Westwood Ho! Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A short multi-stage cache that takes you from Beverley’s bustling Saturday Market onto the open spaces of the Westwood.
As its name suggests, Beverley Westwood was a wood pasture, a common where animals grazed under pollarded trees, when the Archbishop of York granted it to the Freemen of Beverley in 1380. The Westwood, along with the smaller Swinemoor and Figham Pastures come under the stewardship of the Pasture Masters whose status as guardians was settled by an Act of Parliament in the 19th Century following a period of confusion over ownership and stewardship. Efforts are under way to change the Act as only the sons or daughters of current Freeman who are born in Beverley can become Pasture Masters but with the loss of the Maternity ward in the town, hardly any youngsters are being born within this criteria.
Cattle are still grazed here and sheep are grazed within the Hurn (the racecourse paddocks). Horse racing has taken place in the town since the sixteenth century and continues to this day. The first official racecourse was laid out on the Westwood in 1690 and transferred to its present site and a stand erected in 1769.
This cache trail starts in the Saturday Market place near the magnificent eighteenth century market cross. An excellent market is still held here every Saturday.
1) Goto N 53º 50.597´ W 000º 25.953´
How many wings on the circular sign above the shop? (A)
Head to N 53º 50.570´ W 000º 25.955´ and pass through Narrow Racket where Beverley Rennaissance have asked local young people to design murals on what Beverley means to them.
2) Goto N 53º 50.506´ W 000º 26.150´
Just before this point, note the high rectangular doors in the side of the building to your left as you walk up the street. These were designed to allow a sedan chair to leave the building.
When was Newbiggin Bar Demolished? (BCDE)
3) Stroll out of the town to N 53º 50.424´ W 000º 26.386´ .
What was the value of the stock in the East Lancashire Railway that Robert Walker gave for the benefit of the freemen, their widows and children? (£FGHI)
4) Now to the cache at N 53º 50. G A E ´ W 000º 26.(C-F) H B
The cache lies in Newbiggin Pits where chalk was extracted to form a dry base for roads and house building in Beverley. In days of timber frame houses, the damp ground cased buildings to rot and the use of a chalk base elongated the life of the buildings.
Cars or other motorised vehicles can park on the Westwood verges but must otherwise stay on the roads. If you are interested, the ancient rules and reglations for the use of the Pasture land can be found at N 53º 50. 669´ W 000º 26.268.
Well done to Swirl & Wag on their first FTF on this cache.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gehax