There is saying that 'small is beautiful' which exactly describes Narkurs, a village, or rather a hamlet, in between Hessenford and Downderry, where time has stood still. Even the postbox is from the reign of George V, quite a rarity these days.

For the residents, who number less than a hundred, there are no daily buses, although there is the occasional call from the Downderry Community Bus, there is no shop and no post office. In fact, to live in Narkurs one has to be dedicated to rural isolation, yet there are families who have lived there for generations, and wouldn't dream of moving. And nearly a quarter of the population (23) are children, from primary up to senior school age, which bodes well for the future.

It is easy to see why villagers are so settled. The peace is only disturbed by the occasional car or tractor passing through, and by sweet bird song. It is mainly made up of a few old, but cared for cottages, and a bare handful of new properties, which nestle snugly each side of a winding lane with grassy hedges full of wild flowers and brambles. On clear days the views extend right across to Plymouth and Dartmoor beyond.

At present however, because of South West Water's extensive works being carried out in Downderry/Seaton, the road through the village is being used as an alternative route. Villagers are not used to such disruption and will sigh with relief when all is back to the normal quiet.

Villagers are in the dark when it comes to the meaning of Narkurs, but it has been said that in days gone by it was known as 'Knockers hole' which eventually evolved into Narkurs. It is expected some Cornish scholar will now be putting everyone right on the subject. Please write to the editor!

However, the village is surrounded by farms, and the popular conception is that the cottages, some at least 300 years old, were built as homes for the land workers, although a few have been pulled down over the years. It is reputed that over a century ago, Narkurs was once bigger than Downderrry itself. It had a carpenter's shop and a blacksmiths to service the farms, and at nearby Minard there was a chapel which has since closed and been converted into a dwelling.

Many of the farms once belonged to the St Germans Estate, before being sold off and one of the closest to the village itself is Treliddon, owned by brothers Michael and Stephen Broad. The Broad family have been in Downderry since 1845 and moved to the farm 54 years ago in 1946. Stephen and wife Sue have two daughters, Christina 16 and Sharon 13, and they make the 5th generation at Treliddon. The farm formerly had 156 acres, but the brothers are now in retirement and have retained just 40 acres, with the majority of the acreage being sold to Tony, Eve and Paul Giddy at Trewall Farm, and David and Doreen Williams at Carcoe Farm. Down through the years Treliddon has been well known for its exceptionally early Cornish potatoes, and Sue, formerly a Merson, who is one of seven brought up in Narkurs, says that as a family they all worked on the farm potato picking and she never thought she would one day end up living there. Most days her sister Dawn Neale, and brother Barry who helps out about the farm, join the family gathering at the lunch table.

One of the first things you notice about Treliddon is the beautiful garden and the immaculate striped lawn, a beautiful place in which to sit on a sunny day and gaze out to sea towards The Eddystone, for the farm is above Downderry Bay. For Sue's bed and breakfast visitors the view and garden are much enjoyed, although she says they wouldn't think much of it during a winter gale.

Village centre

Narkurs Farm itself, which has never been more than about 10 acres, is in the centre of the village, and is run as 'Narkurs Nursery' by Derek and Teresa Elliott, although Teresa does most of the work there, while Derek, together with son Richard, concentrates more on his own business 'Derek Elliott Electricals'. The couple have four more children between them who are Richard's twin sister Donna, and Teresa's daughter Michelle and sons Stephen and Charlie.

Derek was born and bred at Narkurs, the son of the late Russell and Dorothy Elliott, and says he has lived there longer than anyone else. A lively personality he is full of jokes and quips that the community hall is the telephone box. 'Well, we can all get in there' he says. He also explains that locals pronounce Narkurs the Cornish way - 'nackers' or 'nockers' (that word again).

Derek bought the nursery 10 years ago from his next door neighbours, Charlie and Jenny Ede, who retired to Liskeard after 40 years in the village. They used to grow vegetables in the fields and ran the greenhouses, supplying the locals and the shops. The nursery, open to the public, now concentrates on flowers, and Teresa is busy pricking out all the bedding plants and will soon be preparing a large number of hanging baskets, which is why she has to employ a full time receptionist to alert her when customers arrive. She is Carla, a delightfully friendly 18 month old Alsatian. However, she is sometimes caught napping on the job, curled up on her own chair in the warmth of one of the greenhouses!

About four years ago it was decided that St Germans Parish was too large, so it was split in half, Narkurs being put with Hessenford, Downderry and Seaton to form a new parish. A name also had to be found so it was decided upon Deviock, after the former school, about a mile up the lane from the village, which was closed during the early 1950s. It has now been converted into a pretty house, still retaining the old school bell tower.

Derek is council vice chairman, and he was successful in persuading the council that Narkurs needed some speed restrictions through the village, because the traffic, although not heavy by any means, tended to race through. 'A lot of children play out in the road and there was the worry of an accident' he says. Not as successful has been Derek's wish to get something done about the wells. There are three all told in Narkurs but unless you were a local you wouldn't know they were there which Derek thinks is a shame. He would like to see them restored and made more of as in other places but although the council is interested in such a project it is finding it difficult establishing the ownership.

Songstress

Rivalling the song birds around the village is Narkurs very own songstress, the well known mezzo soprano soloist, Maggie Holden, who has lived there for the past 39 years. One of the eight children of the late Ernest and Ann Holden, she was brought up in a council house in Blind Lane, which the locals prefer to call Treliddon Lane, but now lives in the only thatched cottage in the village, Chy-An-Gov, which is Cornish for house of the blacksmith. Maggie's home is the former smithy, and the ring on the wall where the horses were tied up ready to be shoed, can still be seen to this day.

She has lived there for 15 years and says she is still thrilled it is now her home. 'I always liked this cottage and as a child it was part of my life' she says. 'The village children used to scrump apples from the orchard and play in the garden'. Sharing Maggie's charming home, which she says has a smiley face, is her ginger cat Whiskey, who is always waiting for her whatever time she comes home from her shift at the Shell Caradon Station at Trerulefoot. She has worked there for the last 12 years.

Lives to sing

Maggie, who began singing at eight years old at Downderry primary school and then at the church, says she lives and works to sing. 'I feel honoured to have been given a special gift, which is my voice, and that I can make people laugh and cry with joy' she says. She is a popular soloist mainly with the Rame Peninsula and Loveny Choirs, and also sings with Polperro Fishermen's, Stithians and the Cornish Male Voice Choir.

Maggie's family still have quite a presence in the village, with her brother John and wife Julie, with their teenage daughters Abby and Amy owning a house in Treliddon Terrace, while her brother Richard, although living and working in Chippenham, has bought the original family home. Most of the rented houses in Narkurs are now lived in permanently by people who mainly commute to work. 'This is their quiet little bolt hole' says Maggie.

Another long-timer in Narkurs is George (Georgie) Johns, who has lived there for over 40 years since a young boy, and Francis Hicks, born and bred in the village. His wife Anne, from Liskeard, says she feels she has always lived there as everyone is so nice, and they also put up with her livestock. These are her two Aylesbury ducks, and her geese, Gertie and Olive, who are a familiar sight on their daily walkabouts visiting all the houses. Francis's sister Andrea is now a Mander and lives at nearby Tregunnick Farm.

Living in the village for 17 years, has been Judy Joyce. She arrived for the Elephant Fayre at Port Eliot with three children and stayed with friends at Orchard Cottage (now Apple Tree Cottage) and never went home. She simply moved across the road and started renting Meadow Cottage, where she still lives.

'I attended Falmouth Art College over 30 years ago and when I left I didn't come back' she said. 'But something happened to my heart when I came over the Tamar Bridge again'. Always laughing, Judy says that in the past there were also three other friends from London living in the village, looking for peace and tranquility. 'We used to call ourselves the "Narkettes" ' she giggled. A believer in alternative healing, Judy used to work with crystals at a natural healing centre in Torpoint, but since she had a heart attack six months ago, she says she is now concentrating on healing herself.

'This is a lovely place to live where everyone gets on with their own lives, but are always there for each other if needed' she says. 'My friends and I always used to say that Narkurs was a magical place'.

Many would share her view.