This week the Pepperpot Magazine journeyed to Old England (Siberian) in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice) to highlight the way of life of the people and to feature the village.

OLD England is a very picturesque place like most villages in Linden, which is against the backdrop of the Demerara River which sits in their backyards and the trail to the interior (Ituni and Kwakwani) runs through that village as well.

It has huge sandhills, a natural spring where drinking-water is sourced by villagers and many blue lakes and creeks too.

Old England has the highest point in the region, where some locals are farming and there is an airstrip atop a steep hill which overlooks the village.

The trail is better than most roads in the city, even though it had rained a lot that day and the people are very welcoming and very hospitable.

Old England has many roadside shops which the locals support, but bulk shopping is usually done in Linden and they have a few minibuses that ply that route for $300 from McKenzie to the village.

The community has no schools, but a health post which sits comfortably on a hill just by a turn and there is the ICT hub building which was a community project, built by the people and is yet to be equipped with computers and internet.

Old England has a block-making facility and the people are of mixed ethnicities and it is an eerily quiet and peaceful place.

The community has a ballfield which needs a pavilion for the many sports activities that take place there.

Old England Village has many houses with a population of about 400 residents, who are scattered over the vast landmass which is bordered by hills and the Demerara River.

Some sections of the village have electricity,but potable water is yet to flow from the taps of the pipelines, although there are distribution lines and there is no landline service, just cellphone and a few persons have cable television.

Most people earn from small-scale farming of ground provisions, fruits and cash crops, while others have small businesses and some men work in the interior.

And there are also skilled masons, carpenters and contractors and equally qualified professionals, who would leave the village for work daily.

Old England Village is between Nottinghamshire and Coomacka and the many truckers, miners and others, who pass through the community would make purchases at the shops.

The people seem happy but crave development; however, they appreciate the development they have seen over the years.

ld England Village (Samuel Maughn photos)

The village has a church and more new people have moved into the village and have constructed houses and settled there.

It looks like living in nature at its best and there is a wide variety of foliage, greenery and plants that are a part of the landscape, which also grows on the hills.

It is indeed a very beautiful place and the people are cooperating to develop the village through the Community Development Council (CDC).

Most residents have lived all their lives in that village and have no desire to relocate and one can see why, it is such a lovely place to reside.

The locals grow their own food, they have small-scale poultry operations, but lost their meat birds due to the recent flood and are slowly picking up the pieces.

The youths of Old England spend time playing cricket, football and even a few friendly games of dominoes to pass the time.

A lot of people are still constructing their houses and there is some development taking place to upgrade the housing sector.

Almost all government services are accessed in Linden and schools are in the neighbouring village of Coomacka, which is densely populated and is a developing community.

There is an air of calm in the atmosphere and it is one of those close-knit villages where people do not lock their doors.

Old England Village is a place where houses line both sides of the trail which goes on for miles upon miles and it is almost picture-perfect in terms of the scenery.

It is one of those places you visit and know you would return to enjoy the peace, quiet and the beautiful scenery.