St Neot, Cornwall – Historic Moorland Village near Bodmin Moor & Golitha Falls
St Neot in Cornwall
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ST NEOT
St Neot is a village on the southern fringe of Bodmin Moor, set in the wooded Loveny valley close to the River Fowey. Surrounded by farmland, woodland and moorland, it is one of Cornwall’s most characterful inland parishes and a good base for exploring the moor, with walking routes onto the open uplands and along the river valleys.
St Neot Church & its Stained Glass
The church of St Neot, standing proud in the small village below the heights of Bodmin Moor, is famed throughout the country for its stained glass. Much of the glass in its fifteen windows dates from the 15th and 16th centuries, depicting saints and angels, the story of the Flood and the legend of St Neot himself – said to have been only four feet tall.
Among the crosses in the churchyard is the shaft of a pre-Norman cross, said to be one of the finest decorated crosses in Cornwall. Look up at the tower and you will see an oak branch fixed to it: it is renewed every Oak Apple Day (29 May), in a ceremony begun by royalists to give thanks for the oak tree that hid Charles II after the Battle of Worcester.
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CARNGLAZE CAVERNS
Close to St Neot, Carnglaze Caverns are three vast man-made caverns created by slate quarrying in the Loveny valley. The first, the Rum Store, was used by the Royal Navy to store its rum during the Second World War and has since been converted into a 400-seat auditorium – an unusual and atmospheric concert venue with remarkable acoustics. The lowest cavern holds a strikingly clear underground lake. Check the caverns’ own website for opening times and events.
↑ Back to topAROUND ST NEOT
At the head of the wooded Fowey valley, Golitha Falls is a series of cascades through ancient oak woodland and a National Nature Reserve. Colliford Lake, Cornwall’s largest reservoir, and legendary Dozmary Pool lie to the north on the open moor, and Siblyback Lake offers watersports and a 3-mile lakeside path. West of St Neot, the remote hamlet of Warleggan is where the eccentric Reverend Frederick Densham is said to have preached to a congregation of cardboard figures.
↑ Back to topVISITOR INFORMATION
Parking
Limited parking in the village near the church. Carnglaze Caverns, Golitha Falls (Draynes Bridge) and Colliford Lake have their own car parks.
Getting Here
St Neot is signposted from the A38 between Liskeard and Bodmin. The nearest railway stations are Liskeard and Bodmin Parkway; bus services in the area are limited.
Facilities
Village pub and local amenities. Liskeard and Bodmin have a full range of shops and services.
St Neot Church
Famous for its 15th- and 16th-century stained glass. The church is usually open to visitors – please respect services.
Walks
Valley walks along the Loveny and the Fowey, the woodland trail at Golitha Falls, and moorland walks towards Colliford and Dozmary Pool.
Disabled Access
The village is in a valley with some slopes; moorland and woodland paths are rough. Check with Carnglaze Caverns about access before visiting.
STAY & EXPLORE NEAR ST NEOT
Bodmin Moor Villages
Nearby Attractions
- Carnglaze Caverns – approx. 1 mile
- Siblyback Lake – approx. 4 miles
- The Hurlers & Cheesewring – approx. 7 miles
- Looe – approx. 14 miles
Back to the South East Cornwall area guide – all Caradon towns & villages
Cornwall Online | South East Cornwall Towns and Villages | Looe | Talland Bay | Polperro | Polruan | Fowey | Lostwithiel | Mevagissey | Whitsand Bay & The Rame Peninsula | Kingsand | Cawsand | Mount Edgcumbe Country Park | Torpoint | St Germans | Saltash | Liskeard | Siblyback Lake - Water Park | Minions - Hurlers - Bodmin Moor | St Neot | St Cleer | Callington | Gunnislake | Calstock | Cardinham Woods - Walking & Cycle Trails | Launceston |