At the beginning of the 19th century, the body of a young woman was found in Blackgrove Wood, just outside the Bedfordshire village of Tilsworth. She'd been murdered. She wasn't a 'local' woman and to this day her identity remains a mystery.
The identity of her killer also remains unknown and no-one has ever been charged with her murder. Local rumous abound, the most popular being that she was the mistress of the squire's son and that he was the murderer. There was no evidence to support that theory however and he was never charged. Another rumour has it that a man named Evestaffe later confessed to the murder but again, no-one was actually brought to trial.
She was buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church and her tombstone was paid for by public subscription.
Engraved on the tombstone is a rather poignant poem:-
Oh pause my friends & drop a silent tear
Attend & learn why I was buried here
Perchance some distant earth had hid my clay
If I'd outliv'd the sad, the fatal day
To you unknown, my case not understood
From whence I came or why in Blackgrove Wood
This thruths too clear & nearly all that's known
I there was murdered & the villains flown
May God whose piercing eye persues his flight
Pardon the crime but bring the deed to light.
This poem was a popular subject for Victorian needlework 'Samplers'. One such sampler can be found Luton's Museum in Wardown Park. Another is in the V & A Museum in London.
OK... history lesson over... on with the cache hunt.
There aren't too many places to park in the Village but the posted co-ordinates will take you to the small village green opposite "The Anchor" pub. You can park in the road there. On the village green you will find a set of 'stocks' and on them, in the centre, a silver plate quoting a year.
The year is ABCD
Now take a short walk west along the road to the church. Don't take your car as there is nowhere to park up at that end of the village. In the churchyard you will find the tombstone mentioned above. On it you will find a date.
The date is August EF GHJK
Not too far away you will find two other slightly unusual memorials.
The first has carved on it :- P. G. Abraham Sep L MNPQ - Jan RS TUVW
The second has :- R.E.H. abcd efgh C.L.H. jklm npqr R.I.P.
Right then... that's more than enough numbers. Time to get out the GPSr. Head back east towards the pub. The footpath you need starts beside the bus shelter at N51° 54.553' W000° 34.804'. You can sit here, do the substitution and plug the following co-ordinates into your GPSr. Very handy if it's raining. Having done that, walk down between the bungalows and on across the field.
Head for :- NFE° FS.WWB' WCCD° WS.gfP'
There you will find a small, round 'Tupperware' type box. In it you will find an item that you will require should you ever find the cache. Don't dismantle it, take the whole thing with you but PLEASE remember to put it back where you found it on your return journey. Having found the container, it's on to the cache proper.
It's hidden in Blackgrove Wood at :- NFM° FS.adk' WCCB° WS.rhp'
As you plunder my ammunition box, spare a thought for that sad and lonely woman who was murdered close by. Quite possibly right where you're standing.
If you feel like it, check out the G.A.G.B and GeocacheUK web sites. They both offer support and resources for geocachers in the UK.