The final cache is within the yard of a local business.
The owners are friends of ours and have given permission for the cache
but are naturally wary of strangers within their premises.
IF CHALLENGED, PLEASE BE HONEST AND SAY THAT YOU ARE GEOCACHING.
For reasons beyond our control - see our log for July 5th 2012 - the final had to be moved.
The whole thing has now been re-jigged to direct you to the new final at a nearby location.
An historic stroll around the town.
Devizes, in the centre of Wiltshire, has been a market town since the Empress Maud, also known as Queen Matilda, granted it a charter in 1141. This gave Devizes the status of borough and allowed it to elect a mayor and to hold a weekly market.
More about the Empress Maud here, and about Devizes here.
By an ironic coincidence it was the local government reorganization, influenced by the recommendations of the Maud Report, that removed the borough status from the town. This reorganization was implemented on April 1st 1974.
Lewis Court, at the posted coordinates, was one of the many little courts, alleys and groves that led off New Park Street. Each one led to a small row of cottages which were all demolished many years ago. This is the only such access left, although the three cottages have long gone.
Please do not enter the passageway, as it is private.
We set up this cache to celebrate finding our 200th cache and based it on some of the blue heritage plaques around the town.
Two of the plaques on the Town Hall
There are several well-signposted pay car parks in the town, the largest being at N51° 21.144' W001° 59.974', and free on-street parking is available. Check the roadside parking signs for the times of free parking as these vary across the town. Please do not park longer than the local limit. The parking attendants are hot stuff!
You will need to visit six blue plaques to find the coordinates of the actual cache. On your journey around the town you will pass other blue plaques. Do stop and read them.
To find the cache:
STAGE 1. A famous author once lived here. What is the date on the plaque? ABCD
STAGE 2. A famous artist once lived here. In what year did he move in? EFGH
STAGE 3. What is the date of this building? IJKL
STAGE 4. What is the number of this house? M
STAGE 5. When was this house built? NOPQ
STAGE 6. What is the date of this house? RSTU
The actual cache is at North 51° 21.(M/2)(F-E)(Nx2)' West 1° 59.(S-R)(A+B)(I+J)'.
The cache is on private land, but permission has been given.
