Churches of the British Isles

This change may have occurred at the Reformation. The building was later re-used as a prison and, at one time, a school. At the suggestion of the vicar of the new joint parish of Looe, in 1852 St Nicholas was reinstated by Nathaniel Hearle, mayor of West Looe. It became the parish church. Further restoration too place in 1862, and E H Sedding carried out yet more work in 1915/1917. The church's West Looe parish was united with that of St Martin East Looe (see links) in 1978.

West Looe (First) Bible Christian Chapel, known as Salem Chapel, is a way up Church Street after it becomes West Looe Hill. Bible Christians began meeting in private homes around 1831. The chapel was built on the south side of the street in 1846, following the lease of a garden in 1845. The date stone above the windows confirms this. When the new chapel was built (see below) this became the Sunday school, later converted into 'The Old Chapel' cottage, a holiday home.

Our Lady and St Nicholas Catholic Chapel can be found further back down West Looe Hill, also on the south side and about seventy metres west of Downs View. It was built in 1923 as a chapel-of-ease to Sclerder (see 'related links'), with the dedication being the names of two local medieval churches. It was paid for by Amy Imrie, heiress and superior of the Poor Clares, and could seat 120. Now closed, masses are held back at Sclerder and the building is called 'Ada's Chapel'.

West Looe (Second) Bible Christian Chapel also still stands even though it no longer operates as a chapel (the work of repurposing old chapels seems to be especially rife in Looe!). It can be found set well back from the northern side of West Looe Hill as this meets Fore Street, with the connecting lane (see below) being known as Chapel Ground. The chapel is on the south side of the lane. It was built in 1889 to replace the small Salem Chapel (see above).

The older chapel became the Sunday school. The new building was designed by H J Snell of Plymouth, architect, for three hundred and fifty persons and with a build style which dominates the lane. It later became West Looe United Methodist Chapel, then the United Methodist Church (1907), and then West Looe Methodist Church. It closed in 1966 to merge with what is now the Riverside Church (see links), being converted into apartments as 'Dingle's Folly'.

Two photos on this page kindly contributed by Baz Richardson and Mira66 via the History Files: Churches of the British Isles group, and four copyright © Jaggery (three) and Paul Barnett via Geograph, reused under a cc licence.