Though modern in appearance, St Paul’s Cray has an ancient history. Romans camped along the banks of the river, and even earlier settlements are suggested by the mysterious dene holes, caverns shaped in the chalk, which have been found on either side of the valley. [2] Sir Simon de Cray hel [[ ]] d the manor in the time of Edward I. He took his name from St Paul’s Cray. He was knighted for his part in the Scottish wars. He became Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1275. [2] [3]
The name St Paul’s Cray has no direct connection with St Paul the Apostle; it is simply an abbreviation of St Paulinus Cray. This church, redundant since 1978, is sited on Main Road on the attractive riverside section of the St Paul’s Cray Conservation Area. An effective focal point at the junction with Sandy Lane is the dazzling white frontage of The Bull public house. From its structural form, St Paulinus church would appear to be an earlier foundation than the thirteenth-century St Mary’s of Saxon character. A rare dedication suggests that a church could have occupied the site in the early seventh century. (Paulinus was an early Christian missionary, and a close contemporary of Augustine who subsequently became Archbishop of York and Bishop of Rochester). [3]
The area was known in the 16th century as Paul Crey. William Camden born in 1551 writes in a 1610 travel guide in a section on Kent: "Here the riverlet Crey, anciently called Crecan , intermingleth it selfe with Darent, ? when in his short course he hath imparted his name to five townlets which hee watereth,as Saint Marie Crey, Pauls Crey, Votes-Crey, North Crey,? and Crey-ford in former ages Crecanford, where Hengest the Saxon, the eighth yeare after his arrivall, joyned battaile with the Britans, and after hee had slaine their captaines brought them under with so great a slaughter that afterwards hee never stood in feare of them, but established his kingdome quietly in Kent." [4]
While some development has taken place on the east side of the old village, open country with a belt of woodland extends to the hamlet of Hockenden and the borough boundary. On the west side, a large housing estate to accommodate 10,000 of London’s overspill has swallowed up farm and woodland since the Second World War. This new township which extends as far west as Chislehurst Common has its own shopping centre, churches, schools, library and industrial estate. [2] Sports facilities are found at the recreation ground, with Hoblingwell Wood to the rear.
And so to the cache, very near to the sign on one of the posts there is some green writing on the sign, use these words as A B C D E
The cache can be found at :-
N 51° 24. (A - C) (B / E) + C) (B / E) * A))
E 000° 7.(A - E) (A + C) - D - 1) (E)
If anybody would like to expand this series please do. I would just ask that you let Smokeypugs know first so they can keep track of the Village Sign numbers and names to avoid duplication.