Lawrence House

Built in 1753, Lawrence House is one of the Georgian townhouses of Castle Street in Launceston, which John Betjeman credited with the most perfect collection of 18th-century townhouses in Cornwall. The National Trust owns the house and leases it to Launceston Town Council, which runs it as the town's museum and civic centre. It is currently closed for repairs, with the museum staging a pop-up exhibition at 13 High Street instead. When open, the galleries spread local history over three floors, including Launceston's links with Australia through Philip Gidley King, who sailed on HMS Sirius alongside the first fleet of convicts. There is a Victorian kitchen with its original range and mangle, costumes from the eighteenth century to the 1960s, and a toy room where children can play as well as look. All dogs are welcome in the garden, with assistance dogs only inside. Reviewers praise the friendly volunteers and the games that keep children busy on the way round, and note that entry is free. The town's public car parks, all charged, are close by.