The 4Ms Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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The cache is a 35mm canister hidden in an urban area [}:)]. It is easily accessible, set back from the main road, but parking is restricted.
The cache is hidden within the Mining Memorial site 
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This memorial is dedicated to the mining communities of North Wales, the Lead mining history of Meliden and its people from Roman times to 1884, when Lead was mined under this site - Talargoch Mine. The Mine Office and Mining Engineers cottage can still be seen to the right and rear of the memorial.
This equipment was used at the Point of Ayr Colliery which extracted coal from under the Dee Estuary from 1883 to 1996. This memorial was erected by the Meliden Residents Action Group in 2006.
There are at least 10 shafts sunk below Meliden connected underground by horizontel levels, following the ore veins.
The main shaft is over 330 meters deep.
A lead-miners life was tough.
They were only paid for the amount of ore they raised regardless of the time worked.They also had to pay for their candles and gunpowder. They climebed up and down the deep shafts by ladders as it was to dangerous for them to be carried in the buckets used to bring up the lead ore.
Boys as young as 8 and 9 were employed preparing the ore for smelting. It was only when they were physically strong enough that they were allowed to work below ground, usually around 16.
Extracts from the Kinnaird Commission report,1841 on conditions in the mines.
Robert Griffiths, aged 52
"There are not many miners above 50 years of age. They cannot work many years without getting the complaint of the breast of which most miners die"
"It requires strength to be a miner. Boys go down the mine as soon as they can get any of the miners to take them; they are always wanting to go , because when they begin to raise ore they are looked on as a men, and begin to receive part of the earnings of miners"
Thomas Parry, aged 16
"I have several times worked from six in the mornings until six next night, being 36 hours"
Peter James, aged 9
"Ive worked in the mine fornearly a year. I cannot read or write but Im beginning to spell in the chapel Sunday School.
11/1/08
This cache seems to be a little it has a record of only 2/3 finds 1/3 DNFs.
28/3/11
I changed the cache container today for a novelty one 
it is
the same size as a 35mm film canister but you WILL NEED TWEEZERS to retreave the log, also please can you ONLY write intials, thanks.
On On ™
Congratulations to Phil (PhilPamAndRob) who had no trouble finding this Geocache way back on the 14/1/07.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
zntargvp. R-znvy zr sbe zber pyhrf
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