By John Cole

2 - Commuter Rural

Almost inevitably this means a larger population, though again the parish church may appear to offer the same unifying function as in the ‘deep rural’ villages.

In these larger villages, though, the story has been one of progressive and profound change. Over the years successive waves of incomers have colonised the original farming community so that by now as many as four or five distinct communities occupy the same geographical area. What often emerges is quite a strong tension between ‘old villagers’ and the new invaders, who are often - but by no means always - ‘commuters’, travelling sometimes quite long distances to their place of work. (See The Compost Heap)