Visit Downderry and Seaton and the first thing the local residents will tell you is that it is not one village but two entirely separate communities, and they each have their own Residents' Associations to prove it.

But the two get along together very well indeed, and the overriding thing they share, apart from both being part of the same parish of Deviock, is the strong sense of community and the pulling together to help one another.

There isn't a better example of this than the Community Bus, a 15 seater, paid for by fundraising residents and grants when it first started about ten years ago, and now run solely by a bus committee. They hold events all year round to help keep the wheels turning on this important local service and every three years they buy a new bus.

There is not a great deal written about when these dual villages first began, but it would seem that centuries ago Seaton may have been of some importance, being mentioned on maps in the 16th and 17th centuries as Sothan and Sythye. Monks lived at a monastery on the site of Tim Manda's farm at the top of Tregunnick Lane, where the little stone bridge they used to cross the river Seaton still stands, and it is believed that the river was once wide enough for barges to travel along.

Almost everyone has heard of the Zennor Mermaid, well apparently Seaton had one such maiden as well. As an explanation of its decline as a small harbour, folklore says that a disgruntled mermaid blocked up the entrance to get her own back because a Seaton man had displeased her.

Keverell Farm was the important settlement in the area and was mentioned in the Domesday Book, but now it is an amazing organic farm operated by a workers' co-operative, with many folk in the parish making use of the weekly 'vege box' delivery.

Above Seaton Valley is Downderry, which stretches all along the cliff top road, the houses, made up of cottages with the later additions of the Trereive and Bottlegate estates, enjoying breathtaking views of the coastline.

The village probably originated as a small fishing settlement with fisherfolk living close to the shore. Nowadays it even has its own tourist camp in the form of John Fowler Holidays.

Family

A family which has lived in Downderry and Seaton since the 1800s are the Tiltmans, and Kelvin, a property maintenance contractor, and married to Carol, from the Seaton Evely family, says that although times have changed, with much of the heart gone with the closure of several of the local shops, he wouldn't want to live anywhere else. In his spare time he is chairman of the Caradon Mines Research Group, and is known for his fascinating talks on mineralogy.

Downderry is served by the busy Spar Shop and Post Office, which was taken over in June by Richard James and Kim Ensor who moved up from St Agnes. They have enjoyed settling in and employ about a dozen people locally. They have spent the last few months 'finding their feet' but now have plans to re-fit and modernise the store. 'The staff have been really good in helping us and the community have made us welcome' says Kim.

In the village centre is The Rosery, a large restaurant with an attached bistro in the conservatory, which was opened six years ago by Rosemary Flood, and is managed by Sue Hancock. Both ladies are chefs and enjoy planning the extensive menus, and Sue says the 'state of the art' kitchen is her pride and joy. The restaurant furnishings are opulent to say the least, the curtains formerly hanging in the London home of the late Robert Maxwell.

Next door is 'Waves', an aptly named new unisex hairdressing salon which was enjoying its opening day when the Cornish Times called in. The owner is David Bennett who has lived in Downderry for about a year and says everyone is very friendly.

Enjoying the most enviable views of all is the Inn On The Shore which is just above the long narrow beach. Owned by J P Leisure, the 'mine hosts' are Dougal and Jill Maynard, who with their 18 month old daughter Molly moved in about a year ago.

Most of the entertainment and socialising for both communities usually centres on the Downderry Working Men's Club, the building, now over a 100 years old, doubling up as the village hall. One of the trustees, is 79 year old Bill Vickery who has lived in the area for the last 50 years, managing the butchers shop which opened in 1937, until his retirement.

Youth

Bill described the club as very busy, and said there was usually something going on there every night. There are regular whist drives, there is badminton, bingo, short mat bowls, billiards and snooker, and the hall is also the home of two very active drama groups. The senior group meets on Tuesday nights and performs on average four times a year, and the Downderry and Seaton Youth Drama Group, run by Anne Elston, is well known for its hilarious pantomimes, this year being an award winner at the annual Calor Gas Panto competition. Also held there are the popular monthly baked potato lunches organised by the local Mount Edgcumbe Hospice fundraising group.

The area is rich in gifted artists and craftspeople, and every year, parish councillor Ron Daniel and Glenda Hartland, organise a well attended art exhibition in the hall. Among the exhibitors are well known artists Irene Prince, and John (Jimmy) Matthews-Joyce. Jimmy, who lives in Seaton's Keverell Lane, is much sought after for his water colours of land and seascapes, and before his retirement worked for 14 years at the BBC as a photographer, illustrating such children's programmes as Jackanory and Playschool. A non driver, he is presently recovering from a nasty fall while 'driving' his wheelbarrow along the lane.

Active

Talented woodturner Chris Hurst has a regular two day exhibition of his own and there is also a flower and produce show every August, and the Working Men's Club committee organises the annual carnival week which ends with a raft race. And no village is complete without its W I, the community boasting a particularly active one, this year's president being Tina Jefferies.

At the far end of the village is the small parish church of St Nicholas which has a new stained glass window incorporating this year's total eclipse. It was made by Seaton artist Mike Laxton to replace a former damaged window.

Vicar is Rev Stephen Coffin, who on the day of our visit was preparing to welcome the children from St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, from just across the road, for their harvest festival service. Head of the school for the last seven years, and by name but not by nature as she smilingly told us, is Lindsey Fear. Three classrooms house the 78 children presently on role, and the friendly school is very much part of the community, the playgroup being held there on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the Toddler Group on Fridays. On Friday evenings there is the village Youth Group meeting.

Storm

As you leave Downderry and travel round the bend on the cliff's edge, the curved and rugged Seaton bay comes into view, which with the added attraction of Caradon Council's comparatively new Countryside Park, is enjoying a well earned boost in popularity.

After the huge storm of 1984, when the sea rushed up through the valley, washing away the remains of the former holiday camp, and badly damaging the bridge over the Seaton river, the seafront was left with a rather run down look.

Now, all that has changed, with locals and visitors alike making much use of the level and beautiful walk, which goes up through the valley for about a mile.

Another feature which has spruced up Seaton over the past few years, has been the plant pots which are a real community effort. The Residents' Association pays for the peat to fill them, then local people just wander along and put in their spare plants. The result is a wonderful hotch potch display of colour, and the blooms are usually kept watered by Phyl Swabey and Walter and Barbara Fry.

Another feature is the number of different species of palm trees which flourish all over the parish. These have all been grown and planted by Duncan Champion, work he has been carrying out for the last 30 years, which has led to the European Palm Society's Magazine referring to Deviock as the 'palm parish of South East Cornwall'.

Quiz

The village pub, The Olde Smugglers, is a free house, run on traditional lines, with good 'pub grub' and is a popular haunt for locals all year round. Owners are Ian and Veronica Jones, who moved to Seaton just over five years ago, and are proud of the friendly ambience they have created. With their 18 year old son Benjamin helping out, and with Ian's brother Douglas as the chef, it is a full scale family operation.

The Smugglers is also well embroiled in the local 'scene', running a local quiz every Thursday night and a popular U18s disco on Saturday afternoons between 5pm-7pm.

The ladies darts team is top flight, having won division two in the Looe and Polperro League last season, and now promoted to the first division, and the pub also has a team in the pool league.

Enjoying his regular pint in the corner, Stanley Roomes, who moved to the village about 10 years ago to be near his family, said he loved the atmosphere at the pub and Seaton itself. 'Everyone is friendly, they will do anything to help you' he said.

By the beach car park is the busy summertime cafe, and presently undergoing a complete refurbishment is the Seaton Sands Store and Post Office, and the cafe next door, both of which have been purchased by Geraldine and Cliff Hazel. The facilities are at present closed apart from the Post Office which opens each day for resident's convenience between 9am-12noon. The couple have owned the Keverell Mill Stables in the valley for the last five years, and horses enjoying an exercise gallop across the beach and splashing through the water is a regular sight.

Popular

With the Millennium in mind, Steve Soames and Anton Prince produced the Seaton Echo to let residents know about the celebration plans taking place in the village, and it proved so popular that it has since turned into a much looked forward to publication, and has just reached its first birthday.

The plans themselves, after a lot of fundraising, revolve around a big village party on New Year's Eve, in an ex army marquee, purchased for £1,100 and to be placed in the Smugglers' pub car park. Added to this will be £800 of fireworks, and a spread of food, supplied by all the party goers themselves.

The Millennium committee for the whole parish is involved in planning events throughout the New Year.

There is no doubt that Downderry and Seaton is a happy and thriving community, with the enviable advantage of living in the villages where the countryside meets the sea.