LOSTWITHIEL

town (parish), Restormel borough, administrative and historic county of Cornwall, England, built on a medieval grid plan by the River Fowey, spanned there at the lowest bridge point by a 14th-century bridge. The town developed near Restormel Castle, which dates from about 1100. It is the best-preserved British castle of its period. Much of it, however, is of the 13th century, when Lostwithiel was capital of the duchy of Cornwall and one of the four stannary, or coinage, towns (Helston, Lostwithiel, Truro, and Liskeard), where all smelted tin was taxed and tested for quality. The remains of the stannary offices (c. 1280) are in Quay Street. Pop. (1991) 2,452.