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First steps for William Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Sussex_Rambler: Closed in light of its absence.

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Hidden : 8/21/2004
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Located within Pevensey Castle, the cache provides an easy find whilst exploring a fascinating castle with a long history starting with the Romans.

Brief History of Pevensey Castle
The outer walls of Pevensey castle are all that is left of the Roman fort Anderita, built between circa 280 and 340 AD to protect southern Britain against raids by Saxon pirates. The fort was one of a chain of ten sited at intervals along the coast from the Wash to Portsmouth Harbour. Its unusual shape probably reflects its position by the shore at the tip of a low peninsula stretching into what was then marshland. The fort gave protection to naval vessels and may have had a garrison of between 300 to 600 men.

The west gateway, flanked by protective towers, guarded the main landward approach to the fort and in design is one of the most sophisticated of Roman gateways. There are two other entrances to the Roman fort, a small postern gateway in the north wall and an eastern gateway, which may have given access to a small harbour.

On the morning of 28 September 1066, the invasion fleet of Duke William of Normandy landed here and occupied the abandoned Roman fort and established his base camp in the area within the Roman walls. A scene of the Norman invasion fleet sailing to Pevensey can be seen in the 11th century Bayeux Tapestry. He protected it with a ditch bank and palisade, a fence of wooden stakes, and later the defences were strengthened and remodelled. Seventeen days later, the Norman forces defeated King Harold and his Saxon army at the Battle of Hastings.

The castle built by the Normans within the Roman walls became one of the most important in southern England. It was beseiged four times. Although obselete by the sixteenth century, light artillery defences were added at the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588, of which a cannon is on display inside the medieval castle. In 1940 pill boxes were concealed in the walls for defence against possible German invasion.

Cache Details
Walking in from the Roman West Gate (N50.49.104 E000.19.856 with free street parking here) you enter the outer ward of the medieval castle to where the original Roman fort was located, the cache is located around the left on the West wall near to the 1930's excavations onto the original Roman wall.

Contents at placing include:

Route Planner software
SIM Card reader
Vodka shot glass
Wooden postcard
2 x Candles
2 x DVD-R movies (not saying what they are!)
Notebook and pen.

CAUTION IS REQUIRED WHEN HUNTING as this is a popular location for visitors and dog walkers. Stealth and good timing are recommended! Entrance to the outer ward is free, with a small admission fee including 30 audio commentary if you wish to explore the castle further.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Oruvaq gur GUVEQ srapr cbfg jrfg sebz gur fznyy jbbqra cbfg va gur tebhaq.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)