LOOE (EAST),a sea-port and borough and market-town and
chapelry, having separate jurisdiction,
in the parish of
ST-MARTIN, locally in West
hundred, county of CORNWALL,
16 miles (W.) from
Plymouth, and 232 (W. S.W,)
fromLondonycontaining770
inhabitants. This place was
formerly the only sea-port in
Cornwall of any importance,
excepting Fowey, and hence
was derived its name, Lo, in Cornish, signifying a port.
In the reign ofEdwardIII.it furnished twenty ships
and three hundred and fifteen mariners towards the
equipment of the English fleet for the siege of Calais.
Its situation is beautifully romantic, on the eastern
bank of Looe bay, near the mouth of the river Looe,
over which is a narrow bridge of thirteen stone arches,
one hundred and forty-one yards in length, and only
six feet wide, built about the year 1400; the sea view
is very fine, and the land scenery richly diversified; the
air is salubrious, and the inhabitants are supplied with
excellent water. On the beach is a fort mounted with
ten guns; and opposite to the town is Looe island, or
St. George's, which is much frequented by flocks of seafowl
during the spring. The pilchard fishery is carried
on to a considerable extent; the exports consist of tin,
copper, and lead ore, bark, timber, salt, pilchards, and
pilchard oil; and coal, culm, and limestone are imported.
Here is a custom-house; and a collector, a comptroller,
and a surveyor of the customs, are resident. Four British
vessels entered iawards from foreign parts, and
three cleared outwards, in 1826; three vessels were
built and registered here the same year; and in 1828,
there were two vessels of more than one hundred tons',
and twenty-four of less, burden belonging to the port.
This town derives considerable advantages from the
Liskeard and Looe canal, recently completed. The market
is on Saturday; and fairs are held, February 13th,
July 10th, September 10th, and October 10th.
East Looe is a borough by prescription; the charter
of incorporation, granted by Elizabeth in 1587, was confirmed
by charters of James I. and II. The corporation
consists of a mayor, recorder, eight aldermen, and an
indefinite number of burgesses, with a town-clerk, four
Serjeants at mace, and inferior officers; the mayor and
recorder are elected by the aldermen; the aldermen and
free burgesses by the mayor and aldermen; the town clerk
is appointed by the recorder, and the Serjeants at mace
are nominated by the mayor: the mayor, the late
mayor, the deputy mayor, the recorder, and the deputy
recorder, are justices of the peace, within the
borough. Sessions for the borough are held once or
twice a year, at which prisoners charged with petty
larceny are tried, but those committed for transportable,
or capital, offences, are generally tried at the
assizes or sessions for the .county, though there is
a clause in the charter to prohibit the judicial interference
of the county magistrates. The charter of
James II. gives the mayor and aldermen authority to
hold a court of record every three weeks, for the recovery
of debts not exceeding £ 100; but no business
has been transacted in this court for many years.
There is a common gaol for felons and debtors. A
court leet, with view of frank-pledge, is held for the
manor. This borough, conjointly with Fowey, sent
a representative to a great council at Westminster,
in the reign of Edward I., but members were not
sent to parliament until the 13th of Elizabeth, since
which two members have been returned, who are elected
by a majority of the corporation; the mayor'is the returning
officer, and the influence of the Buller family is
predominant. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the
archdeaconry of Cornwall, and diocese of Exeter, and
in the joint patronage of James Buller, Esq., and the
Rev. Sir H. Trelawney, Bart. The chapel, rebuilt in
1806, is a small but handsome structure. There are
places of worship for the Society of Friends and Wes-
Jleyan Methodists.