I read this because of the album "Astercote" by The Heartwood Institute: theheartwoodinstitute.bandcamp.com/album/astercote
The book seemed half familiar like I may have read it 30 odd years ago, but the only Penelope Lively I really remember is "The Ghost of Thomas Kempe" which I had on tape...
This is an excellent story about a mysterious vanished village, I probably would have loved it and simultaneously been creeped out by it when I was 10.