Launceston - Castle & Southgate Arch

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Launceston Castle, Southgate Arch and Launceston town centre, with Detectives helping Chief Superintendent Ivanta Crackadiscase investigate the suspicious end of local baker Peter 'The Pastymaker' Polmearan and track down his missing secret pasty recipe by working through the suspects and evidence to crack the case.

The investigation covers approximately 1.5 miles and should take around 1.5 hours to complete. You'll patrol the centre of Launceston and the castle area, then follow the evidence through historic streets including the Market House Arcade, Whitehart Shopping Arcade, the town square and the Town Hall. Southgate Arch is currently scaffolded.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The route includes some steps and a downhill stretch through the town.

Launceston is a busy market town with a constant stream of traffic, so use safe crossing points wherever possible and supervise children and dogs closely.

Getting There

By car: Start your investigation at Westgate Street car park (PL15 7AP). Leave by the bottom exit of the car park to begin the Trail.

By public transport: Make your way to Westgate Street car park in Launceston (PL15 7AP) to begin the case. The route is circular and loops back through the town centre.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are in the car park at the start and end, so this is the best place for Detectives to make a comfort stop before the evidence trail begins.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

If four-legged Detectives are joining the investigation, keep them supervised closely throughout. 🐾

The route goes around a busy market town with a constant stream of traffic, plus some steps and a downhill stretch, so leads are sensible around roads, crossing points and busier areas.

Food & Drink Stops

Cracking a pasty-related case can work up an appetite. There are chances to stop for refreshments and stock up on snacks from Clue 08 onwards, and you can enjoy a picnic in the castle grounds.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Launceston Castle

Launceston Castle gives this case a suitably dramatic backdrop. Robert of Mortain's 11th-century Norman castle was once an impressive and strategically important building, controlling the river crossing into and out of Cornwall. It later became the administrative headquarters for the great Earls of Cornwall, and in the 13th century Richard, Earl of Cornwall, began rebuilding it in stone. It makes a rewarding no-extra-admission stop for Detectives who like their evidence with a side of medieval power politics.

St Mary Magdalene Church

The current church was built in 1542 on the site of a Norman church, so it is well worth a closer look once you are not busy interrogating clues. Keep an eye out for the unusual carvings in the stone of its granite exterior, and for the statue of Mary of Magdalene inside.

Southgate Arch

Southgate Arch is the only remaining gateway of Launceston's original three entrances. The two rooms above the arch were used as a town prison until 1884, and the tower gained a battlement parapet in 1887. The structure is currently scaffolded, but it is still a key piece of the town's defensive story.

Launceston's Town Centre and Historic Town Walls

Launceston is described as the ancient capital of Cornwall and the only walled town in Cornwall. In medieval times, it guarded the main northern route into the county, before later taking on the role of a county town. The investigation also passes the Market House Arcade, Whitehart Shopping Arcade, the town square and the Town Hall, an attractive Gothic-style building dating back to 1887 which underwent extensive renovation and upgrading during 2010.