Please read
The cache is NOT at the posted co-ordinates. You will need to download the Reverse Wherigo cartridge from here and use it with your chosen compatible player.
This Wherigo converts your player into a virtual version of the "Reverse Cache Box" which tells you the distance to the cache, but not the bearing. Your task is to find the cache by periodically querying your Reverse Cache Box for the distance to the final location. Try to use your Reverse Cache Box as few times as possible. All instructions and necessary information needed to complete the cartridge is contained within it. The cartridge is multilingual.
The cache is somewhere on Portsea Island. The difficulty rating represents the difficulty in obtaining the numbers required, the terrain rating represents the effort required to get to and find the cache. Please do not include hints in your log about where and how you found the cache or post photos that would give away the final location.
IMPORTANT!
Some sort of motorised transport will probably be required for this cache. Please check the attributes on the cache page before setting off and come prepared accordingly. To prevent a wasted journey, be sure to download the latest version of the cartridge before attempting this Wherigo or at least test it before leaving home. It is recommended that you take the codes with you on your journey. They will be needed if it becomes necessary to restart your player for any reason.
St Mary's Church, Portsea
The present church is the third built on this site. In 1164 AD, the Norman lord of the manor, Baldwin de Portsea, informed Henry de Blois, the bishop of Winchester, that he was giving the church of St Mary, together with some land, cattle, sheep and hogs to the prior and canons of Southwick Priory in memory of his father, Alexander. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous engineer, was baptised in the first church of St Mary on 1st November 1806 and Charles Dickens, the author, was baptised there on 12th March 1812. St Mary's church remained in a rural environment surrounded by fields and farms until the middle of the 19th century, but then the dockyard began to develop and, as the population around the church began to grow, the need for a larger church became evident. A gallery was built in the church, but in 1843 it was decided to pull the old church down apart from the Tudor tower.
Thomas Ellis Owen, the architect who built most of Southsea as a garden city, including St. Jude's, built the second church of St Mary in the Early English style. This second church proved to be deficient in both light and ventilation. In 1887 it was demolished and the present church was built. The church is built in the Perpendicular Gothic style. The tower is 50m high (165 feet), the total external length is 63.2 metres (210 feet). It is built of concrete faced with flint, with quoins and dressings of Doulton stone. The foundation stone was laid by Victoria, Princess Royal, representing Queen Victoria, on 9th August 1887. The church took just over two years to build and was consecrated by the bishop of Winchester on 20th October 1889.
The spacious interior, with its hammerbeam roof, large pulpit and beautiful reredos, is impressive. The stained glass windows are particularly beautiful; those on the north side depict scenes from the Old Testament, those on the south side scenes from the New Testament. The church's Great East Window features Christ in Glory. During the Second World War, this window was blasted out by a bomb dropped in Woodland Street. All the main lights were destroyed except for the one containing the figure of Christ.
In 1927, the Diocese of Portsmouth was formed from part of the Diocese of Winchester and St. Thomas' Church became its Cathedral. There had been many debates previously as to whether St. Mary's should become a temporary or pro-Cathedral for the new diocese but, owing to its commitment to its mission churches elsewhere on Portsea Island, it was not considered feasible.
The cache
At the posted co-ordinates you will find a memorial cross. On one side of the plinth, on the side facing the church, there is an inscription with 7 lines ONLY of text. CARE you do NOT want the side that begins 'IN MEMORIAM'. Note down the following values, counting the number of letters in each word:
- A - 4th line, 1st word
- B - 5th line, 2nd word
- C - 1st line, 2nd word
- D - 1st line, 1st word
- E - 2nd line, 2nd word
- F - 4th line, 3rd word
- G - 2nd line, 1st word
Substituting the values for letters, enter the following three lines of numbers into the cartridge when prompted:
F 0 E B D 0
C 0 9 C 0 B
D A B G D 0
About Wherigo Reverse Caches
Wherigo Reverse Caches were inspired by the original Reverse Geocache Puzzle Box. The cartridge for the Wherigo version was developed by -Waldmeister- and has been re-used in many different caches. At the end of the game, you will be given a personal passcode which you can enter into the cartridge if you select "create" rather than "play" when you start the cartridge. Save this code, and if you ever wish to create your own reverse cache, you can do so. -Waldmeister- would like you to inform him of your new edition of his handiwork.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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