MAWDESLEY is a village where Miss Marple would be very much at home. I can imagine her knitting and noseying out crime, while life goes on in its pleasant English way all around her.

Not that I wish to imply there is any need for an amateur sleuth in the village, but rather that the area provides the sort of picturesque backdrop so beloved of television companies which bring Agatha Christie's elderly heroine to our screens.

Situated between Chorley and Ormskirk, Mawdesley with Bispham is worth a visit for a number of reasons.

My last excursion there was a couple of weeks ago when autumn brought its particular beauty to the village which has a softer aspect than some other areas of Lancashire. Beautifully tended gardens add to its charm.

It is a very peaceful place in which to wander around and appreciate the fact that the village is unspoiled.

There are many fine old properties and pubs in the village, which also boasts its own Millennium Green. For lunch we chose the Eagle and Child pub at Malt Kiln Lane, Bispham Green.

The number of diners indicated it was a popular place and the high standard of the food proved why this should be so. I enjoyed pasta that would not have been out of place in a top Italian restaurant. This 18th century inn is full of character and free from extraneous modernisation.

Other local pubs include the Red Lion and the Black Bull, known not only for the 16lbs fireplace poker, but also as a venue for the French game of boules. The Black Bull, nicknamed 'Ell 'Ob, dates from the early 16th century.

Another well-known eaterie is Mawdesley's Eating House, which is also a hotel and conference centre.

The Parish Church of St Peter was consecrated in 1840 and has an altar made out of oak from Douglas Chapel of Ease in Parbold when that was demolished. If you have an opportunity to look around the church, don't miss the impressive chancel window. The village also has Roman Catholic and Methodist churches.

Cedar Farm Galleries in the village -- it is well signposted -- is a contemporary crafts centre with a variety of shops which genuinely offer something different from that found in high street stores.

The food shop has a selection of "home-made" frozen meals, plus cheeses, pates, bread etc. And the best bit is that they invite you to take your own dishes to the shop and get them filled with a home-made meal. It's a temptingly easy way to entertain your friends with some "home" cooking.

There's a classy women's wear shop, which is stocking a "toys for boys" section, which could make Christmas shopping easier. Other shops offer cards, jewellery and other gifts.

The cafe at Cedar Farm was featured in a national newspaper's top 40 restaurants for under £15 a head. Don't go if you are dieting, because puddings are a speciality at the cafe, which is licensed.

In the gallery is a wide selection of high-quality British crafts. If you enjoy coffee, you won't be able to miss the Coffee Roastery, which offers a good selection of coffee and chocolate. Roberts and Co, who run it, won a gold medal for their Espresso coffee number 9 in this year's Great Taste awards. These awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food retailers.

Children are made very welcome at Cedar Farm. There is a safe and well-constructed play area next to the shops and the cafe. But the thing which delights children most is the selection of small farm animals, which may be fed with food bought from the gallery.

Unusual breeds of poultry may be seen along with guinea pigs. Rabbits and goats are also among the animals, which always fascinate small visitors.

Cedar Farm Galleries are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Just outside the village centre is the Owd Barn, which includes a farm shop, crafts and clothing. I can vouch for the quality of the locally produced vegetables.

Then at Bispham Green is the Eccles Farm Needlecraft Centre. You can check opening times on 01257 463113.

The whole area is rich with history and if you are visiting Mawdesley, leave time to visit nearby Rufford Old Hall, one of Lancashire's finest 16th century buildings.

The first Lord Hesketh gave the hall to the National Trust in 1936. Rufford is

famed for its spectacular Great Hall, which has an intricately carved "moveable" wooden screen and dramatic hammerbeam roof. It is rumoured that Shakespeare performed there.

Running alongside the canal, the grounds are attractively laid out with formal areas and sculpture. Check on 01704 821254 for opening times and special days.

Walkers will enjoy a circular walk using local lanes, tracks, footpaths and the canal towpath from Rufford Village to the Cedar Farm Galleries.

The Canal and Countryside Project has devised the walk, which is a joint venture between Lancashire County Council, the District Councils of West Lancashire, Chorley, Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle Countryside Commission, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and British Waterways.

A suggested route is shown on a map, but the six-mile walk may be shortened or lengthened as required.

The organisers estimate the walk will take about two to three hours to complete and will take the walkers through interesting and varied countryside from the open parts of the Douglas Valley to the leafy lanes of Mawdesley.

As most of the footpaths cross farmland, dog owners are reminded to keep their pets on leads at all times.

FOLLOW the B5239 to Standish from Westhoughton via Aspull and Haigh. From Standish stay on the same road, following the signs for Parbold.

At the top of Parbold Hill you will pass the Wiggin Tree Pub on your right.

A couple of miles down the hill, the right-hand turn for Mawdesley is signposted.

Mawdesley is also signposted from Eccleston and Rufford.