Launcells

Launcells
Cornish: Lannseles

St Swithin's Church, Launcells, in summer
Launcells
 Launcells shown within Cornwall
Population 531 (2011)
OS grid referenceSS265061
Civil parishLauncells
Unitary authorityCornwall
Ceremonial countyCornwall
RegionSouth West
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town BUDE
Postcode district EX23
Dialling code 01288
Police Devon and Cornwall
Fire Cornwall
Ambulance South Western
EU Parliament South West England
UK ParliamentNorth Cornwall
List of places
UK
England
Cornwall

Coordinates: 50°49′41″N 4°27′54″W / 50.828°N 4.465°W / 50.828; -4.465

Launcells (Cornish: Lannseles) is a hamlet and civil parish in north-east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is located three miles (5 km) east of Bude.

Within the civil parish are the hamlets of Launcells Cross, Red Post, Grimscott, and Buttsbear Cross. In 2001, 563 people lived within the civil parish, decreasing to 531 at the 2011 census.[1]

Geography

The River Tamar forms the eastern boundary of the civil parish, as well as the Cornish boundary with Devon.

Parish church

The parish church is dedicated to St Swithin: nearby, in the wooded valley is the holy well of St Swithin. There are two aisles but the arcades differ: while the north is of granite the south is of older Polyphant stone. The fine series of over 60 benchends is from the same workshop as those of Kilkhampton and Poughill. Other features of interest are the medieval wall painting and the tomb of Sir John Chamond, 1624.[2]

The church also features an unusual post-Reformation wall painting which has been dated between 1680-1690.

The Ringers of Launcells Tower; painting by Frederick Smallfield

Charles Henderson writing in 1925 gives the dedication as to St Andrew. The origin of the name Launcells is probably from Lan- and a personal name Kellys. In the early Middle Ages the church belonged to Hartland Abbey and there are records of a dispute over the building of the chancel in 1382 which required episcopal intervention. Unusually for a Cornish church it has not been affected by Victorian or later restorations.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  2. ↑ Pevsner, N. (1970) Cornwall, 2nd ed. Penguin Books; p. 95
  3. ↑ Cornish Church Guide (1925) Truro: Blackford; pp. 136-37

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