Church Micro #850...East Worldham – St Mary’s Multi-cache
Church Micro #850...East Worldham – St Mary’s
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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Short Multi-Cache set in the village of East Worldham, Hampshire.
Allow about 15 minutes for this cache, a little longer if you visit St Mary’s Church as well.
East Worldham church stands at the top of Worldham Hill, just off the crossroads with a forest track which once led north to Alton. An even older road made by the Romans, connecting Silchester in the north-west with Chichester and Fishbourne on the south coast, also passed through East Worldham. Evidence of Roman occupation is still being found here.
The present church is of early 13th century origin, but almost certainly replaced an earlier Saxon church on the same site. The south porch was added in the 19th century and shields an Early English doorway. On the left hand jamb are crosses carved by early Christian travellers, possibly pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. On both sides of this doorway are scratch dials which indicated the times of the masses. The left-hand dial was shaded from the sun when a buttress was built to support the south wall, and therefore another was carved on the right-hand side. The gnomon from the central hole has long since disappeared.
On the east wall there is evidence of the original Norman apse, later replaced by the present square east end, with triple lancet windows. On the north wall of the chancel the Victorian vestry conceals the stairway which would have led to the rood loft. On the north and south sides of the nave are Early English doorways, the north door being the priest's entrance.
The tower was reconstructed in 1864-5 by David Brandon, when the church was completely re-roofed and re-furnished. It is a short, square structure surmounted by a wooden bellcote, typical of many Hampshire churches. The bellcote was added to an earlier tower in 1660, and is recorded in a watercolour view of the church from the south west painted by Richard Ubsdell in the 1840s, and now on view in the Portsmouth City Museum and Art Gallery.
In the south wall of the nave is a 14th century effigy believed to be of Phillipa, wife of Geoffrey Chaucer, whose son was Lord of the Manor from 1418 to 1434 and also the Ranger of Woolmer and Alice Holt Forests. This was found under the floor during the restoration of the church in 1865.
(From — Some Ancient Churches in North East Hampshire)
The Co-ordinates above are for the suggested Car Park, which is within 50 metres of the cache location.
Whilst still in the car park, take a look at the village notice board. From what year does the Church originate? Make this ABCD.
Now proceed to the War Memorial in the Churchyard :
E = Number of times the name NORGATE occurs.
F = Number of times the name PACEY occurs.
Now find the William James Wilson memorial at N51 08 259 W000 55 708. The two dates on the memorial become GHJK – LMNP.
Finally onto the cache location itself, which is at :
N51 C P . B J B W000 K K . [M - E] F N
You are looking for a 35mm Film Canister, so just a logbook with no pencil, so bring your own. (The final location was moved slightly and formula adjusted - Aug 2009)
If anybody would like to expand this Church Micro series, please do, we would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ynetr Gerr, ybgf bs ebbgf, haqre fznyy fgbar