Shrivenham Stumper Mystery Cache

Stage 1 - A walk around Shrivenham, collecting information

Shrivenham has a population of about 3000 and was mentioned in the Domesday Book (‘Scriveham’). Like many locations in the area there is extensive historical evidence of human activity. A Saxon burial ground was discovered during the construction of the bypass in 1983, along with the remains of a Roman villa and further investigation in 1989 uncovered Iron Age relics similar to those found at nearby Uffington Castle, as well as Neolithic relics. Until recently it was a relatively small village clustered around the current High Street and dominated by the Beckett Estate owned by Lord Barrington. His manor house, Beckett House, still exists, but is within the grounds of the Royal Military College of Science (now Defence Academy) established in 1946. There is no need to enter the grounds of the Defence Academy to complete this cache. The village grew rapidly after WW2 due to the establishment of RMCS and the development of nearby Swindon. Historical information is drawn from An Illustrated Guide to Shrivenham by Vivien Moss (available from the Post Office at £2 – you do NOT need a copy to complete this cache). Park in the High Street adjacent to the school or in front of the pubs. Alternatively you can get to Shrivenham by bus services 65/66 timetable [note no 65 service on Sundays/Bank Holidays].

As you walk you may like to use this grid:

WP2: Institute N51 35.950 W1 39.149
Walk up the street towards the next waypoint. Next to the pub is the Tudor House, probably 14th century, which may been the rectory before the former vicarage now a private dwelling to the right of the Barrington Arms built in 1804. On the opposite side of the road is a row of three 18th century buildings – the end one, now a very good Indian Restaurant, has also been a pub, a grocery shop and a baker’s in the past. Just beyond these buildings is the Prince of Wales pub licensed as an alehouse in 1796. An honest pub – good pub grub and a competitive pub quiz on Tuesday evenings.

Opposite the Prince of Wales is the former Post Office, a 17th century building closed in 1962. The waypoint takes you to the Men’s Institute, erected on a site given by Lord Barrington in 1904. There is an unusual circular window – how many panes of glass? lm. On the opposite side of the road is a single number above the letters SV: n. Carry on to the next waypoint

WP3: BoysSchool N51 35.945 W1 39.125
Next to this WP was the boy’s school 1703-1863; the building next door facing the high street was the schoolmaster’s home. How many shutters? p
Return to the High Street and continue to the next waypoint past the Blue Strawberry (formerly the Crown Inn), reputedly good food, although I haven’t tried it.

WP4: Beehive N51 35.972 W1 39.033
The main road takes a sharp left turn here, known locally as Horne’s corner after the blacksmith who worked between the Prince of Wales pub and the corner in the 1850s. The row of cottages next to the waypoint are known as Beehive (Park) cottages. The house on the corner is believed to have been the home of the village constable. This row of cottages may have originally been part of a stabling block. Diagonally opposite stands Coplow House, originally a farm house in the 16th century. In the grounds behind there is an Elizabethan barn – which can be viewed from Catherine’s Close – entered via a small gap in the wall facing Horne’s corner. Continue along the road to the next way point.

WP5: Medlar N51 36.018 W1 39.088
Next to this waypoint is Medlar Cottage-so-called because of the Medlar trees that once grew there, next door is Barnacle Lodge, which was built in the 1830s and originally served as a gate-lodge to Beckett House. Tarifa cottage is much older, 17th century, and was on the edge of the village until the early 1950s – look at the sign.

Take a break and work out the following location

N 51 (b-g)(g+f).(b-a+c)(j-a)(e-k) W 001 (n-c-f)(p+c).(k+l)(a+c)(m-g)

Go to this location, the way will be obvious once you work it out, to find a transposition code number, which will be needed for stage 2. As you walk, be careful – traffic can be fast here although there is a pavement. Once found, go to WP 6

WP6: Junction N51 36.198 W1 39.101
At this waypoint turn and go north up Pennyhook Lane (Golf Club access road), you will get good views of the village through the hedge as you go along it. Carry on to the next waypoint

WP7: Number N51 36.319 W1 39.405
At this point look around. Note the ‘red number’ qrs
Carry on up the lane – to your right you will see a nature reserve and SSSI, Tuckmill Meadows – a nice spot for a picnic, although access is by kissing gate, details here

WP8: FP1 N51 36.342 W1 39.473
Carry on up the lane to the next waypoint, which marks the current start of a footpath. I say current as the OS map shows it as being further north on the main road, just west of where the lane emerges – but locals use the short cut, and there are no crops in the field. The path is flat and firm but may be tricky for wheel chairs as there are a couple of footbridges (about 3 feet wide), the plants on either side can get rather luxuriant, and it will be hard going after rain. Cyclists and wheel chair users may wish to go back down the lane and retrace their track to Medlar Cottage WP5 before going to WP 8. Take the path across the field and head towards WP9

WP9: FP2 N51 36.059 W1 39.228
At this point there is a footpath sign, carry straight on to WP10. On the way, on your left you will see a building, Yew Tree House, with two numbers on it – there is a common digit that appears a total of three times, make this t

WP10: ChGate N51 36.005 W1 39.186
You will approach WP10 from one of two directions – from the NW if you came across the field, or the East if you retraced your steps via WP5 Medlar cottage.

From the East (WP5) as you walk up Claypits Lane, Wisteria Cottage on the corner was originally two cottages dating from the 17th century. Beyond Normansby cottage (the home of some of the first doctors to practice in the village before they moved to the Elm Tree House) is a row of Almshouses. They were endowed by Sir Henry Marten, at that time the owner of Beckett House, in 1641. In the 19th century they were extensively refurbished and two additional houses added at the eastern end. One of the cottages was made available to the parish nurse rent-free on condition that she looked after the other residents. Before entering the churchyard take an excursion to the right and follow the lane to Yew Tree House. This house has two numbers on it – there is a common digit that appears a total of three times, make this t

From the NW (WP9) As you approach WP 10 you will see the churchyard on your right, and get a good view of the church
Before entering the churchyard, on the left is Shrivenham House, originally the Dower House to Beckett House and extensively altered and extended in 1834. The original house was a two storey building facing west, a wing projecting east was added in the 18th century from the north wall and the house was made rectangular by the alterations in 1834. Look around for a code beginning EN and ending with a 3 digit number – make this number uvw

WP11: WARMEM N51 35.985 W1 39.239
Go to WP 11, the war memorial, an interesting monument. Nearby is the church, which is well worth a visit. St Andrew's is a Grade I listed building and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The chancel was repaired in 1395, but the current church was largely constructed around a 15th century tower by Sir Henry Marten, following damage in the Civil War, between 1660 and 1690. What remains of the 13th century church is in the west wall. The oldest item in the church is the 12th century font at the western end of nave made of black Purbeck marble basin. Next to the churchyard is a delightful cottage, 17th century Jasmine Cottage, once the home of the school mistress of the nearby Dame school (now the Church Room) built in 1803, where girls were taught sewing, cooking and other things which girls needed to know! This is a good place for a sit down, and to work out the location of a micro. The micro contains a codeword that will be needed to solve the second part of the puzzle. It is hidden within a quarter of a mile of this location (and you won’t have to retrace your steps ;))

Micro: N 51 (b-g)(m-l).(t+u)(j+l-w)(p-f) W 1 (r-a+f)(e+q).(c+v-f)(k+d)(n-s+c)

WP12: ManorCott N51 35.986 W1 39.295
Leave the churchyard using the path next to the Church Room. As you emerge, turn right up Manor Lane and walk past Manor Cottages, built in 1650. This area used to be the entrance to a Manor house – which was demolished in the 1960s for the development in Manor Close. Follow the road and bear left past the entrance to the Recreation Ground (if you are lucky there’ll be some cricket to watch). Good conker area here! On your left is Dodds Row, a row of 18th century cottages. Old Thatch, further on is older, probably 17th century. Walk on, behind the Methodist Chapel to the end of Manor Lane and the next waypoint.

WP13: MemHall N51 35.873 W1 39.501
To your right is the Memorial Hall, the roof covering is Cotswold stone tiles supported by a massive hammerbeam roof of very large oak members, possibly the last of the great timber roofs to be built in the country. The hall was built using funds raised by Lady Barrington to provide a lasting memorial to those Shrivenham men who died in WW1.

Question 1: (Internet research) Who opened the memorial hall? (8,8)
Opposite the Memorial Hall are the four Pump Cottages, reputedly Queen Anne, and formerly called Well Cottages; between is a triangular area with the well from which they took their name. The village pump was restored in 1993, and positioned close to its original site where it provided water for the villagers and any passing drover and his animals.

Question 2: (On-site clue) Who died in 1994? (6,6)

On the other side of the road is the village pound, used to hold animals that had strayed until a fine was paid. Now return along the High Street. Blacksmith’s Cottage on the right is 17th century and until the 1930s was where all the local horses were shod. Just beyond and diagonally opposite are several more 17th century cottages. Proceed past the Methodist Chapel, opened in 1860 on a site donated by Lord Barrington (along with all the building stone), to the next waypoint.

WP14: IvyHouse N51 35.906 W1 39.298
Ivy House is late 18th century and was once a farm. A little further down Stainswick lane is a row of houses called Coronation Cottages, dating from 1911. This might be a good opportunity for a diversion to a nearby cache, Boats Long Gone GCTR9W

Question 3: (On-site clue) What is set in the wall of Ivy House? (8)

Opposite Stainswick Lane are a pair of 18th century thatched cottages. Turn right and go past the current Post Office to the School. The Gothic-style school was built in 1863 and extended in 1899. A further extension was made in the 1960s which added a school hall, a library and office, and two more classrooms, more recently some 1950s-vintage classrooms have been replaced.

Question 4: (Internet research required). Shrivenham Primary School had a student that went on to a highly successful musical career – who was he? (6,7)

Carry on down the street to Elm Tree House, your starting point. The house dates to about 1700, although the rear is older than the front. The portico was built about 1780. The village green used to be directly in front of this building, and on the other side of the building between what is now a garage and the new vicarage (1985) was the village pond.

Stage 2 – Decrypt the Final Questions

Hopefully you enjoyed the walk around Shrivenham – now for the hard part! Fill in this grid with the answers to the questions 1-4 above:

AXDAF/GDFDF/ADDVA/XAAAV/FDFVA/XFAFG/DADVA/DXXDF/FAGXA/XDAFG/ AXAXX/AXFGX/DAXAX/VDAAA/XDXAD/XXADX/DAXAF/GAVXF/AXDFD/AXAAV/ XXGXX/FDFXA/GXVDX/AAFAF/XAGDF/FXXXD/GDAXA/AVDAA/AFADA/AVDVA/ AGFAD/AXVXX/AAXDV/DAXFA/DXAVF/VFDDA/GDFDF/DAAAD/DFAVF/VAGDF/ AAXDA/FAVFV/VXFFF/GFAGD/AADXA/XVAXA/XDAAF/AXVXD/VADAD/DGFAA/ VAXAX/XAXGA/GAGAD/XADDA/ADGFF/FAAXX/GAXGX/AAFDA/XDDXF/ADAEA/ VAAGX/AADAF/XAGFF/GXGXA/AGAAD/AXXAA/VXXDA/FAADX/AVDXX/VGGXD/ AXFDA/XVXAF/AXDXA/VFVAV/FXAVG/XDFGA/AGFAX/VAFAX/FADVA/XXXFA/ AXFAF/AGXXV/DFXXA/XXXFX/XAAVX/VADXX/XXFXA/GAVAA/DGGGD/DAFDF/ ADDDA/AXFXA/AAGVA/XFADA/XDDDA/DDDAX/XXAFD/VAXGX/FVVDX/GXGXD/ DXGGD/XAFDA/DDDAA/VFGAA/DDAXX/DXFDA/DDXDG/AAGXD/AFDAD/DFAFA/
DXFGF/FGXDF

Q1: abcd
Q2: efgh
Q3: jklm
Q4: npqr
Q5: stuv
Q6: wxyz

Stage 3 – Go to the cache!
The final location is in position:

N (z-l)(y-u) (g+r)(k-u).(h+v)(b+w-a)(k-l) W (t-b) (q-p+n)(e+x).(l+s)(f-m)(d-c+j) amended 5 August 2006

Straightforward location (after all that work I thought you deserved an easy find), but there can be a lot of Muggle traffic in the area – so be discreet.

You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.