Editing Looe (section)

===Early churches===
Some time before 1144, [[Order of Saint Benedict|the Order of Saint Benedict]] occupied [[Looe Island]], building a chapel there, and the monks established a rudimentary lighthouse service using [[beacon]]s. Another chapel was founded on an opposite hillside just outside West Looe; both are now marked only by ruins.

The parish church of East Looe was at [[St Martin by Looe]] but there was a [[chapel of ease]] in the town. [[St Mary's Church, East Looe]] was dedicated in 1259 by [[Walter Bronscombe]], [[Bishop of Exeter]]. Despite rebuilding commencing in 1805, it has since fallen into disrepair, although the original Tower still remains. On the centre of the bridge in medieval times stood the Chapel of St Anne (dedicated in 1436): this dedication was attributed to the town chapel by [[George Oliver (freemason)|Dr George Oliver]] and has been adopted ever since, displacing that of St Mary.<ref name="Cornish Church Guide 1925 pp. 148-49">''Cornish Church Guide'' (1925) Truro: Blackford; pp. 148-49</ref>

West Looe comprised part of the [[parish]] of [[Talland]] since the early [[Middle Ages]], but a chapel of ease, [[St Nicholas' Church, West Looe]] was extant before 1330 when it is recorded as being further endowed and enlarged. After spells as a [[Guildhall|common hall]] and a schoolhouse, this building has reverted to its original ecclesiastical use, having been substantially restored in 1852, 1862 and 1915.<ref name="Cornish Church Guide 1925 pp. 148-49"/>