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Summary

Launceston town wall - mid 13th century.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 369986: LAUNCESTON TOWN WALLS
• Conservation Area: LAUNCESTON

Other References/Statuses

• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SX38SW 16.02
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 2749
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX38SW 37-37.05

Monument Type(s):

• TOWN WALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Leland (1506-52) found Launceston town wall, high, strong, defensibly set, but ruinous. Speed (1614) showed the wall extant between West and Southgate - see illustration in CAU drawing archive - and Fiennes (1699) found the town still encompassed. A plan of Launceston Castle (1764, b4) marks the wall from the Westgate to the castle and from the Northgate to the castle. By 1885, the only remains were at Blindhole (SX 3329 8461), near the Southgate, and near the north west entrance to the Castle Green (b5). According to Peter, the total length of the wall was six furlongs (1.2km) and they were 6 ft (1.8m) thick. Sheppard notes that "the bank between Northgate and Southgate is still massive and can clearly be followed. Near the Southgate it is still topped by the wall". The stretch of wall from SX 3326 8455 to SX 3328 8470 is Listed, Grade II* (b6), while King and Sheppard record remains visible from SX 3318 8481 to SX 3328 8458 (b7). The OS (h2) found the majority of walls in the town following the line shown by Peter are of rag with lime mortar, but without the thickness or height required for a town wall. Only one section, at SX 3329 8461 is of the expected width: it stands 2.3m high, is in reasonable condition, and in part acts as a back wall to a building. A further 6.0m of walling at foundation level is just visible adjoining the wall to the north (h2). Another fragment of the wall at approximately SX 3309 8449 has been located and photographed by CAU (b12). As a result, it is suggested that between the Westgate and the castle the wall did not take a straight line as suggested by Peter (followed by OS), but turned slightly east at SX 3310 8448 to follow property boundaries to a west gate at approx SX 3312 8445 (see illustration card). Excavation by CAU in the grounds of the Eagle House Hotel (adjoining the north gate of the castle) revealed a section of the town wall running across a deep infilled area, probably part of the main ditch of the castle. The wall section is 6 ft thick (1.8m) and built of local slate bonded with clay mortar. The structure closely resembles the curtain walls of the castle (h3).

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Site history:
1: 1972. KING AND SHEPPARD
2: 1979. OS
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Cambridge University Centre for Aerial Photography, 13/8/50, CUC FL 13 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21365.

Cambridge University Centre for Aerial Photography, 13/8/50, CUC FL 16 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21355.

Cambridge University Centre for Aerial Photography, 13/8/50, CUC FL 17 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21354.

Cambridge University Centre for Aerial Photography, 24/6/52, CUC HV 43 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21357.

Cambridge University Centre for Aerial Photography, 26/6/55, CUC QE 60 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21353.

Cambridge University Centre for Aerial Photography, 26/6/55, CUC QE 62 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21352.

NMR, 29/6/72, NMR 3384 (Aerial Photograph). SCO21380.

<1> Chope, R Pearse (Ed), 1967, Early Tours in Devon and Cornwall, 9 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3058.

<2> SPEED, 1614, CARTOUCHE FROM MAP OF CORNWALL (Unedited Source). SCO5426.

<3> Chope, R Pearse (Ed), 1967, Early Tours in Devon and Cornwall, 134 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3058.

<4> UNKNOWN, 1764, A PLAN OF LAUNCESTON CASTLE AND PARKS (Unedited Source). SCO5587.

<5> Peter, R & OB, 1885, Histories of Launceston and Dunheved, 233, PLAN (Bibliographic reference). SCO4119.

<6> DOE, Listed Building Description (original DOE), 3 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5173.

<7> King, G & Sheppard, PA, 1973, St Mary Magdalene, Launceston Checklist, VOL 12, 70 (Article in Journal). SCO3791.

<8> Robbins, AF, 1884, Launceston Past and Present, 88 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4263.

<9> Gilbert, CS, 1820, An Historical and Topographical Survey of the County of Cornwall, VOL 2, 501 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3360.

<10> Kelly, 1883, Kelly's Directory of Cornwall, 1045 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3769.

<11> Sheppard, PA, 1980, The Historic Towns of Cornwall, 76 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO4422.

<12> CAU, 1985, ANNUAL REPORT, 1984-85 (Unedited Source). SCO8773.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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