Castle Hill House

Castle Hill House is a large town house dating from the early to mid-18th century, located in Launceston. It is constructed of red brick with keyed segmental arches, and has a hipped rag slate roof with a pediment to the front and a central pedimental roof dormer on each of the other elevations. A modillioned and moulded wooden eaves cornice runs around the building. The house has a double-depth plan and two storeys plus attics, with a symmetrical west front of 1:3:1 bays. Original 12-pane hornless sash windows with thick glazing bars are largely intact, although some have been replaced in the 20th century; an oculus is located in the pediment. The central wooden doorcase is pedimented, with consoles and a pulvinated frieze, and contains a later Gothic-style panelled door. Steps with a vase-turned balustrade lead up to the doorway from either side. The rear elevation, with five windows, has a central Ionic distyle pedimented wooden porch, and a doorway has been inserted into a former window on the far right, featuring a Gothic-style panelled door.

Inside, the house retains an original open-well staircase with a ramped handrail and three turned balusters per tread. The plasterwork is of fine quality and is thought to have been created by the same craftsmen who worked on Eagle Star House and Lawrence House. Castle Hill House is a remarkably complete example of a house from its period, exhibiting high-quality features both internally and externally.