The towns lie on the southern route of the two medieval ways from Plymouth to Penzance. First joined by a bridge built in about 1411, the two towns maintained their separate identities even when full Parliamentary representation was granted in the 16th century : 1553 for West Looe and 1571 for East Looe. From then until 1832 the towns returned four representatives to Parliament, although it is said that only ten people were eligible to vote! With such a small electorate corruption was perhaps inevitable, and the town became two of Cornwall's 21 'Rotten Boroughs'. The Napoleonic blockade of 1808 closed the Mediterranean and deprived Looe of its major markets for pilchards. Increasing agricultural activity , however, revived the ports. A demand for lime and chalky sand led to the building of a canal to Liskeard in 1828 and was followed by the discovery of copper ore in the Caradon hills. Granite from the Cheesewring Quarry was exported for the new docks at Plymouth, Spithead, Portsmouth and elsewhere. Shipping of copper and granite brought increased prosperity to the town and it became necessary to extend the Liskeard and Caradon railway down to Looe because of problems with the canal water supply, the Parliamentary Bill receiving its Royal Assent in May 1858. The railway was intended to reduce traffic on the canal but not to replace it .The engineers designed the track to follow the easiest path, however, which meant that the railway crossed the canal in several places - effectively destroying the towpath and consequently the commercial viability of the canal. The Liskeard and Looe railway line was opened for traffic in 1860. As early as 1800 the burgess of the town had been quick to recognise its tourist potential, for they had established a bathing machine on the beach. The railway was opened to passenger traffic in 1871 & this event brought about the change in character from fishing port to popular tourist resort.