Alianore and the Swan (Monmouthshire) Multi-cache
The Blorenges: We had a look for it today and we couldn't find it either, it may hav become one with the ivy. As it's a rather old cache we'll replace it ASAP.
Alianore and the Swan (Monmouthshire)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Caldicot Castle is a substantial 13th Century ruin which sits in a large area of open and wooded parkland. The main paths through the park are suitable for baby buggies, young children and wheelchairs. Some grass paths are not ideal for wheelchairs (which includes where the cache is). In winter these grass paths can also get rather muddy.
To find the cache you need to solve a simple clue. The coordinates given are of the lychgate at St Mary's church where you'll need to find the year the gate was restored. St Mary's church is at the top of the road leading to the car park (you pass it as you drive in). Take that year and use it to find the missing numbers of the cache coordinates as follows: Cache Coordinates: N51º 35.a9b W 2º 44.c9d where a = the 3rd and 4th digits added together, b = the second digit, c = the 1st and 4th digits added together and d = the 3rd digit minus the 4th. Please note that the park can be quite busy so use discretion at the cache location.
The park is open all year round and the car park has toilet facilities. The Castle is open every day except Monday from the 1st April to the 31st October. It has a tearoom. For more information about the castle click here
Why Alianore and the Swan? The beautiful Alianore was from the powerful De Bohun family. They were the owners of Caldicot Castle in the 14th Century. Alianore married Thomas of Woodstock, a son of Edward III in about 1377. He and Alianore lived in the castle making many alterations and additions. In the Woodstock tower are two stones inscribed with their names. In 1385 Thomas was made Duke of Gloucester by King Richard II. Thomas then became involved with his nephew Henry Bollingbroke (the future Henry IV) and supported him against King Richard II. Thomas was betrayed and quietly put to death in 1397. Alianore lived on, a widow until 1399 and is buried in Westminster abbey. On her tomb is her badge, a white swan which is now the crest of Caldicot town.
When you get to the location there is a fence, you need to be on the tree side of it, not the field. There are numerous paths. During the last 17 years the area has become overgrown and your GPS won't be very accurate due to tree cover. We like people to find our caches so here is the location to help you. It's right in the middle of the photo in an ivy covered tree stump.
Cache placed with kind permission of the Country Park Warden
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Lychgate] vafpevorq fgbar. [Cache] snyyra vil pbirerq ybt haqre gerrf.