Launceston
Launceston Castle, built around 1070 by Robert, Count of Mortain — half-brother of William the Conqueror — crowns the hill above this small Cornish town, which served as the county town of Cornwall until 1838. The steep landscape rises from the River Kensey up to the castle, and the compact centre holds a concentration of listed buildings, historic churches, and cafés. A narrow-gauge heritage railway runs in summer, and the town sits near the A30 at one of the main gateways into Cornwall.
Description drafted with AI from public sources such as Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap. How this works
- Population8,910
- Nearest water from center 0.3 km0.2 mi
- Nearest mountain from center 0.5 km0.3 mi
Nearest airports
Nearest train stations
Launceston: quick answers
Where is Launceston?
Launceston is in United Kingdom, about 33 km21 miles in a straight line from Plymouth.
How do you get to Launceston?
The nearest airport is Newquay (NQY), about 51 min away by road. The nearest train station is Gunnislake, about 27 min away by road.
What's the weather like in Launceston?
The warmest month is July, averaging 16°C60°F across day and night; the coolest is February, at 6°C42°F. The wettest month is December, with about 104 mm4.1 in of precipitation. (Monthly averages, 1991–2020.)
What's in Launceston?
OpenStreetMap lists 2 museums, 2 restaurants, 9 cafés and 10 places of worship within 2 km of the centre.
What's near Launceston?
Other Wandering Well picks within 60 km include Ashburton, Polperro and Dartington.