A small, historic town set in the Gipping Valley with many fine buildings – Needham Market was originally part of the Parish of Barking, which belonged to the Bishop of Ely. The town and market were founded in about 1245 to take commercial advantage of the road from Ipswich to Bury St. Edmunds. By the 1400s the cloth trade was flourishing, and cloth merchants trading with London and the Continent owned many of the larger houses. As the town remained prosperous, many of these timber framed houses were given brick facades to keep them up to date. The whole High Street is now designated a Conservation Area and most of its buildings are Grade II listed. One of the many interesting buildings to see is the 15th C. parish Church of St. John the Baptist, which possesses one of the most superb hammer beam roofs in England, described as ‘the climax of English roof construction’ and ‘the culminating achievement of the English carpenter’. The church is open during daylight hours. The town boasts many unusual, independent and specialist shops, eating places and pubs. Nearby is Alder Carr Farm with a farm shop, pottery, tea room, gift shop and monthly farmers’ market. If you have time Needham Lake and Nature Reserve are well worth visiting. The co-ordinates given (N52 09 345 E001 02 996) are for the first clue. 1. When was Alexander & Co founded? 174A. 2. N52 09 325 E001 03 025. The ninth digit of the church contact number gives you B. 3. N52 09 220 E001 03 105 This building was repaired and part rebuilt in what year? The first digit gives you C. 4. N52 09 205 E001 03 143 Oxygen man’s date of birth is 1XYZ. Add Y to Z and subtract from X gives you D. 5.N52 09 154 E001 03 321 When was this building first opened? Add the first and fourth digit to give you E. Now go under the railway (using the footpath) and proceed to No.6. 6. N52 09 351 E001 03 165 Second digit of telephone number on small rectangular sign. The number gives you F. Now cross the river and the cache is at N52 09 A (C+E) (B+D) E001 03 D F (B+C) Good luck! Please note: this cache can be completed along with #King's Meadow# GC2DGQ1.