Just outside the village of Clophill lie the ruins of the church
of St Mary. The church is a prominent feature of the landscape and
commands an impressive view of the surrounding countryside.
The building, of
which the tower and parts of the nave remain, provides a fine
example of local materials and craftsmanship. If you look carefully
you can see some of the green sandstone that gives the 'Greensand
Ridge' its name. A church has been on this site for at least the
last 850 years, but the present structure is the remains of a 15th
century church. Original consecration crosses survive scratched
into the mediæval lime plaster. Architecturally the church is
particularly interesting, having two extremely large Perpendicular
windows in the north and south sides of the nave, and some
archaeologists believe that the site may hold valuable historical
secrets. The church was declared redundant in 1972 and was
purchased by the County Council in 1977 for consolidation and
maintenance, but has had a troubled past including many antisocial
activities like vandalism and desecration.
In March 1963 and on Midsummer’s Eve 1969, attempts to
revive the Black Mass were carried out here. On the first occasion,
the tomb of an 18th century apothecary’s wife was torn open and her
200-year-old bones arranged in a circle about the gutted knave of
the church. Perhaps it was an attempt at necromancy, in which the
Black Magicians are supposed to summon and speak with the spirit of
the dead. On the second occasion, tombs were again smashed open and
graves desecrated, perhaps as part of some fantastic ritual. Only
one thing is known for sure... you won’t catch me up there after
dark!!!
If you're feeling particularly lazy, you can drive right up to
the church. Turn off the A6 just north of the 'Flying Horse'
round-a-bout and drive east through the village. The lane up to the
church starts opposite the white, thatched cottage at N52°
01.898' W000° 24.524'. The track is a bit rough at
first but smooths out once you get past the houses. There's room to
park 3 or 4 cars by the church but please don't obstruct the lane
as it is the access road to Pedley Wood Farm.
At the quoted co-ordinates you will find a 3.1/2" long, 1"
diameter black plastic tube containing the instructions for finding
the location of the final cache. The final cache box is painted
black and suitably labelled. It's hidden just off the Greensand
Ridge Footpath about 1/4 mile from the church. It's an easy walk
with just a couple of 'kissing gates' to negotiate but like most
footpaths, it may be muddy after rain.
The photos from the camera in the original cache can be viewed
here. If you recognise anyone, please
email me and I'll add their name to the photo.
Thanks, Pharisee.
Please DO NOT leave sharp, pointy
things or items of food or drink in the cache.