Liskeard and Looe Union Canal

Agricultural land around the Looe valleys was considered to be of high quality, but the acidic soil required annual improvement with lime. Traditionally the limestone to prepare this had come from the Plymouth area by coastal shipping to the East Looe Valley where it was burnt in kilns to make the lime. While the coastal shipping element of the journey was straightforward, even main roads were in a primitive condition; for example: <blockquote>Despite its grand title, it would seem that the 'Royal Cornish Way' (today's A30) was little better than a muddy cart-track by the beginning of the 18th century. In places it may well have had no defined edge or surface at all, leaving travellers to…

The railway did not take over the canal alignment: it crossed the canal by bridge in five places, three below Sandplace and two above, although the railway seems to have obliterated the canal in the northern extremity. Sandplace continued to be a significant wharf for the canal, due to the activities of John Buller, but it appears that the canal above that point, although not actually displaced by the railway construction, was positively allowed to decline. Although the canal was still officially open, the Liskeard Water Company negotiated the takeover of the Crylla Leat and its water supply from May 1861, subsequently agreeing to pay £5 per year for its perpetual use. With no water supply…

Part of the canal opened for traffic on 27 August 1827, and in March 1828 the Royal Cornwall Gazette reported that it was complete. It rose through 156 ft over its length of 5.9 mi Although the canal was in full operation, there were numerous challenges facing the proprietors. The works were "in a slovenly and unfinished state", and it took until 1830 for the reservoir at Moorswater and the feed from the Crylla to be completed. A road had to be made from Moorswater into Liskeard at Dean Well, at a cost of £1,200, completed in 1829. Dean Well was at the north-western extremity of Dean Street, so the road referred to would appear to be "New Road". Traffic immediately transferred to this road…