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EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF LAUNCESTON PRIORY, 



{Abstracted by permission from a paper read bejore the Launceston Scientific 



and Historical Society.) 



By OTHO B. PETER. 



The Priory of Launceston was founded by William 

 Warlewast, Bishop of Exeter, in 1126. 



After the dissolution in 1536-9, the Priory buildings were 

 levelled to the ground, and the site was subsequently used as a 

 place for throwing refuse of every description. Thus all vestige 

 of the once princely buildings became lost to view, and then to 

 memory. Only the musty records of the methodical monks 

 remained, and these being translated, fixed the site of the Priory 

 again, but doubtfully, until the North Cornwall Railway Engin- 

 eers in their excavations in 1886 unearthed the foundations of 

 walls, which later excavations proved to have stood on the east 

 and south of the Cloister Square. These foundations marked the 

 site of the Day Poom, the lavatory, cellarer's crypt, and other 

 adjacent rooms. In the Day Poom, which stood east of the 

 Cloister, and ran north and south, was found the base of an 

 octagonal column in situ ; this column, which is now in St. 

 Thomas Churchyard, was one of two, or three, which supported 

 the stone groined floor of the Dormitory which was over it. 

 Many of the simply chamfered groin stones were within the 

 foundations. The Lavatory, and cellarer's crypt, &c., were 

 situated under the Refectory, and ran west, at right angles 

 to the Day Room ; on their sites were found many more groin 

 stones, an ancient candlestick, a silver (?) horse harness buckle, 

 the upper portion of a stone hand-cornmill, and under the floor, 

 long lengths of lead piping for the water supply ; this pipe had, 

 at one point, a very primitive junction where a branch pipe 

 united with it. I am of opinion that it was supplied with water 

 from an adit (the arch over which has lately been destroyed) 

 close to the western entrance to St. Thomas Churchjard. 



The Priory meadow has recently been ofEered for sale, and 

 the Launceston G-as Oo. having purchased a portion of it for the 



