When local farmers Hermon and Martin Bond first had the dream of building their own golf club back in the 1970's, little could they have imagined then that just over 20 years later, their enterprise, now owned by 'American Golf', would have made the name of the small village of St Mellion an international one.

Perhaps more than any other small village in South East Cornwall, St Mellion, primarily an agricultural area, has had the most dramatic growth rate. This is of course due to the fast expansion of the club, which has the prestigious title of St Mellion International Golf and Country Club.

It has in effect developed a village in two halves, comprising the old and the new, with the addition of the smart St Mellion Park housing development around the golf course itself, doubling the village population within the past 10 years alone. However, the village folk say the 'new lot' and the old 'St Mellionites' rub shoulders together very well, and the influx of fresh families and faces is much welcomed.

The Bond brothers started the club in 1976, building upon their phenomenal success with the famous Jack Nicklaus golf course and by attracting the Benson and Hedges Golf Tournament in 1979, and for a highly successful run between 1990-1995. This put St Mellion and South East Cornwall firmly on the map of the sporting world bringing many famous names to the area on a regular basis.

On May 1, 1998, the Bonds sold the complex to American Golf who are now in the throes of a £1.1million major re-development which will see the creation of a new hotel by the end of next year, which should be open by 2001, and offering up to 100 rooms in comparison with the present 24.

The Cornish Times was warmly welcomed to the complex during the village visit by Mark Lovell, Director of Food and Beverage and Claire Byles, Leisure Manager, who were full of enthusiasm about the club's rapidly expanding future.

The 'old' St Mellion community just down the road from the club while welcoming the changes, have however taken the expansion of their famous neighbours completely in their stride, and life goes on the same as it does in any other village.

Workers

St Mellion was formerly part of the large Pentillie Estate owned by the Coryton family, and nearly all of the cottages, now privately owned, and formerly thatched, were built for the estate workers and their families. The Coryton's have been connected with St Mellion for centuries - there is still a Coryton in residence at nearby Pentillie Castle in Pillaton - and for 400 years the patronage of St Mellanus Parish Church was held by the Coryton family.

Parish Priest for the last three years has been Father Philip Lamb who has care of the three parishes of St Mellion with Pillaton, St Dominic and Landulph and its four churches, and resides in the Grade One Listed Rectory in the village.

He says St Mellion is not a typecast parish in the traditional sense because it is growing and changing all the time. 'It has become very much a commuter village, but still retains a solid base of local people' he said. Father Lamb said much of the community is elderly, many of whom live in the sheltered accommodation at The Glebe, but most of the residents have been in the parish all their lives and still continue to have great influence on life in the village. 'They are very important to us' he said.

Fundraising

The big fundraising event organised by the church annually, and held in the rolling rectory grounds is the well known 'Cherry Feast'. This stems from the days when the Tamar region was full of cherry orchards and at harvest time during the latter half of the 19th century, Miss Charlotte Coryton would hold a cherry pie feast at the castle for all the children of the parish, which was a day of great excitement.

The famous feast was revived about 25 years ago by Mrs Mary Watts, wife of Rev Watts who was rector at the time, and it has continued to grow each year, the last event raising £3,500 for the church fabric.

During feast day, a joint effort between St Mellion and Pillaton, there is a much enjoyed display including the school pupils' work and photographs, organised by Doug Dunn, who has lived in the village since he moved on to the Pentillie Estate as a small boy in 1928. In 1947 he moved to The Glebe where he has resided, first at No 4, and then No 20, for the past 50 years.

Fifty is a familiar number for Doug, a much respected member of the parish, since he has been a church sidesman and choir member for 50 years. The choir director is Miss Doreen Kinvig and choir master is Dennis Bullock. He has also been the Cornish Times correspondent for 50 years. Retired after 42 years with the Post Office as a postman, driver and postal officer at St Mellion and Plymouth, there is not much Doug doesn't know about village life.

Next door to the church is the small and friendly primary school, which is still housed in the original building which was first opened in 1891 as a National School. There are 41 children on the role, and every day, at the end of play time, they are summoned to their classes by the ringing of the school's tower bell, on the roof . It was re-instated in 1995 by the school governors and the parish council to commemorate the 50th anniversary of V E and V J Days.

The lively bunch of pupils are taught by head teacher for more than 20 years Mrs Elizabeth (Bette) Rowe, Mrs Jane Wells and Mrs Mary Deacon. All the children enjoy a music lesson once a fortnight by peripetetic teacher and local resident Mrs Trudy Bailey.

The Coryton Arms is very much a local pub where everyone knows everyone else and there is a warm and welcoming ambience. It is thought the building dates back to the 14th century and the popular mine host for the last seven years has been Trevor Hewison who runs the establishment with his partner Lindsay Nicholls.

Regulars

The pub, which boasts two formidable darts teams and a pool team, who have won more than 50 trophies since Trevor became the landlord, also does a great deal for charity and has raised £400 for McMillan Nurses. A popular feature are the 'real' home cooked meals available , especially the OAP lunches for just £3.

One of the pub regulars when he is at home from his travels, is Leo Gordon-Marchant, the owner of Combat Systems which makes bomb disposal equipment using the latest in technology. The company is also 'hands on' and is involved in actual bomb disposal work itself in all the world's hot spots, including Kosovo, Cambodia, Angola, Afghanistan, and Dili in East Timor, which Leo describes as easily the worst conflict.

When on 'manoeuvres' he always sends broadcaster Sarah Kennedy a postcard and she refers to him as her 'pet bomb disposal man'. Also on board Leo's company, is another local, Harry Cripp, a former clearance diver with the Royal Navy.

Running St Mellion Stores for the past 9 years have bean Richard and Joan Terry who say they are very busy, opening 7 days a week, especially with their paper rounds which take in all the neighbouring villages.

Joan is also vice chairman of the parish council and along with everyone else she says the single most important thing to the people of the village is a by pass which is desperately needed.

The A388 between Callington and Saltash runs straight through the village and a huge amount of traffic thunders through both by day and night. With no pavements, and considering the close proximity of the school to the road, it is the general feeling that there is a tragic accident waiting to happen.

Joan said the County Highways Agency have put St Mellion at the top of their priority improvements list together with Carnon Gate-Paying Place near Truro, but even so they have been told there is not much hope of anything being done before 2004. Chairman of the parish council is Mike Crow, and Caradon councillor is Roy Levack.

Most of the village activities take place in the church hall, which was originally the school, and has also seen life as a carpenters shop and a smithy. It eventually became almost derelict and in 1986 members of the church congregation decided to renovate it, a large amount of work, which took volunteers until 1991 to complete.

It was officially opened by the Bishop of Truro, and is still going strong, housing the vibrant village WI the president of which is Carol Lacey, and last year said to be the fastest growing in the county, the parochial church and parish councils, glass painting sessions led by Mrs Amanda Copson, whist drives, and local events.

St Mellion once boasted successful football and cricket teams, winning the East Cornwall Premier League soccer cup, but unfortunately these have disbanded. Doug Dunn says the village can raise the funds but not the players, as there aren't enough young men left to form teams. He recalls a time just after the 2nd World War when the football team comprised seven Harris's , from two brothers and their sons.

Doug says many people will remember the late Ron Whale, who was born in St Mellion and tragically crippled in a bicycle accident when aged just 12. He spent almost all of his life in a bath chair and lived with his mother in one of the cottages. However, he was taken to all the football and cricket matches to support the village, and for a long time did all the cricket scores.

Like most villages St Mellion has a ghost story, but instead of involving the usual ancient apparition, which periodically appears, this involves a sighting of about 50 ghosts at once.

Just over 20 years ago, two children said they saw a large troop of soldiers, some bloodied, and led by a single horseman accompanied by hunting type dogs.

They walked up the hill at Church Park and disappeared near the church gate. The children ran to their homes in a terrified state to tell the tale. They were apparently kept apart for some time but repeated identical descriptions of what they believed they saw. To add strength to the ghostly tale a digger driver working on the first fairway of the Jack Nicklaus course also reported a similar sighting.

As Father Lamb commented, over a welcome pint in the Coryton Arms, 'There is more to St Mellion than a golf club'.