John Knill

Who was John Knill?

John Knill born at Callington in Cornwall was a slightly eccentric mayor of St Ives, Cornwall, in 1767 and Collector of Customs at St Ives from 1762–1782. He built his own memorial, a 50-foot high granite obelisk known as Knill's steeple. This obelisk was sited on the summit of Worvas hill, with the intention that he should be buried in a vault within it, but his body was interred elsewhere. The steeple bears on one side the painted coat of arms of Knill, with the Latin Nil Desperandum; also inscribed on the monument are the words of Johannes Knill 1782, Resurgam, and, in English, I know that my Redeemer liveth.