Launceston Castle Keep and attached buildings

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 20 October 2022 to correct a typo in the description and to reformat the text to current standards

SX32843384
660-1/4/189

LAUNCESTON
WESTERN ROAD
Launceston Castle Keep and attached buildings

GV
I

Castle. Norman earthwork incorporating existing rock outcrop. Late C11 for Robert, Count of Mortain, a half-brother of William the Conqueror, and later Earl of Cornwall; motte fitted with stone shell keep probably late C12; internal structure removed and replaced by a high tower early C13 by Richard of Cornwall; an outer fighting platform was built at about the same time and the enclosed steps up the motte were rebuilt and a tower was erected at their foot. Local slatestone rubble except for bluestone rubble of the high tower and greenstone and purplish volcanic stone (previously erroneously stated to be from polyphant).

Plan: small irregular round shell keep with south entrance and a gap with garderobe channel to north west and two stone staircases to the parapet built within the thickness of the wall; within this a nearly round tower with doorway into an unheated ground floor; stone staircase within wall up to a heated first-floor hall with one window opening; remains of walls flanking motte staircase to D-plan gatehouse to tower; west of the gatehouse is a semi-circular wall defending a platform (locally known as "Paradise") containing a stone-lined probable water reservoir, then a bridge, probably with a drawbridge (now C20 bridge) with wall surviving on its east side; the walk from the bridge continues to remains of curtain wall on a high embankment (other buildings listed separately). The castle and its ancillary structures have been robbed of much of the dressed stone over the centuries, but a bullnose string survives above the battered plinth.

The entrance to the shell keep is of two orders and retains the C13 springing stones for what was probably a two-centred equilateral arch (replacing a Norman doorway) beside which are return stones to the former lead-roofed stone-walled steep walk up the motte. Inside this doorway are remains of portcullis slots and two deep sockets for draw bars. On the inner face of the very thick wall is the remains of another arch, possibly older; doorway to staircase with rubble vault, on the left.

Another principal feature of the shell keep is a large opening, with evidence for a garderobe sluiced by water from the parapet, probably a position to defend the curtain wall below. The other staircase (see plan) retains the jambstones of its doorway and has a draw bar slot. Evidence for roofing of at least part of the shell keep area is a square drain hole through the parapet and the survival of significant areas of render.

The High Tower has an ordered two-centred arched doorway facing south west with the wall flat for a short distance on either side, draw bar holes inside doorway. At a level slightly higher than the parapet of the Shell Keep are a series of holes presumed to be for roof timbers of a former lead roof which covered the space between the High Tower and the Shell Keep. There are also numerous putlog holes. Higher up is a ragged hole of the former hall window and there are fragmentary remains of the original parapet.

INTERIOR: corbels for ceiling beam and ledge for joists and the remains of a large hall fireplace with a curved ashlar back and moulded corbels for former hood. Gatehouse at foot of steps has some voussoirs of former doorway to the D-plan block on the left and a window on its left.

INTERIOR: ledge for former floor and another for former roof and parapet above. History: Launceston Castle was the administrative centre for the control of Cornwall from just after the Norman Conquest until 1272 when, following Richard of Cornwall's death, his son Edmund shifted the administration to Loswithiel. Following a period of neglect, repairs were put in hand in 1341 and repairs were recorded until the C15. The castle and town were held for the King until eventually captured by Fairfax's army on 25th February 1646.

The High Tower was for much of the Medieval period used as a prison. The loss of so much dressed stone from the principal architectural features is to some extent explained by the following quote from Robbins p330: "No steps led to the Keep, which was inaccessible to any but speculative builders in want of good corner stones, and these were accustomed, crow-bar in hand, to use the Castle as their quarry ...". Much of this account is based on work at the castle in 1990 and 1991.

(Saunders AD: Launceston Castle: London: 1984-; Robbins AF: Launceston, Past and Preston: Launceston: 1888-: 330).

Listing NGR: SX3310884648

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

370141

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Saunders, A D, Launceston Castle, (1984)
Robbins, A F, Launceston Past and Present, (1888), 330

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.