John Knill Ceremony

About

Who was John Knill?
John Knill was born at Callington, Cornwall on 1st January 1733. He worked as a collector of Customs in the St Ives area between 1762 and 1782 where he also became a mayor for St Ives Town Council in 1767. He was renowned as being slightly
eccentric. John Knill died at his chambers on 29th March 1811 in Gray's Inn Square London and is buried in St Andrew's Church, Holborn.

What did John Knill build?
John Knill decided to build a 50 foot (15 metres) three-sided pyramid-like granite structure in 1767 on Worvas Hill, just south of St Ives, which is known as Knill’s Steeple. He erected the monument as his intended burial place. The monument bears on one side the painted coat of arms of Knill, with the Latin Resurgam (I Shall arise), and in English, ‘I know that my Redeemer
liveth.’ 

What’s the tradition?
In his will he left detailed instructions for ceremonies to be carried out in his memory every five years on St James Day, July 25th at the Steeple, including dancing for 15 minutes to the tune of ‘All People That On Earth Do Dwell’ by ten young girls
under the age of 10 and who traditionally have to be daughters of either fishermen, tinners or seamen.
They are accompanied by 2 widows, the Mayor, the Customs Officer and a Master of Ceremonies. In his will, John left money for the upkeep of his monument and also £25 for celebrations to take place. The procession starts from the Guildhall, then by coach from the Malakoff to Worvas Hill. The first ceremony, in which John Knill participated, took place in 1801.

The £25 was to be spent like this:
• £10 for a dinner for the Trustees who are the mayor, Vicar and Customs Officer plus two guests each. This dinner was to take place at the George and Dragon Inn, Market Place.
• £5 to ten young girls who have to be the daughters of either fishermen, tinners or seamen.
• £1 to the fiddler.
• £2 to two widows.
• £5 to the man and wife, widower or widow, who shall raise the greatest family of legitimate children who have reached the age
of ten years (without parochial assistance).
• £1 for white ribbon for breast knots.
• £1 to be set aside for a vellum book for the
Clerk to the Trustees to record the proceedings.