The cache is part of the Village signs series of caches based on the ornate signs that depict the heritage, history and culture of the villages that put them up. It is a resurrection of a previous cache that was archived when the CO moved away. As this was the first cache that my daughter and I found together I thought I would really like to see it continue.
Marham, lies at the bottom of a chalk escarpment running into peat clay fenland to the North-west, and sandy loam to the south-east. It gives rise to several natural springs which are pumped by the Anglia Water Authority in a station at the centre of the village. The land is mainly agricultural, engaged in mixed, cattle and dairy farming but with some small woods, which are mainly deciduous. The village sign has references to the local agriculture/woods, the church, the abbey and the aerodrome (now RAF Marham). The Norman Church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and the chapel is now a Wesleyan methodist church.
Evidence of habitation has been found from prehistoric times through the Iceni, Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, all of which added to the rich history of the area. Recent excavations on the Old Bell site have revealed the remains of an early Saxon settlement, possibly dating back to about 500 AD. The first appearance of the name ‘Marham’ is in the entry for the Hundred of Clackclose in the Doomsday Book, where the place is referred to as ‘Merham’ meaning ‘the hamlet by the mere’.
There is ample parking near to the cache but please be aware that it is a bit of a step up to GZ and can get a bit nettley if the council haven’t mowed recently.
UPDATE: The original container went missing so I have placed a new one and updated the hint accordingly
As I am new to hiding please be kind but advice and constructive criticism would be appreciated. If anybody would like to expand the Village Sign Series, please do. I would ask that you let https://www.geocaching.com/p/default.aspx?id=5920844 Smokeypugs know first at www.villagesignseries.co.uk so they can keep track of the Village Sign numbers and names to avoid duplication.