COMMON MOOR on the edge of St Cleer Parish is an enviable place in which to live. Being in a cul-de-sac which leads only on to the moors, there is no through traffic and therefore the sounds of the abundant surrounding countryside can often by heard filling the air.

Next door to Siblyback Lake, and just off the road which runs between Draynes and Minions, if it were not for the village signpost at the edge of the road, and the one visible cottage, built by a mine captain, no-one would be any the wiser of its hidden location.

Back in the 19th Century it was known as Pilla Moor, which is part of the greater Bodmin Moor on which the miners, who came to the area looking for work at the Caradon Mines, built their settlement of cottages. However, it is believed that Leys Cottage, now the home of Mrs Irene Beswarrick, was in existence long before the miners came, and could be as much as 500 years old.

Many of miners' descendants still remain in the village itself or surrounding area. They have the family names of Beswarrick, Wilton, Knight, Cuddy, Hodge, Davey, Hawke and Hooper.

The village is secluded and compact, clustered around grassy hedgerows and streams which eventually meander into the River Fowey, and there are only 72 homes, which include the original cottages, one small bungalow estate known as The Crescent, the homes for the elderly on The Brake, and a smattering of in-fill houses. But Common Moor is by no means sleepy. The village is a caring and happy place and abounds with talented folk who like to be involved in all manner of homegrown entertainments.

Mainly responsible for this is the Village Group which first formed in 1984. Each year they hold a senior citizens Christmas dinner and junior and infants festive parties, and there is an Easter egg hunt and a hot cross bun and coffee morning.

The main fundraiser is the annual 'Five Tors Run'. Organised by Cynthia Weston, and in its 13th year, it has now become so popular that it is a registered 3AA's event. The 11-mile run takes in Sharp and Bearah Tors, and twice over Kilmar Tor, as well as the Cheesewring and Tregarrick Tor.

The Village Group also has a 100 Club, known as the Common Moor Community Club, organised by Annie and John Warwick-Reed, the draw taking place on the first Wednesday of the month at the weekly coffee morning held in the chapel schoolroom.

But by far the wackiest event is the yearly village excursion just down the road to Draynes Wood, for the duck race on the river. Apparently visitors to the beauty spot, especially foreign tourists, think the Common Moor folk quite mad, until the reason for the flotilla of plastic yellow ducks and all the accompanying splashing and excitement is explained!

And talking of ducks, Group chairman for the last five years, Fred Tregilgas, has adopted an orphan duckling, found by a colleague, Mike Cummins at the SWW Treatment Works at Lodge Hill, Liskeard, about four weeks ago.

Knowing no other, 'Duck' has claimed Fred as his mum and follows him about and likes to ride on his shoulder. At just two and a half weeks old the little fellow travelled to Cheltenham on a family visit along with Fred and his wife Elaine, and became quite a hit with the local children there.

For the last two years the Group has been saving for the village's Millennium celebrations, and a meeting of all the residents was held to formulate a plan, which included those who live in the Common Moor postal area. This involves all the homes and farms around Siblyback and out to as far as Ninestones. On the agenda are the planting of a copper beech tree in the village and a sister tree, suitably inscribed as a gift from the people of Common Moor, in Cardinham Woods.

There are to be tea towels incorporating a village map, with an actual map to be erected, and a granite sundial. The biggest undertaking is a Millennium book, which is being co-ordinated by Group secretary Jean Cole. Married to Garth, a parish councillor, the couple have lived in the village since 1971, where they raised their son and daughter, Michele and Martyn.

Tireless

Other Group members include treasurer Lynda Perrett, the former Community WPC who started the Neighbourhood Watch, now supervised by Dave Eggins, also a member, then there is Elaine Tregilgas, minutes secretary Pat Nelson, and parish councillor Chris Husk.

Chris and husband Jim moved to the village the same year as the Coles, and also found it an ideal place in which to raise their son and daughter Ian and Natalie. As well as being tireless workers for the community, Chris is presently the County Training Officer for the Pre-School Learning Alliance, and Jim teaches science and some IT at Looe Community School, where after 30 years he is the longest-serving staff member.

In their village home Jim has a room set aside which is full of all his computer and radio equipment, which are for work and hobby purposes. He enjoys the remote sensoring look at the weather satellite each day and is an enthusiastic radio ham and a member of Raynet (Radio Amateur Emergency Network). As well as being the Senior Circuit Steward for the Liskeard/Looe Methodists, Jim is also one of the stewards at the village chapel, the other being Roy Krause, a local preacher, whose wife Evelyn is the chapel secretary, and on occasions helps Chris Husk run the Sunday Club for the children.

Roy, who retired from his profession as a pharmacist six years ago, having been a well-known face at the Liskeard Boots, was one of those instrumental in helping to get the chapel's complete refurbishment under way, and compiled a photographic record of the work in progress.

The work on the dry rot ridden building, erected in 1857 as a Bible Christian Chapel, is a testament to the spirit of the community, for most residents pulled together and supplied the manpower, and did some fundraising, regardless of whether or not they were churchgoers. A village meeting had been held in 1989 and those who attended decided they wanted to save the chapel. With a grant from the circuit added to the funds raised, work got under way with the Village Group being much involved.

The Sunday schoolroom, which was added in the 1950's, the foundation stone having been laid by the late Tom Hawke in 1957, also had a facelift, and a new kitchen was built with some money given by Miss Joan MacAddam Smith, as gratitude for her many happy visits to Common Moor. Her sister, the authoress Sheila Edwards, now at North Hill, who wrote 'The Beloved Islands', used to live in the village.

The opening and re-dedication took place in 1992.

There was once another place of worship, a Wesleyan Reform built in 1854 which was known as Catts' Chapel, after the minister, Samuel Catts, who although somewhat disgraced after the blame was laid on him for the pregnancy of a servant girl, was a popular figure with the miners of Pilla Moor, often preaching there. In 1929 it was converted into a house, now known as Glensilva, and was purchased by the late Charles Tregarthen Marrack. His daughters, Mary Marrack, and Joan Bettinson, still live in the village, and Mary, a former teacher at the old school at Trekeive Steps in the Fowey valley, has written much about 'Cattsies' house, and some 'unexplained' occurrances while living there, and also some intriguing history about Common Moor itself since the days of the miners. Mary also worked for Mr Hayward Stokes Philp of the Cornish Times for many years as his secretary.

Healing

Sister Joan at 82, is well known for what she likes to describe as her natural healing talents, but Michael Williams of Bossiney Books has written about her as the 'wise woman of Common Moor'.

Living with her black cat Purdy at The Brake, Joan says she is able to cure worts, ringworm and skin ailments, and knows much about local folklore and the ways of nature. She says her gifts were inherited and passed down through the family.

'We are all Cornish,' she said, 'and the Marracks are the only such family in Cornwall of that name. We are all related.'

Married for 48 happy years to her husband Jack, who died four years ago, Joan was also known as the village postwoman, and used to cycle and walk up to 16 miles a day on her round. As well as the village it took in 'the Bottoms' the local name for the Fowey valley, up as far as Harrowbridge.

Also resident in the village for much of her life has been Lily Foster, who born in the cottage next to the present chapel, in 1916. A Beswarrick, she married Whitford Foster, a St Cleer man, and is now the person who has lived in Common Moor the longest. Lily says she lives for her garden and loves to potter in her greenhouse, and she is fortunate to be surrounded by members of her family. Also living in the village are her sisters Violet Hawke, and Miss Joyce Beswarrick, brother Bill and his wife Betty, and sister-in-law Irene at Leys Cottage. Another brother, 86 year old Garfield, lives closeby in Liskeard.

'There were nine of us altogether,' says Joyce, 'and as children we all used to walk across the moor down to our school at Trekeive Steps, in all winds and weather'.

She can also remember collecting the water from Shute Lane, and if that dried up there was Red Leat, known by that name because of the mineral content in the water. Both of these natural water supplies are still in existence.

Living in the area ever since she was evacuated to St Cleer during World War II has been Dorothy (Dot) Hosken. She married local Courtney Hosken, from Draynes, and for over 30 years, until their retirement, they farmed Hopsland, which is the farm right in the village. They have built a bungalow in Common Moor, not wishing to move anywhere else, and their son Neil and daughter-in-law Linda and family have moved into the farmhouse which they have been busily renovating.

Overlooking the village from Sibleyback is Crylla Farm, owned by Brian and Pearl Bunney, who are very much part of community life, being regular worshippers at the chapel each Sunday. Their daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Andrew Tapper live in Common Moor, and their daughter Victoria was baptised with water from the River Jordan, during the chapel's opening and re-dedication weekend.

Brian and Pearl live in a large bungalow with magnificent views from every window over Siblyback Lake, which apart from the couple's warm friendliness, accounts for it being busy nearly all year round as a guest house.

Brian is chairman of Liskerret Choir and also sings with the Cornwall Male Voice Choir and has just retired from running a junior team at St Cleer FC. He played for Liskeard for over 20 years and is believed to hold the record of playing more than 600 games for his team.

Protest

Pearl is a nimble needlewoman, and just one of the many talented people who abound in the vicinity. She has been a member of the Common Moor Quilters Club of about eight ladies, for the last seven years, producing some lovely work.

The quilters evolved from an exchange visit by the Husk family to the USA through Jim's teaching. The mum in the American family who moved into the Husk household - Linda - was a quilter of some reknown and her work was much admired. She persuaded Elaine Tregilgas, already a potter and glass engraver, until a 'touch of arthritis' took over, to learn the art, and in turn other ladies became interested. The Quilters, who meet in the chapel schoolroom every Wednesday afternoon, recently took part in the Millennium Arts and Crafts Safari organised by St Cleer Parish, by displaying their work in the Common Moor exhibition in the chapel schoolroom.

The village is a haven of talent. At the former post office is James Cook, a sought-after professional wildlife artist who paints using the name of James Aynsley. He exhibits and sells all over the world, his last exhibition being in the USA, and works from a studio with an extensive nature library, in the back garden. He can also turn his hand to woodcraft.

Together with his wife Mary he bought the Post Office with small store 13 years ago, Mary becoming the postmistress. It became the first Post Office in the country to have its hours of opening cut from full time to 10 hours a week, but typical of the villagers they banded together and went on a protest. Their efforts upped the hours to 18, which Mary continued with, but she closed the store about six years ago. On retirement last year the Post Office was finally closed, bringing to an end an era which had lasted since 1927, when it was added to the store then run by Albert and Johanna Davey, who had taken it on from Johanna's parents.

They were the great grandparents and grandparents of Marian Mutton, who still lives in the village, with her husband Max, a retired police officer and teacher. Marian's father was the late Francis Leonard Mitchell, JP, BEM, who also ran the shop and P O and was well known over a wide area

Among other talented village folk are Barbara Walls who creates pictures from dried grasses, Pat and Tony Nelson, artists and photographers, Mary Cook, artist and founder member of the quilters, and water colourist Harold Pearson, who has also produced two calendars for the chapel. And there are others.

Common Moor has community spirit, friendly folk, history, peace and talent. What a find!