EVERY year at about this time 'pantomania' descends on to the small and enchanting village of Bathpool. Because the village has no facilities of its own the residents look to North Hill, about two miles away, for much of community life, and social activities centre on the parish hall, this year's venue for the pantomime.

The story is Red Riding Hood, in which nearly all the children in Bathpool, and Lewarne, which is the older part of the village, are taking part, plus some adults, and many more who are involved in other ways.

Musical director is Joyce Taylor, and Phyllis Harrison is beavering away on the sewing machine helping to make the costumes, while in charge of props are Fred and Cedric! The group calls themselves The Leading Lights and the annual panto is a much looked forward to event enjoyed by all the community.

Bathpool is just off the B3254, the country route to Launceston, and is right next door to Linkinhorne parish, the cut off point being the stone road marker almost opposite Butternell Farm, the home of Andrew and Sylvia Doney, whose family have been there for many years. The village is just inside the parish of North Hill, and therefore it is also part of North Cornwall.

Pretty Valley

Bathpool lies at the bottom of a long narrow lane, in a pretty valley next to the rushing River Lynher, which before some flood prevention measures were put in place about 20 years ago, used to regularly burst it banks.

The Cornish name for Bathpool is Bartha Pol, and in days gone by much of the farmland was owned by Rillaton Manor.

Nowadays the Duchy of Cornwall is one of the major owners. No one is quite clear from where the village name has derived but in one part of the river there is a large pool where horses used to be taken to drink, and where in the summer months local children still like to swim.

There was once a mill, built in 1819, but it has now been the home for the last 35 years of Phil Sleep, originally from Altarnun who has lived in the village for about 40 years all told. He has seen many changes, including the bringing of electricity and main drainage to the area, and the building of new homes, interspersed among the older properties.

Mine

Phil, who once worked in the wolfram mine at Hawkswood, has also been a beekeeper of note, but now he just keeps a couple of hives, along with some chickens, pigeons, a dove, and his faithful companion Barney, which he says is the best dog he has ever had.

He has been a widower since his wife Mary died in 1978, but his daughter Angela still lives in the village, along with her husband Terry West, in a cottage which was formerly the post office (which closed about 30 years ago).

Angela, who works at Normans Cash and Carry at Launceston, moved to the Mill when she was ten years old, and says she has probably lived in Bathpool longer than most of the other residents. Terry, like his father in law Phil, also keeps bees, and has had a large number of hives for more than 30 years. Unfortunately he says the days when one hive would produce up to 70-80 lbs of honey have now gone, due mainly to the removal of trees and hedgerows, and the growing of crops by farmers which are non beneficial to the bees. A member of the Cornish Beekeepers' Association, and winner of awards at the National Honey Show in London, Terry is a familiar face at the annual Callington Honey Fair where he runs a stall.

Artist

Also living in the village as long as Phil and Angela, are brother and sister, Christine and John Babb, their family being well known in the area. Christine is an artist, specialising in flowers and animals, and John's son Graham also lives nearby. Another family with long connections at Bathpool are the Daniels. David Daniels, a builder, and his wife Karen, are presently in the throes of constructing a new home.

David's grandfather was the last village blacksmith, working for the Harris family business, and his parents Nelson and Veronica Daniel, have now moved to Rilla Mill. They lived at Vernell, the oldest cottage in the village which dates back to 1732, and in days gone by was a butcher's shop.

Vernell is now the home of farrier Peter Bungay, who moved to Bathpool in 1995 with his wife Jacquie who is a property manager for Classic Cottages. Peter has been a farrier for 30 years and plied his trade in Virginia, America for about six years.

He travels to the horse owners and says he has as much business as he needs and wants. His forge is in a large barn at the back of the cottage where he also makes gates and railings and where he has crafted everything for his home. 'I have the best job in the world' he says.

Unusually, a converted cow barn is also the headquarters of a nationwide business known as Audio Medical Services Ltd (AMS), which has operated since 1986, and provides a wide range of industrial health screening services.

Owners Nick and Arlene Nickson moved from Hampshire in 1984 when Nick was posted with the Royal Navy to the former hospital at Stonehouse where he was a Sen Chief Medical Technican in the audiology unit.

He began his own business on retirement from the navy two years later, and moved his office to the Bathpool barn 15 years ago. Company representatives and medical staff operate all over the country, with the barn being the operation 'nerve centre' of the expanding business. The happy team working at the office are Andy Waller, Tricia Collins and David Evans, and Nick says there is nowhere else he would rather work or live.

Bathpool is also home to Mr John Smelly, who has been known as a dentist in Liskeard for many years, and to Mrs Mary McCollick who retired to the area with the now late Dr (Mac) McCollick 30 years ago. A nurse during the war on a hospital ship operating in the Mediterranean, her diaries are now kept in the Imperial War Museum in London.

Farm house

Just across the road from the Nicksons, live Richard and Betty Knowles in a beautiful farm house surrounded by three acres which has been their home since Richard's retirement from his own professional hair consultancy business, 25 years ago. Betty is well known over a wide area as a professional singer and is also an LARM three times over, for singing/performing, singing teacher and piano teacher. She has worked for Noel Coward, and with Morecambe and Wise, Joyce Grenfell and Reg Marsh, but rates her role as the Merry Widow with the High Wycombe Operatic Society as one of the many highlights of her illustrious career, which began at the age of fourteen.

Donkey

Up until three years ago Betty played the principal boy in the local pantomime for six years in a row, and laughs when she tells you she was already a grandmother at the time. The couple have a rough collie called Laddie, and sharing their home for the last 24 years has been a little character - Cupid the donkey, a favourite with their grandchildren when they come to visit. Villagers have no place of worship now, since the Methodist chapel closed down 35 years ago, the nearest chapel being at Coads Green.

Built on land given by Mr Peters of Uphill, it has since become the home for the last 30 years of Betty and Alex Bott who have kept many of the original features since they converted the building.

Just inside the door, and now the holder of favourite family photographs, is the former hymn board, and the collecting plate lies on the hallway table.

Many of the old church records have also been kept and framed, and Betty enjoys delving into the history of the place. She says before the chapel was built in 1856, small services were held in Butternell farmhouse.

Until recently a parish councillor for the last ten years, Betty is particularly pleased with the success of her campaign to get a bus to call at the village. Run by DAC coaches, the service runs a weekly visit to Launceston and Liskeard on Fridays, and will also stop on other days if requested.

Although no longer a councillor, and retired from her job as catering manager with the BBC Plymouth, she is still a very busy person and is a member of St Torney's Parish Church at North Hill where the vicar is Rev Brian Stanford. She is also very much involved with the pantomime, and is delighted that all of her grandchildren are taking part. 'They can't get out of it with me around' she laughs.

Busiest

The grandchildren, six of them, also live in the village, with son and daughter-in-law Philip and Penny Bott. Aged 21 down to 11 years, they are James, Daniel, Vicky, Jenni, Sarah and Charlotte.

The couple have been foster parents for the last three years, and presently have twin foster daughters who are 16 and have started college. Philip runs his own business for which Penny does the books,

'As this is probably the busiest and biggest household in Bathpool I haven't got time for anything else' says Penny.

Anyone wishing to see the pantomime, the performances are at North Hill Village Hall on February 15, 16 and 17 and through the following week. Tickets are available at the door or book on 01579 362143.