THE St. NEOT STONE. 

 Br N. HARE, Corresponding Membfr. 



There is a large sqiiaro granite stone lying against the south 

 wall of St. Neot church, which apparently is the shaft, or rather 

 part of the shaft, of an ancient granite cross. It measures six 

 feet eight inches in length, one foot eight inches in breadth, 

 and one foot five inches in depth. Originally, its length must 

 have been much greater, especially at the bottom, where part 

 of a panel, and the foot-piece, are wanting. 



There is a double border at the top of the upper panel, which 

 seems to be complete, except that the mortise or socket, which 

 held the cross, has been broken off, and in this part of the shaft 

 there are marks of the jumpers used for splitting it. 



As the shaft now lies, there are but the upper and front sides 

 visible. Of the others, the underside is lying on flat stones, 

 hidden by liigh rank grass. The inner side is against the 

 church- wall, but the space between is filled in with small 

 stones and mortar, apparently to keep out the rain. Of the two 

 outer sides each one is divided in its length into three panels ; 

 the centre ones being two feet nine inches long, the upper ones 

 with the double border one foot six inches, and the lower panels, 

 which are broken, about one foot nine inches. The side upper- 

 most has in each panel a diapered pattern j^recisely like that of 

 " The other Halt-stone," at Kedgate in St. Cleer, which 

 Polwhele (as quoted by Blight in his Ancient Crosses of Corn- 

 wall) calls " Ornamental Asterisks." I have taken a rubbing 

 of the centre panel only of this side, the others being similar. 

 These ornamental asterisks or dots, run diagonally across the 

 panels in rows of seven. Being struck by the number seven, 

 I went to Eedgate to examine the panel on " The other Half- 

 stone" and I found that the dots on that stone also ran 

 diagonally in sevens, and had the double border at the top. 

 Can this be symbolical, and have reference to the sacred number 

 seven so often mentioned in Holy Writ, such as the seventh 

 day or Sabbath, the seven years of plenty and famine, the seven 

 churches, the seven golden candlesticks, the seven trumpets, &c.? 



