Launceston, Cornwall

Launceston (/ˈlɑːnstən, ˈlɔːn-/ LAHN-stən, LAWN-, locally /ˈlænsən, ˈlɑːn-/ LA(H)N-sən; rarely spelt Lanson as a local abbreviation; Cornish: Lannstevan) is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the River Tamar, which forms almost the entire border between Cornwall and Devon. The landscape of the town is generally steep, rising from the River Kensey, a tributary of the Tamar, up to the hill on which Launceston Castle stands.

The castle was built by Robert, Count of Mortain, (half-brother of William the Conqueror) c. 1070 to control the surrounding area. Launceston was the caput of the feudal barony of Launceston and of the Earldom of Cornwall until replaced by Lostwithiel in the 13th century. Launceston was later the county town of Cornwall until 1838 when Bodmin replaced it. Launceston's motto "Royale et Loyale" (English translation: Royal and Loyal) is a reference to its adherence to the Cavalier cause during the English Civil War of the 1640s.

The town is known as one of the gateways to Cornwall, being near where the A30 road enters the county. The road historically went through the centre of the town, but now bypasses it to the south. Launceston Steam Railway, a narrow-gauge heritage railway, runs during the summer months. At the 2021 census the population of the civil parish was 10,247 and the population of the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics was 8,425.