Saltash (Cornish: Essa) is a town and civil parish in southeast Cornwall, England, UK. It has a population of 14,964, which rose to 16,184 at the 2011 census. It lies in the south east of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It was in the Caradon district until March 2009 and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means ash tree by the salt mill. Saltash is the largest town within the East Cornwall area and is one of the largest in Cornwall.