LAUNCESTON CASTLE. of the earls of Cornwall for many years after its foundation, its consequence continually increased, and many liberties and privileges were bestowed on its inhabitants. Soon after the conquest, the market, which from the time of Edward the Confessor had been held at Lanstaphadon, or the Town of St. Stephen's Church, about a mile distant, was transferred to Launceston; and in the reign of king John the townsmen paid five marks for the privilege of removing the market day from Sunday to Thursday; but it has since been changed to Saturday. In the reign of Henry III. the town was made a free borough by Richard, earl of Poitiers and Cornwall, and brother to the king; and among other liberties, granted to the burgesses to choose their own bailiffs, who were to answer the farm of the burgh, which was to himself 100s. ; to the priory of St. Stephen, in Launceston, 65s. ; and to the lepers of St. Leonard of Launceston 100s. of his alms. He granted them also unam placeam, where they should think it most decent and honourable to erect a guildhall in the same burgh, to hold of him and his heirs by a pound of pepper, to be paid yearly at Michaelmas for all service and demand whatever he granted also, they should not be taxed when the county was, nor talliated by him or his heirs when the king talliated all his burghs in England. He also granted the inhabitants some additional immunities, which were confirmed by subsequent charters and in the reign of Richard II. the assizes, on petition of the burgesses, were ordered to be LAUNCESTON CASTLE. held at Launceston, and "no where else." This regulation was observed till the first year of George I. when an act was passed, that empowered the lord chancellor to appoint any other place in the county to hold them at which he thought proper. By an act made in the thirty-second of Henry VIII. for the repairs of decayed Cornish boroughs, the privilege of a sanctuary was bestowed on the priory in this town; but it does not appear that it was ever claimed. Queen Mary, in the year 1555, granted Launceston a charter of incorporation, which vests its government in a mayor, recorder, and eight aldermen, who, with the free burgesses, have the right of electing the parliamentary representatives: the whole number of votes is about twenty. This borough made its first return in the twenty-third of Edward I. and had a mayor as early as the time of Edward IV. but many of The streets of Launceston are narrow, the houses are handsome, and well built. The town was formerly surrounded by a wall; and two gates of ancient workmanship are yet standing at the south and north entrances. An apartment over the south gate is used as the town jail. The children of the poor are educated in two charity schools, maintained by voluntary subscriptions; and a free school, founded and endowed by queen Elizabeth. The resident population of this place in 1801 was 1483. No remains of the very remote antiquity of this town LAUNCESTON CASTLE. are extant, but a Saxon arch, or door case, which now forms the entrance to the White Hart inn: this is supposed to have been removed from the Castle, or to have been part of the ancient priory established here by Warlewast, bishop of Exeter. The arch is composed of three ribs, the surfaces between which contain some curious orna LAUNCESTON CASTLE. mental carving; on each side is a handsome column with a rich capital; the shafts, as well as the caps, are diversely ornamented; that on right side has a wavy fluting, the left is closely chequered: above the basements, which are square and bold, are two fillets-the whole is in good preservation. |