Launceston Motte-and-Bailey Castle
Launceston is a market town that sits about a mile from the River Tamar.
The town is dominated by a Norman motte-and-bailey castle that was built c 1068 by Count Brian of Brittany to dominate the countryside and control tin trade in the area.
Once the administrative capital of Cornwall. Launceston Castle was extended and remodelled by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, (who also build Tintagel Castle) as a demonstration of his power and wealth.
After 1272, the administrative powers of the castle were transferred to Lostwithiel and the importance and the fortunes of the castle began to decline. Eventually, the castle became a notorious prison known as Castle Terrible or Doomsdale and was renowned for it’s terrible conditions. The prison was finally closed down in 1842 when a new goal was built in Bodmin.
More recently, it has come to light that in September 1943 an incident took place involving soldiers of the 581st Ordnance Ammunition Company who were billeted in the town.
Racial tensions erupted when black US servicemen were excluded from pubs in Launceston. On the night of 26 September black GIs confronted white US military police officers and shots were fired in the town square. 14 GIs were convicted of riot and mutiny and sentenced to long periods of hard labour.
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All images © W N BISHOP