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Looe Valley Line

Looe

Looe (/ˈluː/; Cornish: Logh, lit. 'deep water inlet') is located in east Cornwall and had a population of 5,280 at the 2011 census.
The town is divided by the River Looe into East Looe and West Looe – they are connected by a bridge and a harbour ferry also operates further down stream

Originally Looe developed as two separate towns each with MPs and its own mayor.

Today the town centres around a small harbour and along the steep-sided valley of the River Looe which flows between East and West Looe to the sea beside a sandy beach. Offshore to the west, opposite the stonier Hannafore Beach, lies Looe Island.

Looe is linked to the main railway network by the somewhat quirky Looe Valley Line operated by Great Western Railway and which began life as a canal some remains of which are still visible in places where the railway deviated from the course of the canal. Proposals for a direct, high speed direct line to Plymouth along with associated Hotel, Residential and Golf Club developments were planned by the original Great Western Railway company during the 1930s. Only the now disuses golf course was completed the remainder of the plans falling victim to World War II and Nationalisation.
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  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Chapel Street

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Chapel Street

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    The Banjo Pier - Looe. Looe Harbour had suffered from silting which prevented vessels from entering the port. At first a groyne was constructed on the site of the present pier. The construction of the groyne was not fully effective this led to local engineer Joseph Thomas suggesting the construction of a new pier in 1897. Thomas was convinced that he offered to fund the project if it failed so long as the harbour board were to pay for it if it succeeded. It did succeed and Thomas was paid. The idea of a ‘Banjo Pier’ has since been used around the world to solve similar problems. The end of the pier is marked with a navigational beacon to assist ships entering the harbour. The pier is popular with visitors, however it is closed to the public in adverse weather conditions.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    The Banjo Pier - Looe. Looe Harbour had suffered from silting which prevented vessels from entering the port. At first a groyne was constructed on the site of the present pier. The construction of the groyne was not fully effective this led to local engineer Joseph Thomas suggesting the construction of a new pier in 1897. Thomas was convinced that he offered to fund the project if it failed so long as the harbour board were to pay for it if it succeeded. It did succeed and Thomas was paid. The idea of a ‘Banjo Pier’ has since been used around the world to solve similar problems. The end of the pier is marked with a navigational beacon to assist ships entering the harbour. The pier is popular with visitors, however it is closed to the public in adverse weather conditions.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    The Banjo Pier - Looe. Looe Harbour had suffered from silting which prevented vessels from entering the port. At first a groyne was constructed on the site of the present pier. The construction of the groyne was not fully effective this led to local engineer Joseph Thomas suggesting the construction of a new pier in 1897. Thomas was convinced that he offered to fund the project if it failed so long as the harbour board were to pay for it if it succeeded. It did succeed and Thomas was paid. The idea of a ‘Banjo Pier’ has since been used around the world to solve similar problems. The end of the pier is marked with a navigational beacon to assist ships entering the harbour. The pier is popular with visitors, however it is closed to the public in adverse weather conditions.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    East Looe viewed from the Banjo Pier

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    L2023_0774

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    View across Looe Harbour to the Sardine Factory Restaurant and Heritage Centre.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    View across Looe Harbour to the Sardine Factory Restaurant and Heritage Centre.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    View across the harbour to West Looe.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023

    View towards Looe Bridge from near Looe Station.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Fishermens' Mission Garden in East Looe located close to Looe Bridge.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Bridge was constructed in the 1850s to replace a dangerous 15th-century structure, the bridge carries the A387 road and is a Grade II listed building. An early wooden bridge was built across the river at Looe in c. 1400. This structure burned down in 1405. The first stone bridge across the river in the town was built following a grant of 22 October 1411; construction took 25 years and was completed in 1436. The arches varied in width from 9–22 ft (2.7–6.7 m); the larger spans allowed passage of timber rafts. The width of the bridge was 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) at its narrowest and 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) at its widest. On the centre of the bridge was a chapel dedicated to Saint Anne. It is possible that the chapel was demolished at the time of the Reformation, although some traces were reported to have still existed when the bridge was demolished. In 1689 the bridge was "in general decay", and the repairs were seen to by the county authority. Granite plaques were installed at each end of the bridge, of which the west plaque still exists. A notice placed in The London Gazette in 1847 stated of an intent to apply to parliament to improve and maintain Looe Harbour, and to "take down the bridge across the said harbour, and to build a new bridge instead thereof, with proper approaches and works connected therewith, at or near the site of the present bridge". The following year, the East and West Looe Harbour and Bridge Act was passed, which stated that "the present bridge across the harbour is dilapidated and ill built". A grant for constructing a new bridge was made in 1852. Built approximately 100 yd (91 m) upstream of the site of the older bridge, which had been removed in 1853, the foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1854 and the new bridge opened on 4 September 1855. Designed by William Pease of slatestone with granite dressings, the bridge cost £2,984 (equivalent to £286,346 in 2020) to construct. It has nine "misshapen" arches,] of which seven span the river, one is a dry arch on the East Looe side, and one at the West Looe side forms a pedestrian passage. The roadway had an original uniform width of 18 ft 2 in (5.54 m), but underwent a programme of widening in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The road carried by the bridge forms part of the A387 between Polbathic and Polperro. In 1993, the bridge and its six cast iron lamp standards were given Grade II listed status.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    River Looe looking upstream from Looe Bridge. Much of the land opposite formed goods yard of the Liskeard and Looe Railway. The passenger station being located to the far right of the picture.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Bridge was constructed in the 1850s to replace a dangerous 15th-century structure, the bridge carries the A387 road and is a Grade II listed building. An early wooden bridge was built across the river at Looe in c. 1400. This structure burned down in 1405. The first stone bridge across the river in the town was built following a grant of 22 October 1411; construction took 25 years and was completed in 1436. The arches varied in width from 9–22 ft (2.7–6.7 m); the larger spans allowed passage of timber rafts. The width of the bridge was 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) at its narrowest and 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) at its widest. On the centre of the bridge was a chapel dedicated to Saint Anne. It is possible that the chapel was demolished at the time of the Reformation, although some traces were reported to have still existed when the bridge was demolished. In 1689 the bridge was "in general decay", and the repairs were seen to by the county authority. Granite plaques were installed at each end of the bridge, of which the west plaque still exists. A notice placed in The London Gazette in 1847 stated of an intent to apply to parliament to improve and maintain Looe Harbour, and to "take down the bridge across the said harbour, and to build a new bridge instead thereof, with proper approaches and works connected therewith, at or near the site of the present bridge". The following year, the East and West Looe Harbour and Bridge Act was passed, which stated that "the present bridge across the harbour is dilapidated and ill built". A grant for constructing a new bridge was made in 1852. Built approximately 100 yd (91 m) upstream of the site of the older bridge, which had been removed in 1853, the foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1854 and the new bridge opened on 4 September 1855. Designed by William Pease of slatestone with granite dressings, the bridge cost £2,984 (equivalent to £286,346 in 2020) to construct. It has nine "misshapen" arches,] of which seven span the river, one is a dry arch on the East Looe side, and one at the West Looe side forms a pedestrian passage. The roadway had an original uniform width of 18 ft 2 in (5.54 m), but underwent a programme of widening in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The road carried by the bridge forms part of the A387 between Polbathic and Polperro. In 1993, the bridge and its six cast iron lamp standards were given Grade II listed status.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Bridge was constructed in the 1850s to replace a dangerous 15th-century structure, the bridge carries the A387 road and is a Grade II listed building. An early wooden bridge was built across the river at Looe in c. 1400. This structure burned down in 1405. The first stone bridge across the river in the town was built following a grant of 22 October 1411; construction took 25 years and was completed in 1436. The arches varied in width from 9–22 ft (2.7–6.7 m); the larger spans allowed passage of timber rafts. The width of the bridge was 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) at its narrowest and 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) at its widest. On the centre of the bridge was a chapel dedicated to Saint Anne. It is possible that the chapel was demolished at the time of the Reformation, although some traces were reported to have still existed when the bridge was demolished. In 1689 the bridge was "in general decay", and the repairs were seen to by the county authority. Granite plaques were installed at each end of the bridge, of which the west plaque still exists. A notice placed in The London Gazette in 1847 stated of an intent to apply to parliament to improve and maintain Looe Harbour, and to "take down the bridge across the said harbour, and to build a new bridge instead thereof, with proper approaches and works connected therewith, at or near the site of the present bridge". The following year, the East and West Looe Harbour and Bridge Act was passed, which stated that "the present bridge across the harbour is dilapidated and ill built". A grant for constructing a new bridge was made in 1852. Built approximately 100 yd (91 m) upstream of the site of the older bridge, which had been removed in 1853, the foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1854 and the new bridge opened on 4 September 1855. Designed by William Pease of slatestone with granite dressings, the bridge cost £2,984 (equivalent to £286,346 in 2020) to construct. It has nine "misshapen" arches,] of which seven span the river, one is a dry arch on the East Looe side, and one at the West Looe side forms a pedestrian passage. The roadway had an original uniform width of 18 ft 2 in (5.54 m), but underwent a programme of widening in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The road carried by the bridge forms part of the A387 between Polbathic and Polperro. In 1993, the bridge and its six cast iron lamp standards were given Grade II listed status.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Plaque commemorating improvements to the Quayside Walkway at West Looe undertaken by the now defunct Caradon District Council in 1990. Cornwall is now a unitary authority.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Bridge was constructed in the 1850s to replace a dangerous 15th-century structure, the bridge carries the A387 road and is a Grade II listed building. An early wooden bridge was built across the river at Looe in c. 1400. This structure burned down in 1405. The first stone bridge across the river in the town was built following a grant of 22 October 1411; construction took 25 years and was completed in 1436. The arches varied in width from 9–22 ft (2.7–6.7 m); the larger spans allowed passage of timber rafts. The width of the bridge was 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) at its narrowest and 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) at its widest. On the centre of the bridge was a chapel dedicated to Saint Anne. It is possible that the chapel was demolished at the time of the Reformation, although some traces were reported to have still existed when the bridge was demolished. In 1689 the bridge was "in general decay", and the repairs were seen to by the county authority. Granite plaques were installed at each end of the bridge, of which the west plaque still exists. A notice placed in The London Gazette in 1847 stated of an intent to apply to parliament to improve and maintain Looe Harbour, and to "take down the bridge across the said harbour, and to build a new bridge instead thereof, with proper approaches and works connected therewith, at or near the site of the present bridge". The following year, the East and West Looe Harbour and Bridge Act was passed, which stated that "the present bridge across the harbour is dilapidated and ill built". A grant for constructing a new bridge was made in 1852. Built approximately 100 yd (91 m) upstream of the site of the older bridge, which had been removed in 1853, the foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1854 and the new bridge opened on 4 September 1855. Designed by William Pease of slatestone with granite dressings, the bridge cost £2,984 (equivalent to £286,346 in 2020) to construct. It has nine "misshapen" arches,] of which seven span the river, one is a dry arch on the East Looe side, and one at the West Looe side forms a pedestrian passage. The roadway had an original uniform width of 18 ft 2 in (5.54 m), but underwent a programme of widening in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The road carried by the bridge forms part of the A387 between Polbathic and Polperro. In 1993, the bridge and its six cast iron lamp standards were given Grade II listed status.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Island Ferry departing from West Looe.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Fowey registered fishing vessel MYSTIQUE II arriving in Looe harbour on a flood tide.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe Island Ferry departing from West Looe.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Fowey registered fishing vessel MYSTIQUE II arriving in Looe harbour on a flood tide.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Fowey registered fishing vessel MYSTIQUE II arriving in Looe harbour on a flood tide.

  • Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022

    Fowey registered fishing vessel MYSTIQUE II arriving in Looe harbour on a flood tide.

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    Looe, Cornwall, UK - May 10, 2023
    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022
    Looe, Cornwall, UK - April 28, 2022