St Neot

"ST. NEOT, a parish, township, and village in the hundred of West, county Cornwall, 6 miles W. by N. of Liskeard, and 30 from Plymouth. The parish, which is of large extent, comprising an area of 13,997 acres, is situated at the head of a valley watered by a branch of the river Fowey, called the river of St. Neot. It had previous to the Norman conquest a hermitage or monastery of St. Neot, which has given name to the village. More than half the surface is still common and waste, and about 400 acres of woodland. The substratum abounds in granite, greywacke, and slate, which are quarried, and in some places contain veins of stream tin. The soil is clay and loam, producing good crops of corn. In this parish is Dozmere, an intermittent lake, to which various superstitions attach. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Exeter, value £367. The church of St. Neot is in the perpendicular style of architecture, with a tower containing six bells. It contains several ancient brasses and monuments, an antique font, and a register chest. The windows exhibit some remains of the legend of St. Neot in ancient stained glass, by Hedgeland, and sixteen others enriched with subjects from Scripture history, as the Creation, Deluge, Lord's Supper, Crucifixion, &c. The glass was restored in 1824 by the Rev. R. G. Grylls, at an expense of £2,000. There are two places of worship belonging to the Bible Christians, and one to the Wesleyans, also a National and free school for boys and girls, and a Sunday-school. The parochial charities produce about £33 per annum, besides £13 belonging to the free school. The Rev. William Grylls is lord of the manor. In this parish are the ruins of a chapel dedicated to St. Luke, also traces of the monastery or college of St. Neot, said to have been founded in memory of Neotus, a brother of King Alfred. John Austin, the antiquary, was born here in 1699. A cattle fair is held on the second Tuesday in April and November.