GC2NP5X Stroll around Fradley Village - St. Stephens (Traditional Cache) in West Midlands, United Kingdom created by susannye

This cache has been archived.

magwai: Following the DNF notification as it's a straightforward cache and I was passing I had a look myself today

Sadly it's gone [:(] signs of some hedge trimming so maybe it went then

Not too many places to place one here and be far enough away from the local school not to raise any concerns so I'm putting it to bed

Thank you to all who visited

GC2NP5X ▼

A cache by susannye Message this owner

Hidden : 2/12/2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

A stroll around the lovely quiet village of Fradley.

Most of the caches are available from side roads and footpaths which are clear and dry so you could find these and remain clean

In early medieval manor court rolls Fradley was called ‘Frodeleye’ or ‘Frod’s lea’ and in the 12th and 13th centuries the Staffordshire manor of Alrewas consisted of Edingale and nearly the whole of the hamlets of Alrewas‚ Fradley and Orgreave. Fradley was just a tiny part of that manor and throughout most of its subsequent history Alrewas and Fradley formed the same parish‚ later accompanied by nearby Streethay‚ with Alrewas always being the largest and most dominant of the three. The considerable development which has occurred in Fradley during recent years resulted in a Fradley and Streethay parish council being established in 2009‚ so that they could manage their own increasingly extensive affairs independently of Alrewas

Fradley was originally a tiny hamlet which shared ‘All Saints’ Church with Alrewas‚ until in 1861 a ‘Chapel of Ease’ was built in Church Lane for local people who wished to be buried in their own village rather than having their coffins transported along ‘the coffin trail’ to Alrewas. St Stephen’s Church was consecrated on 23rd May 1861

The church is still an important Fradley focal point‚ but a much-loved Victorian schoolhouse which had stood alongside it for 133 years was demolished in 2008 to make room for a more modern building required to accommodate Fradley’s fast-growing child population. The church school had been built in 1875 and‚ like the church‚ was constructed of bricks carried from the brickyard at Hilliards Cross by devoted villagers of the time

Before World War II the village consisted only of St Stephen’s church and school, a number of farms and smallholdings and a sprinkling of private dwellings. Since then the village has experienced some colossal changes, all starting with the construction in 1939 of the famous RAF Station Lichfield

The Lichfield Races were held on Fradley Common from the early 1680s until 1701, when they were transferred to Whittington Heath. From the 1920s point-to-point races were held here, until it was taken over by the RAF in 1939 for the construction of the wartime airfield. In August 1940 the Royal Air Force brought Hurricanes, Oxford and Anson aircraft to enliven the skies over bewildered little Fradley, and later on Spitfires and Wellington Bombers. Australian, Canadian and Czech airmen trained in the Wellingtons alongside RAF personnel

The RAF left in 1958 and the site was finally sold by the Air Ministry in 1962 to Lichfield Securities (parent company Evans of Leeds PLC) for £240‚000

In 2000 a memorial to commemorate all those who served at RAF Lichfield was constructed opposite St Stephen’s church, the last resting place of a large number of Australian aircrew and one lonely German Luftwaffe pilot whose grave, for many years, was marked only by a rather shabby wooden cross. In these more forgiving times he has a smart stone to match those of the lost Australian boys

(information from Jan Green - A History of Fradley Village)

You will need to bring your own writing implements. Many of the caches can be found as singles or you could enjoy a stroll around the Village and find them all. Stealth will be required as it's a Village and a residential area although in the main, the caches are away from houses

I have included parking where possible - public parking is also available near the skate park was well as public transport - Arriva 7 Burton - Lichfield, there are various stops around the Village

FTF bragging rights as always and immortalised on the cache page. Enjoy

CONGRATULATIONS
F