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Welcome to
Lancaster!
 Lancaster's history can be traced
back several thousand years. Each era has left some striking
enhancement to this cosmopolitan city.
Starting with the most
recent, I would like Geocachers to go back in time through several
centuries and visit six of its famous historical landmarks before
reaching the final destination where the cache is
hidden.
The City Centre is fairly flat with a short climb up to the
Castle and Priory Church. The distance covered from start to finish
is less than a mile and should be completed either on foot or
perhaps on a pedal cycle.
Lancaster is a cycling friendly City and there are plenty of
cycle racks located around the centre.
There are a number of public car parks to the east of the City
Centre close to the town hall area where the first clue is to be
found.
Travel to
N 54° 02.849
W 002° 47.750
where there are two pay and display car parks to choose
from.
 1. Dalton Square, Victoria Monument and
Lancaster Town Hall
N 54°
02.870
W 002°
47.864
 The Victoria Monument was given to
the town by Lord Ashton in 1907. It was originally intended
for Williamson Park, but dominates Dalton Square, the
'administrative heart' of the city. Sculpted by Herbert Hampton,
Queen Victoria and the four corner lions are in bronze. Below, and
not visible, a panel on each face of the plinth has relief's of
eminent Victorians, including Florence Nightingale and
Lancaster-born Richard Owen. The corner pieces represent Truth,
Wisdom, Justice and Freedom.
Lancaster Town Hall was officially opened on the 27th
December 1909, by Lord Ashton. It replaced the existing Town
Hall, now the City Museum in Market Square, as the then Lancaster
Corporation had outgrown the building. The Corporation was unable
to finance a new building but Lord Ashton offered to pay for a new
Municipal building. Lord Ashton was a local multi millionaire
businessman and industrialist, who had made his fortune
after inheriting 'Williamson's', his father's Oil Cloth and
Linoleum business. Based on the Quay at
Lancaster, 'Williamson's' exported their goods all over
the world.
Clue #1:
Standing in front of Queen
Victoria and your back to the town hall clock, how many faces can
you see in the large rectangular panel below where she
stands?
‘A’ =
Faces
 2. St Peter's
Cathedral
N 54°
02.832
W 002°
47.657
 Designed by distinguished Lancaster
architect Edward Paley in the style of 1300, the building was
completed in two phases - in 1857-59 and 1895-96 - initially
as a parish church. It replaced the first purpose-built Catholic
church in Dalton Square (which today is Palatine Hall, offices of
the City Council).
It was consecrated in 1859 and raised to
Cathedral status for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster in
1924. The Presbytery next door was designed by Paley and Austen.
The Cathedral tower stands at 240ft tall and contains a peel of ten
bells, possibly the only Catholic church in England with so many
bells. The Cathedral has recently undergone extensive restoration
work and its interior is now a place of great beauty and dignity.
Open daily for services between 8.00am and 7.00pm.
Clue #2: As you enter through
the corner gate in the Cathedral churchyard, there is a rockery on
the left. How many stone steps are there to the right of the
rockery?
‘B’ =
Steps
 3. Lancaster Museum
and City Square
N 54°
02.930
W 002°
48.092
 The City Museum is housed in the
former Town Hall, built in 1781-83 to the design of Major
Jarrett and Thomas Harrison. Opened in 1923 the museum has built up
collections which stylishly illustrate the history and archaeology
of Lancaster and the surrounding area, from the Neolithic age to
the present day.
The
Museum of the King’s Own Royal Regiment (4th Foot), was
established in 1929 and now forms a permanent display within the
City Museum; occasionally also mounting temporary exhibitions. The
City Museum is open Mondays to Saturdays.
The Police and Fire Stations
were situated in the corner of Market Square, next to what is now
Woolworths. In the 1950s the bus station was also situated in
Market Square and there was an underground toilet. Markets
are no longer held regularly in the square and the Blue Anchor pub
is one of the oldest pubs in Lancaster. The mother of the
linoleum magnate, Lord Ashton, was the daughter of the landlord of
the Blue Anchor who married James Williamson Snr.
Clue #3: How many stone
pillars/pilasters are there in total at the front of the
museum?
‘C’ =
Pillars/pilasters
 4. Judges
Lodgings
N 54°
03.007
W 002°
48.212
 Built around 1625, this is
reputedly Lancaster’s oldest townhouse and was once home to
the chilling witch-hunter Thomas Covell (Pendle Witches 1612), six
times Mayor of Lancaster and Keeper of Lancaster Castle for 48
years. In this latter capacity he was responsible for the
imprisonment and death of the Lancashire Witches. The house ceased
to be a family home in 1824 and became the Judges’ Lodgings
house until 1975, acting as the home to visiting Assize Judges.
Today it contains two distinct museums, the Gillow and Town House
Museum, where you will find displays on the history and products of
the famous Lancaster cabinet making firm Gillows; and the Museum of
Childhood with the nationally acclaimed "Barry Elder"
collection.
Clue #4: Look very closely and
count how many shields there are in the mural design over the
door?
‘D’ =
Shields
 5. Lancaster Castle and John
O’Gaunt Gate
N 54°
02.969
W 002°
48.289
 The earliest standing fabric of
the Castle is found in the Norman Keep, built in about
1150. The Castle is owned by Her Majesty the Queen, who is
the 'Duke of Lancaster'. As well as being a fortification the
Castle is also one of Europe’s longest serving operational
prisons. Amongst many alleged witches to be brought to Lancaster,
the most famous were the Pendle Witches, who were tried, convicted
and sentenced to death here. George Fox, the founder of the Quaker
movement, was imprisoned in the Castle for 2 years.
Visitors are advised to check opening times by telephoning
01524 64998
The
Grand Jury Room includes some superb Gillow furniture, whilst in
the Crown Court the branding iron can still be seen. Many prisoners
convicted at the Castle’s Assize Courts were sentenced to
transportation to Australia. Visitors can experience briefly what
it’s like to be locked in the ancient dungeons.
In
the Shire Hall is a magnificent display of heraldic shields. Open
daily for guided tours, 10am to 5pm (Court sittings permitting).
Closed Christmas/New Year. Visitors are advised to check opening
times by telephoning 01524 64998.
Clue #4: How many downward
pyramid spikes are there on the wooden
portcullis?
‘E’ =
Spikes
 6. Lancaster
Priory and Parish Church
N 54°
03.044
W 002°
48.379
 The 15th Century Priory
and Parish Church of Lancaster standing by the Castle on the hill
overlooking the city is built on the site of a priory which was
founded in 1094. From here you have panoramic views of
Morecambe Bay and the Lake District Hills.
The
interior is mostly medieval but has 13 centuries of history
including traces of a Saxon church including a Saxon doorway with
Anglican cross fragments; 14thC choir stalls; superb tapestries;
and King's Own Memorial Chapel with historical Regimental Standards
and battle honours.
The
present building holds Viking ornaments, crusaders' coffins and
part of Jacobean 'three-decker' pulpit. In the Memorial Chapel
there is probably the most complete collection of Regimental
Colours in the country.
The
Refectory offers light refreshments. Guided tours are available by
arrangement. Open Monday - Saturday 10am-4.30pm (During winter they
may be closed for lunch)
There
is no admission charge, although donations are welcomed.
Clue #6: How many heads can
you see on the monument of the woman laid on her
side?
‘F’ =
heads
 7. Historic Lancaster Cache
Site
N 54°
03.#$£ (F & B & D minus 3 = #$£)
W 002°
48.#$£ (A minus C = # .... D x E minus C = $£)
Checksum = 44 (Your 6 answers added together)
 Using the clues given at the six
historical sites, calculate the coordinates and then navigate your
way to the Geocache Site.
There is an
information board where you can read all about the history of your
final destination before recovering your well earned
cache!
The first
three visitors may take one of three Lancaster Souvenirs pictured
above. On your departure, please ensure that the cache is hidden
well.
The site
has been found and vandalised by muggles twice already and is now a
micro hidden very close to the original location.
Beware: Sadly, some broken glass near
the site. Please take care!
I hope you
have enjoyed your whistle stop tour of Historic
Lancaster!
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