Launceston Tourist Information Centre
LAUNCESTON - A beautiful town steeped in history which retains it's antiquity whilst sustaining a vibrant contemporary culture. The ancient capital of Cornwall, Launceston is ideally located just off the A30, near the Devon and Cornwall border between Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor. With Launceston as a base both the striking North Coast and beautiful South Coast of Cornwall are easily accessible as is the Tamar Valley Discovery Trail which runs all the way form Launceston to Plymouth.
Launceston has retained a great number of local and independent retailers in its town centre, giving it a distinctive High Street for this modern age. The town also hosts weekly Butter Markets (for local products), Community Market, Indoor Market and Friday Market with regular French, Continental and Victorian Markets in the Town Square (listed in The Sunday Telegraph's "10 Historic Town Squares") making it possible to obtain the very best in locally produced food, and also produce from further afield.
Launceston boasts a fascinating and varied free museum located on a Street which John Betjeman described as "having the most perfect collection of 18th Century townhouses in Cornwall. The Lawrence House Museum has child friendly exhibits and provides a home for sculpture from a Turner Prize winning artist as well as 4 of the 100 objects detailed in "The History of Cornwall in 100 objects".
Launceston Steam Railway, Launceston Castle, Launceston Priory, Lawrence House Musuem, St. Mary Magdalene Church and Launceston Town Hall (one of North Cornwall's premier venues since it's extensive refurbishment in 2011) are located within walking distance of the Town Square.
The nearby New Mills Farm Park, Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre, Trethorne Leisure Park, Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre, Hidden Valley Adventure Park, Cowslips Workshop provide all weather attractions for all ages.
