Laneast

Laneast is a small parish in north Cornwall, set above the River Inny valley roughly 6 miles west of Launceston. The name derives from the Cornish “Lann” - meaning church site - and the parish includes the hamlets of Laneast and Badgall. With a population of around 200, this is genuinely rural Cornwall, where farming defines the landscape and the pace of life.

The parish has a notable claim to fame. John Couch Adams, the mathematician and astronomer who co-discovered the planet Neptune, was born at Lidcott Farm here in 1819. He went on to become Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge. To the north-east of the parish, Lidcott Mine - a 19th-century opencast manganese mine - is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its geological importance.

Laneast sits on the edge of Bodmin Moor, giving walkers direct access to some of Cornwall’s wildest inland terrain. The moorland paths connect through to Altarnun and St Clether, both within a few miles. Launceston, with its Norman castle and independent shops, is a short drive east. The north coast at Bude and Widemouth Bay is reachable in around 30 minutes, making Laneast a quiet alternative to busier coastal bases. St Clether Holy Well, a restored medieval well chapel about 2 miles west, draws visitors interested in Cornwall’s early Christian heritage. The Inny valley below the parish is good for quiet fishing, with brown trout present in the upper reaches of the river.