WHEN driving from Liskeard to Altarnun a traveller traverses the lower uncluttered levels of Bodmin Moor and hardly sees a soul. Gorse and hardy cattle prevail, rather than humans.

However, on arrival at Altarnun all is changed. The attractive, tidy, welcoming village bustles with life and its main street is busy with the comings and goings of numerous people, both residents and visitors. Many of the hikers are bound for the church, called the 'Cathedral of the Moors', which has a l09ft high tower and 79 Tudor bench ends, including a jester, a man with a cauldron who is thought to be a tin smelter, and a fiddler.

The church serves a huge parish, taking in land south of St Clether over High, West and East Moors and Hendra, Trewint, Priddacombe and Butterstor Downs.

Altarnun is almost in a pocket of its own, set on the north-east rural edge of the moor, but with Launceston reasonably near - along the A30.

The village is extremely self-sufficient. The WI's Cornwall Village book explains that it lies in country which once produced wolfram and tin, and which has always been busy. Its economy boasted a cobblers, slaughterhouse and butchers, with a mill at Penpont providing locally grown ground corn and - at waterwheel cleaning time - a tasty dish of eels.

Until recently people travelled miles to attend pony and cattle sales, and lamb fairs.

Nowadays the thriving grocer's/greengrocer's is run by mother and son Ruth and Richard Herring. The shop building used to be a pub, the Ring o' Bells, but has been extended three times by Ruth and Richard to make light, bright facilities which stock an array of foods. Ruth has been in the village since she was l4 and, together with Richard, is a fount of all local knowledge - frequently helping lost walkers and motorists who call seeking provisions and directions.

For those Altarnun customers with no transport Richard is a boon, delivering groceries, and coal, in his Anglia Estate car, and often running those who are ill to the doctors in Launceston.

One of his hobbies is restoring old cars and he has a second Anglia, a lime green one, which he has happily rejuvenated, and also turns his hand to jeeps and Land Rovers.

Another hobby is collecting old enamel signs, which adorn the shop and prompt much discussion from the customers.

Wonderful

Richard stressed the village is a wonderful place to live, and that the three shops - their own, the post office and the butcher's - all combine. They have not set themselves up in opposition, but between them sell a wide enough range of goods to enable Altarnun residents to be able to buy the vast majority of items they want locally.

When Ruth and Richard need help in the shop Peter Kaye, who has lived in the village for 16 years, is ready to step in. At other times he produces animal puppets for 'Bits of Fluff' - the eye-catching results soon to be on view at the Royal Cornwall Show. Last Monday he was fresh back from a successful stint at the Devon County Show. Some of the puppets are on view in the Post Office, run by John Thornton since March 1. John, who is helped behind the counter by Tom Bateman, came to Altarnun from Hampshire, and has had a fast education in Post Office life since then, as the parish includes about 1,100 people.

All bills can be paid there in the Post Office, except for a vehicle licence, and John said all his customers have been very co-operative, and patient.

Visitors journeying to such places as Boscastle or Bude tend to call in for directions, or confectionery, as do those who set out to walk the moors.

Tom, originally from Sussex, has lived in Launceston and Five Lanes, and said there could be no better place to settle.

One customer is Jim Sleeman, whose family have been in the Altarnun area for four generations. His grandfather, James, was a small farmer and 'jack of all trades' while his father, Claude, had a smallholding at Trewint, and a nearby garage was run by his uncle.

Jim, 70, who was born and raised in Lewannick, from where he moved when aged around 15, still has a few animals and a bit of land. He left for a while when he went in the forces, but returned afterwards.

The butcher's, Philip Johnson, is a popular local draw, producing mouth-watering pies, their own sausages, and local honey and combs, as well as a range of fresh meat.

The village hall is the meeting place for a range of organisations and groups, including the Under Fives playgroup, which meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays together with the Pre-school for children aged three upwards. This has been running for about 28 years, and supervisor Debbie Crabb has been part of it for 14 years.

A large catchment area is covered and youngsters attend from St Clether, Trewint and Bolventor, as well as other villages. The younger ones play with toys, books, paint etc, while the Pre-school youngsters are given a gentle introduction to school through a planned curriculum. The hall offers excellent facilities but the playgroup does have permission to have a building on the school field, and are in the process of raising money for this. Anyone wishing further information should contact Debbie by telephoning 01566 86875.

Brownies, a badminton club and a bowls club thrive in the village, along with a WI and a club for schoolchildren.

Altarnun's Wesleyan chapel was built in l859. Due to the congregation being smaller than it once was meetings are now held in a side room, while the main chapel is reserved for special events such as the recent Wesley Day celebrations.

Glory

These took in a buffet tea in Altarnun village hall, community singing led by Neil Burden with Peggy Cornish as organist, and an evening rally in the chapel with the chairman being the Chairman of the Cornwall Methodist District from l980-92, the Rev Ian Haile, and the speaker being the Rev Dr John Taylor.

This was followed by a reading of an extract from John Wesley's journal by Charmaine Ham.

The celebrations stem from the fact that John Wesley stayed nearby, in a cottage at Trewint which was restored to its former glory 50 years ago, and now belongs to the whole of Methodism. Among those clearing up on the Monday afterwards were Doreen Sandercock and Gladys and Owen Baker, who highlighted the community spirit in Altarnun.

Other local events include the fun week in August, which has superseded the carnival. The minister is the Rev Chris Tomlinson who lives at Coads Green.

Village events also centre on Altarnun Parish Church, where the priest in charge is the Rev Dr G M Yould.

The church is to host a Loveny Male Voice Choir concert with guest soloists on June 10 at 7.30pm.

History abounds nearby. In the churchyard are slate carved memorials by Neville Northey Burnard, who was born in Altarnun in l8l8, and whose artistry was highlighted in a Charles Causley poem. Burnard, at one time courted by London society, was eventually brought low by drink and tragedy, such as the death of his favourite child, and died in l878 in a workhouse and was buried at Camborne in a pauper's grave.

Altarnun's former rectory is now the Penhallow Manor Country House Hotel, run for the past 10 months by Val and Peter Russell, who moved there from near Hungerford. Although built in the Victorian era in l842 the impressive building, set in colourful gardens, is really Georgian in character, with Georgian proportions and original shutters, and a lovely fanlight and landing. Basically it has been altered little since, but has been tastefully and effectively updated and redecorated.

There are nine relaxing guest bedrooms, six in the main hotel, and three in the refurbished coachhouse. Val is the cook, and emphasises that none of the meals use frozen ingredients - but rely on fresh food, much bought locally. Eggs come from the nearby farm, and soft fruit and vegetables are bought in the village when in season. Non-residents are welcome to dine there in the evenings, if they book at least a day in advance, and it is a wonderful place at which to enjoy afternoon cream teas and morning coffees.

Feedback from the visitors' book says it all, from 'superb food and friendly service' to 'a peaceful time with delicious food'. The building has links with novelist Daphne du Maurier, who stayed there when it was a vicarage. Many years ago her chats with the vicar gave her inspiration for part of her novel 'Jamaica Inn', in which the leader of the smugglers turns out to be the vicar of Altarnun - although none of that was of course based on fact!

Altarnun Primary School is actually at nearby Five Lanes, but is so-called because it once was sited in Altarnun village.

Head teacher Malcolm Vian has been there for 10 years and highlights its family atmosphere. There are currently 97 pupils on roll, who also take part in the village pageant and concerts at church and chapel, with a family assembly held each term for parents and grandparents etc.

Basketball

The Ofsted report mentioned the school's many strengths which provide 'good quality eduction' for the pupils. It also stressed Altarnun primary was efficiently managed and gives good value for money, the quality of teaching being a notable strength. There are five teachers, four full-time, and one part-time, who all ensure that the pupils are kept well educated and happy.

The school was built in l935 and Mr Vian said that the best possible use is made of it, although eventually a new school building may well be the best answer. In the meantime a new look has recently been given to the play area, which is resplendent with features such as a basketball net, hop-scotch, wall games, an agility frame, and more. Further plans include the provision of another 'hard surface' play area on part of the large school field.

The village can be spelt Altarnun or Altarnon, some maintaining the different spellings stem from differing religious factions. However, in this day and age, there is a great sense of unity, and pride in the local area, reflected in the fact that Altarnun has won the tidy village trophy a number of times. It is kept so well that its centre, near the 'new' 1950s bridge over Penpont Water, is among one of the most photographed spots in the county.