What are you doing at 9pm on a night !
How about a trip to the above co-ordinates, and don’t worry there is a pub within 30 feet !The above co-ordinates are for the obelisk in the centre of Ripon Market Square.
At 9pm every evening a ‘wakeman’ or ‘hornblower’ appears and makes four blasts on his horn at the four corners of the obelisk to ‘set the watch’ for the night….He then proceeds to the mayors house and plays three blasts.
This tradition dates back to 886 when Ripon was granted its charter as a city.
The previous hornblower Alan Oliver was in office since 1 November 1983 until 31st May 2004, after 21 years of service !!! WELL DONE ALAN, thats a lot of 9pm's !!
Every night without fail the hornblower performs the above task.I am not intending to give much more of the story or tradition as he gives a great speech after the performance.
This cache is obviously time related and you need to be there at 9pm on a night.
Now the cache, Ripon has five horns, the history of which you will hear, four of which can still be played today, the fifth stands at the top of the obelisk.
Let me know that when the last time the fifth horn was cleaned there was supposed to be what inside the horn, and what was found ?
If you can, a picture of you with the hornblower will be great and how about in your log name the furthest place that a visitor in the crowd came from...(they normally ask everyone where they live !) !
If you are lucky the hornblower will give you a lucky wooden penny. If he does please thank him personally as these are purchased by himself at his cost and not provided by Ripon Council.
Theakston's is the local brew... try the 'Old Peculier' if its there.... (at your own peril), if not 'XB' is a must.For those real ale buffs the local 'Masham Ale' is sometimes found, but watch it at 6.5% ABV
