Watch out in Watchfield Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A tour around the village of Watchfield
The major part of Watchfield is relatively modern and has built up around the establishment of the Royal Military College at Shrivenham (now further developed as the Defence Academy). However, there is an older part of Watchfield that is seldom visited by the passer-by because its rural High Street, once a through road, now finishes at a dead-end, blocked by the Shrivenham by-pass. This cache hunt will take you on a circular trip around this pretty village, collecting clues on the way to work out the final co-ordinates. It takes about half-an-hour.
The co-ordinates given are for the initial parking/starting point.
You can follow these instructions to reach the recommended parking/starting place. From the Swindon direction get onto the A420 and drive until you reach a roundabout marked for Watchfield and Shrivenham (ignore the first turning shortly after going under the railway bridge). From the Oxford direction on the A420 this same roundabout is about three miles after the roundabout where the A417 goes into Faringdon.
Having turned off at this roundabout, after a few yards turn right at the next roundabout. This takes you down a road that passes a couple of convenient eating places and a little supermarket. Towards the end it swings right into the entrance to a trading estate (where during normal hours there is a small café that might be useful). However, don’t turn here but go straight on. Then at the little triangle turn right. Once past the last house there is plenty of room along this dead-end section of the road to park wherever you like.
If you haven’t already recorded this position on your GPS, do so now so that you will be able to find your way back later. Having parked, walk back to the little triangle and turn left. Just a few yards down on the other side of the road you go into the village sports field, with its new pavilion. (There is an excellent children's play area at the far end of the field - you may want to check it out later).
Anyway, go down the right-hand side of the field alongside the rear of some of the village houses.
At the far end of the houses when you get close to the church go through a gate, turn right, then almost immediately left again to enter the churchyard. IMPORTANT - Once inside this final gate gate turn right into the military section of the graveyard. You will see a seat, and on the front of that seat is a plaque.
CLUE 1: How many letters in the first word on the plaque? Answer = A.
Go on past St.Thomas church and through the original cemetery. Now turn right along High Street until you reach Eagle Lane. (Opposite this junction is the charming village Post Office, a place that amongst other things has a wonderful range of greeting cards on sale.) Just around the corner is a pub.
CLUE 2: How many letters in the pub name? Answer = B
Carry on down Eagle Lane and look ahead for a difficult-to-see Footpath sign. The path you need is the one that goes alongside a house that has a grey-painted fence. Go through a kissing gate, across a small open area, and then through a second kissing gate. Turn left here.
CLUE 3: How many L’s in the name of the house opposite? Answer = C
Carry on down the lane past telegraph pole DP235 until you reach an open grassy area. One of the houses here is called Brook Cottage. This house used to have a row of ducks (thatched) on its roof, but they are no more.
CLUE 4: What is the number on the door?
Answer = D
How many upstairs windows at front of house?
Answer = E
Now head onwards, past telegraph pole DP236 until the paved road ends. There used to be a small brick building on your right with a clue on it. However new housing is being built in the area and the brick building is not accessible any more. So enter the number '3' as the answer to Clue 5.
CLUE 5: The answer is '3'
You should now be able to work out the cache location. Go along the footpath that goes down to the left here - (it follows the edge of the Shrivenham Park Golf Course.)
The new building work is on what used to be a small airfield that played an unusual and very important role during the 1935-1945 war. It has a fascinating history, and you can read all about it at
(visit link)
Cache co-ordinates:
51 (C+D)(B-D).(A+C)(C+D-E)(F-E)
001 F(B+C).DCF
P.S. The owner of this cache is getting on in years and is unfortunately unable to maintain the cache these days. It will therefore be much appreciated if future finders of this cache could provide a new log book if the original is wet or missing - also dry out the box is is is damp inside. Very many thanks. Bonaccord.
P.P.S On 2nd May 2017 Tommy.V81 suggested that the cache box was missing However, on 7th May we checked and can confirm that the cache box is still in place,
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Nobhg 2 srrg hc va na vil-pbirerq gerr