St. Cybi is a truly ancient church. The original was built on the site of a monastic settlement dating back to 540 AD. It was founded within the protection of an abandoned Roman fort by St. Cybi, first cousin of St. David, the Patron Saint of Wales.
He came here at the end of his life, having preached the gospel throughout Gaul, Cornwall, Devon, South Wales, Aran , Meath and the Lleyn Peninsular. Churches he founded can still be seen at Llangybi on the Lleyn, Usk and at Duloe and Tregony in Cornwall. He was also a friend of St. Seiriol of Penmon for whom Holyhead's other big church was named. See more about St Seiriol's church in another cache GC3CREW
St. Cybi died in 554 AD, leaving the legacy of the Celtic Clás, which controlled most of the West of Anglesey until the Reformation. The church was sacked by the Vikings in the 10th century and suffered further violation when Henry IV's army invaded Anglesey from Ireland in 1405, most of Wales being under the control of Owain Glyndwr at the time. Sadly, when Henry's men returned to Dublin, they took with them St.Cybi's shrine and relics. These were installed in Christ Church cathedral in Dublin, but disappeared at the time of the Reformation.
The last assault on the church took place in the 17th century when soldiers of Cromwell were garrisoned in the church for several years. They systematically destroyed the interior windows, font, tombs and statues. The empty niches in the porch stand in testament to their actions. Thankfully, the carvings above the door survived.
This cache forms part of the huge Church Micros series started in the South East of England. I thought it was time Holyhead's churches were marked in this series. I also thought that Multi caches are under represented in Holyhead so this one is a quick multi.
The cache is a magnetic 35mm film container hidden outside the church grounds. The co-ordinates are for the gate (locked when I set up the cache so all information required is outside or can be seen from outside the inner gates).
The first clue is close by.
When was Holyhead's first school opened? ABCD
Move over to the information board. With your back to the old school's door, you will see it between two stone benches over by the low wall...
When was the Great Eastern - the biggest vessel of its time - visit Holyhead? EFGH
When was the construction of the Inner Harbour and Admirality Pier finished? IJKL
(not a mispelling yeah)
the cache can be found at:
N53 18.(J-K)(I-L)B
W04 37.HG(C+A)
You a short walk away taking you from one fo the oldest public structures in town to one of the newest.
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