Medieval Monasteries: Launceston

The best-preserved plan of a medieval monastery in Cornwall is that of the Augustinian priory of Launceston. The priory originally stood at St Stephen-by-Launceston but was moved to a new site, south of the present St Thomas church, in 1155. It was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539, and the buildings were later demolished. The site was excavated between 1886 and 1893, and the footings of the walls were discovered over a wide area. This enabled the priory plan to be reconstructed as it was at the end of its history in the early 16th century.