ignorance and credulity of their fellow creatures, have been glossed
over with the vain glory of heroism.

The ancient name of Launceston was Dunheved, or the Swelling Hill; its
present appellation, according to Borlase, the antiquarian illustrator
of Cornwall, signifies, in mixed British, the Church of the Castle. The
latter structure is the most important object in the town, to which, in
all probability, it gave origin. The remains surround a considerable
extent of ground, and prove it to have been a very strong and important
fortress. Borlase, who examined the building with great attention about
the middle of the last century, thus describes it:--

"The principal entrance is on the north-east, the gateway 120 feet long;
whence, turning to the right, you mount a terrace, running parallel to
the rampart till you come to the angle, on which there is a round tower,
now called the Witches' Tower, from which the terrace runs away to the
left at right angles, and continues on a level parallel to the rampart,
which is nearly of the thickness of 12 feet, till you come to a
semicircular tower, and, as I suppose, a guard-room and gate. From this
the ground rises very quick, and, through a passage of seven feet wide,
you ascend the covered way betwixt two walls, which are pierced with
narrow windows for observation, and yet cover the communication between
the base-court and the keep or dungeon. The whole keep is 93 feet
diameter; it consisted of three wards: the wall of the first ward was
not quite three feet thick; and therefore, I think, could only be a
parapet for soldiers to fight from, and defend the brow of the hill. Six
feet within it stands the second wall, which is twelve feet thick, and
has a staircase three feet wide, at the left hand of the entrance,
running up to the top of the rampart; the entrance of this staircase has
a round arch of stone over it. Passing on to the left, you find the