- Accommodation
- Self Catering in Launceston
Self Catering in and around Launceston
The Launceston area has every form of self-catering available, from campsites to quirky glamping sites, all of which you can find elsewhere on this website. For hideaways in the Tamar Valley, this is the best place to look.
Launceston is an ancient market town that was once one of the most important in the southwest. It is known as the ‘gateway to Cornwall’ and is a great base for exploring the Tamar Valley.
On the border
Walk around the narrow streets of Launceston and you get a real sense of the town’s ancient history. Up on the hill is the Norman castle overlooking the town and rolling countryside beyond. There's the remains of a defensive wall that once circled the town, a 14th century gatehouse into the old town and tucked away below the castle is a row of grand houses that Sir John Betjeman described as the loveliest Georgian street in Cornwall.
Sitting in the Tamar Valley, there's also plenty of beautiful countryside to explore and both Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor are on your doorstep. The north coast is less than 20 miles away at Bude and being on the A30, nowhere in Cornwall is more than two hours away, even Land's End!
For more details on self-catering in and around Launceston and the Tamar Valley click on the link below.
FAQ's
View allYou might hear people in Launceston pronounce it 'Lanson' but the general pronunciation is 'Lawn-sten'. Don't worry if you get it wrong, most Cornish people can't pronounce Wymondham.
The north coast at Bude is less than 20 miles away and with Launceston being on the A30, even popular beach resorts like St Ives are less than one and a half hours drive away.
It is what's known as a Motte and Bailey Castle and was probably built for Robert the Count of Mortain in the late 11th century. It initially comprised an earthwork and timber castle with a large motte in one corner. Rebuilt in stone in the 12th century and substantially redeveloped after 1227, including a high tower to enable visitors to view his surrounding lands.
Although already a ruin, the Royalists used it during the English Civil War after which it was stripped for its building materials. A small jail was later erected in the centre of the bailey, which was also used for executions, but by the 1840's this had been moved to Bodmin.
The Ministry of Works took over the guardianship of the castle in 1951 and it is now managed by English Heritage. Prince Charles was officially proclaimed Duke of Cornwall there in 1973 and we wait to see if the same ceremony will take place now that Prince William is Duke of Cornwall?
The Tamar Valley runs between Devon and Cornwall in south west England. The Tamar River being the official boundary for all but three miles in the far north of the county.
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