Launceston is a town, ancient borough, and also civil parish in Cornwall, England, UK. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the center phase of the River Tamar, which constitutes virtually the entire boundary between Cornwall and Devon. The landscape of the town is usually steep specifically at a sharp south-western ridge covered by Launceston Castle. These gradients drop to the River Kensey as well as smaller sized tributaries. The community centre itself is bypassed and also is no more physically a primary highway. The A388 still runs through the town close to the centre. The community stays figuratively the "gateway to Cornwall", due to having the A30, one of both double carriageways right into the county, pass directly beside the town. The various other twin carriageway and also alternative bottom line of entry is the A38 at Saltash over the Tamar Bridge and also was finished in 1962. There are smaller sized points of entry to Cornwall on small roads. Launceston Steam Railway narrow-gauge heritage train runs as a visitor attraction throughout the summertime. It was restored for visual and also commercial heritage objectives and also runs along a short rural path, it is preferred with visitors however does not compete much of the year. Launceston Castle was built by Robert, Count of Mortain (half-brother of William the Conqueror) c. 1070 to control the surrounding location. Launceston was the caput of the feudal barony of Launceston as well as of the Earldom of Cornwall up until replaced by Lostwithiel in the 13th century. Launceston was later on the county town of Cornwall until 1835 when Bodmin changed it. Two civil parishes offer the town and its outskirts, of which the main even more built-up management system housed 8,952 citizens at the 2011 census. 3 electoral wards include referral to the community, their overall population, from 2011 census data, being 11,837 and two ecclesiastical parishes serve the previous solitary parish, with three churches and also a huge swathe of land to the north and west part of the location. Launceston's motto "Royale et Loyale" (English translation: Royal and Loyal) is a referral to its adherence to the Cavalier cause during the English Civil War of the mid-17th century.
