Aubourn translates as 'stream where the alders grow'. It has an unusual one way system through the village and two churches, dedicated to the same saint.
At the eastern end of the village stands Aubourn Hall, an early to mid-17th-century house set in 1.2 ha of gardens. Built for Sir John Meres between 1587 and 1628, possibly on Tudor foundations, it is brick with stone quions and three storeys high. The interior of the house includes a carved staircase and panelled rooms. The property has been the home of the Neville family since the 17th century.
To the east of the Hall is the eleventh century parish church, dedicated to St Peter. The present church was built around 1200 on the site of an earlier church built of wood and stone and recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. When it was built, the church was a larger structure than today's and included a nave, porch and tower. In 1862 most of the building was demolished following the building of a new parish church on a new site, leaving just the chancel standing. However, the original foundations can still be seen in the churchyard in front of the main door.
The new church, also dedicated to St Peter, was built on a site midway between Aubourn and Haddington,
The new Victorian church was not as well built as the older church had been and by 1968, it had deteriorated to the point that it was thought unsafe for congregational use. After its abandonment it was used as a mortuary. In 1933, the older church was restored, with a new altar and a gallery for the organ installed. After the newer church had run down, the old church saw more use. Only the tower and chancel of the newer church, as well as the derelict walls of the South transept, remain in the churchyard today.
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THE CACHE
Look for Yvonne Ogg and the dates connected to her. These are ABCD - EFGH.
The cache can be found at:
N 53 09. H C (D-E)
W 000 37. G A (E+F+G+H)
About Village Sign Caches
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This cache belongs to the Village Sign Series, a series of caches based on ornate signs that depict the heritage, history and culture of the villages that put them up (generally on the village green!).
The signs can be made of different materials from fibreglass to wood, from forged steel to stone. They can depict anything from local industry to historical events. The tradition probably started in Norfolk or Suffolk and has now spread across most of the country so we thought we would base a series on them!
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More information, bookmarks and statistics can be found at the Village Signs Website
If anybody would like to expand the Village Sign Series, please do.
I would ask that you request a number for your cache first at www.villagesignseries.co.uk
so we can keep track of the Village Sign numbers and names to avoid duplication.