The Gatehouse website record for Liskeard Castle

In the civil parish of Liskeard. In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Possible castle mentioned by William Worcs. Leland writes 'There was a Castel on an Hiile in the Toun side by North from St. Martin. It is now all in Ruine, Fragments and Peaces of waulles yet stond... The Castell was the Erles of Cornwall. It is now used somtym for a pound for Cattell.' PastScape record states 'Site of a medieval castle or fortified manor built originally in 1337 and rebuilt in 1361. The site is now a park and playground and there are no extant remains.' The king's surveys report the wall surrounding the manor house as ruinous in 1337, repairs were made in 1341-2 and 1361 (The little hall was rebuilt, not the castle!). Higham put this in his list of castles built prior to 1300.
At Liskeard was a castle or fortified manor-house belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall. In 1337, when extensive repairs were needed, it was described as 'a certain manor-house surrounded by a wall'. Within the wall were a hall and chambers, adjoining cellars, a chapel and a chamber over the gateway. The hall was rebuilt in 1361, but after repairs in the reign of Richard II the buildings were totally neglected, and by Leland's time were 'al in ruine', being used as a cattle pound. Mackenzie notes a few remains still standing next to a field called 'Castle Park'. (PastScape–ref. HKW, Leland, Mackenzie, Lysons)
The town was important in medieval Cornwall, had been a pre-Conquest administrative centre and royal manor and, according to Leland, had the second most important market in Cornwall. The castle seems to have been modest and although it had a gatehouse there is no mention of a great tower or keep of any form. The town development and landscaping of the park making reading the map difficult but the area of the castle seems to be an elongated rounded rectangle with a form suggestive of a motte (or ringwork) and bailey and one would certainly expect an early castle at this significant administrative centre (c.f. the other post-Conquest market towns of Count Robert; Launceston and Trematon). Hitchens records an associated deep park in C14.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX25366460

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 435054
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

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