Discover Launceston, Cornwall

Launceston, Cornwall, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Town_Square_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1286355.jpg
Author: John Baker


Launceston is a town on the eastern part of Cornwall, just a mile from the River Tamar, which forms the boundary between Cornwall and Devon. Due to its location, it is often called the Gateway to Cornwall. Launceston has a population of around 7,000 people (2012 estimate).

The history of Launceston goes back to the Anglo-Saxon period. Its name in Saxon was Dunheved, a name commemorated by the Dunheved Bridge built across the River Tamar in the 1980s. The town began as a settlement around the 9th century, with a mint established there in AD 994.

Following Norman Conquest, the Normans built Launceston Castle which dominates the surrounding area. Launceston was the capital of the Earldom of Cornwall until the 13th century, when it was replaced by Lostwithel.

Today Launceston has a couple of industrial estates within its suburbs, though the town center has become less commercialized with some shops going out of business. There is an influx of Eastern European immigrants to work in Launceston's primary industries.

Visiting Launceston

If you are coming by car from Manchester, take the M5 motorway to Exeter, then continue on the A30 road until you reach Launceston.

Church of St Mary Magdalene, Launceston: Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Church_of_St_Mary_Magdalene_-_geograph.org.uk_-_320666.jpg
Author: Tony Atkin

Places of Interest in Launceston

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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