Launceston

Launceston stands near the eastern approaches to Cornwall, where a hilltop castle and market town overlook routes between the county and Devon. The castle reflects the establishment of Norman power, while the town developed as an important administrative and commercial centre. Farming households from the surrounding countryside brought produce to market, and craftspeople supplied goods and services. Roads, bridges and the practical needs of travellers helped sustain local exchange.

By the fourteenth century the castle was used principally as a prison and for judicial assizes, even as parts of its defences fell into disrepair. During the English Civil War it was largely held by royalists until Parliamentarian forces took it in 1646. The town continued to serve as a market and as a centre for Cornwall's administration and justice.