Parochial Accounts 17th Century St Neots Cornwall

The Lives of Our Ancestors: Parochial Accounts of St Neot, Cornwall, 1600-1699

Unlock the World of Your 17th-Century Cornish Ancestors!

Go beyond the names and dates in traditional parish registers and immerse yourself in the rich, detailed tapestry of life in 17th-century Cornwall. This exclusive digitised collection brings together the surviving Parochial Accounts of St Neot (often mistakenly recorded as St Neots), a parish nestled in the heart of the Bodmin Moor, for the entire tumultuous century.

During the 1600s, England was reshaped by monarchs, civil war, and religious upheaval. These events didn't just happen in London; they echoed through the granite churches and moorland farms of Cornwall. These accounts are your direct link to understanding how your ancestors lived, worked, and survived through it all.

What You Will Discover Inside:
This meticulously scanned and fully indexed collection contains the original parish ledgers that reveal the day-to-day reality of life in St Neot. You won't just find names; you'll find stories.

Vestry Minutes: Read the debates and decisions of the parish officials. Discover who was appointed to collect the poor rate, who was responsible for maintaining the church walls, and how the community dealt with local disputes.
Churchwardens' Accounts: See itemised lists of expenses for everything from mending the church bell and buying new communion wine to paying the clerk and rat-catcher. Find your ancestor's name listed as a labourer paid for repairs or a supplier of goods.

Poor Law Records: These are a genealogical goldmine! Discover details of your ancestors who received parish relief, were apprenticed out to a trade, or were granted settlement. Uncover the stories of hardship and community support.

Accounts of Local Charities & Bequests: Find generous benefactors who left money for the poor or for the education of parish children. Your ancestor may have been a trustee or a recipient of this charity.
Insights into Major Events: See how the English Civil War (1642-1651) impacted the parish, from the seizure of church plate for the war effort to the appointment of new clergy during the Commonwealth period.

A Parish of Note: Famous Connections

The parish of St Neot was home to one of Cornwall's most influential and celebrated families. Within these pages, you will find the fingerprints of history.

The Trelawny Family of Trelawne: The parish was the ancestral seat of the powerful Trelawny family. Their influence is woven throughout the records, from their roles as patrons of the church and lords of the manor to their appearance as signatories on official documents.

Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 3rd Baronet (1650-1721): Born in Pelynt within the parish, Sir Jonathan is St Neot's most famous son. He was the Anglican Bishop of Bristol, Exeter, and Winchester, and one of the Seven Bishops prosecuted by King James II in 1688 for seditious libel. Their acquittal was a pivotal moment leading to the Glorious Revolution. His story is immortalised in the famous Cornish anthem, "The Song of the Western Men" ("And shall Trelawny live?"). Imagine finding the Trelawny name in these very accounts during the years of his youth and rise to prominence!

Why These Records are Invaluable for Your Research:
Break Down Brick Walls: If you've lost an ancestor between the baptism of a child and their own burial, these records can place them in the parish at a specific time.
Add Colour to Your Family Tree: Was your ancestor a respectable landowner paying rates, a skilled craftsman repairing the church roof, or a family struggling to make ends meet? These records provide social context you won't find anywhere else.

Discover Family Connections: Names appear together as witnesses, guarantors for apprentices, or neighbours in land disputes, revealing previously unknown family and community ties.
Fully Searchable: Our expert transcription and index allow you to search by name, place, or occupation, saving you countless hours of painstaking research.