to the Royalist cause in the Civil War.
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Last checked: 2026-10-11