Image by Stephen Tolfrey - supplied by Visit Cornwall

The first known reference to Liskeard was in the Domesday Book in 1086. In 1240, the first of eighteen charters was granted to the town, thus permitting the holding of markets which have continued to the present day, cattle markets being held on alternate Thursdays.

Few towns the size of Liskeard can boast two sets of public buildings. The Guildhall, with its clock tower, was built in 1859, replacing the former Town Hall, and was used until recently as the Magistrates Court. The Public Hall was built in 1890 and provides a venue for a range of community activities as well as housing the Town Council Offices. Foresters Hall (1896) houses the Town Museum and Information Centre.

The town lies above the Looe river valley, some 14 miles west of the Tamar river. The main London to Penzance railway line and the A38 trunk road provide Liskeard with rapid access to Plymouth and the motorway network, and the rest of Cornwall.