BEWCASTLE CROSS Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Scenic drive through one of the last unspoilt areas of Britain.
Farmed, lived in and fought over for three thousand years, Bewcastle still retains the rugged splendour of the border regions. It is the haunt of buzzard, curlew and lapwing and while sheep graze over much of the land, the fells and 'wastes' have changed little since prehistoric times.
Bewcastle today could be described as remote and isolated, but it wasn’t always so - when Hadrian visited and built his wall, 'to divide the Romans from the Barbarians', three outpost forts were built, one of these was at Bewcastle and was linked directly with the wall at Birdoswald - during the 2nd and 3rd century, a thousand men were stationed here. It is uncertain was happened from when the Romans abandoned the fort, to the time the Anglian cross was erected in the late 7th century.
At the time of the Norman Conquest a castle was built in the NE corner of the Roman fort and the church was built during the reign of Edward I using stone from the Roman fort and in the 18th Century, it was rebuilt and the dedication changed to St Cuthbert.
Most people come here to see the Cross made of yellow sandstone and standing 14 feet high, the cross head is missing, but the shaft is exceptionally well preserved.
The Cross which is situated in the church grounds bears an inscription in runes and is distinguished from other crosses in Cumbria by the sacred figures carved on it. High on the South face there is a sundial, which has been described as the “oldest British timekeeper” and it has been suggested that it may have been used to calculate the spring equinox and hence Easter. The dating of Easter caused considerable controversy between the coexisting Roman and Celtic traditions in the kingdom of Northumbria until it was resolved at the Synod of Whitby in 664 establishing Roman practice as the norm in Northumbria.
Bewcastle Cross and the Ruthwell Cross, just over the border in Scotland, are said to be the most perfect of comparable age, in the whole of Europe.
Booklets available in the Church, and information in an accompanying exhibition in the church grounds, describe in detail the carvings on the Cross.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here and the accompanying scenic drive on a beautiful Easter Monday – we hope you do too 
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Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Onfr bs gerr haqre fgbarf.