Ancient Pastures - Swinemoor Traditional Cache
Busy Lissy Bunch: Cache drenched so decided it was an end of an era for this one. This would be a lovely area for a walk/series with so many natural hides on Swinemoor. Permission for caches can be obtained by contacting the Clerk to the Beverley Pasture Masters who we have found to be very amenable.
Ancient Pastures - Swinemoor
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Size: 
(small)
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A flat but sometimes muddy walk over ancient common land.
Swinemoor Common is one of the three ancient commons of Beverley, along with Figham and the Westwood. Swine Moor was mentioned from 1277, when it was called the pasture of Peter of Chester, provost of Beverley. It had apparently passed to the town by 1344. In 1399 rights there were enjoyed by the inhabitants of Stork and Sandholme, and presumably also by the townsmen. Payments made for burgesses' animals suggest that 'head money' was collected from Figham and Swine Moor by the 14th century. In the earlier 15th century two of the town keepers were designated each year to supervise each of the pastures, which also had their own shepherds. Later in the century a salaried supervisor was appointed for each pasture.
At 263 acres it is the smallest of the three pastures and at one time was probably used for keeping pigs, hence the name. It is still used for livestock (cattle & horses usually) from late Spring to late autumn with fees for heads being collected by the Beverley Pasture Masters who have managed the pastures since 1836.
Flooding has always been a problem with the Beverley-Barmston drain was dug across Swine Moor in 1802. Parts are still seasonally flooded and having remained unploughed for hundreds of years, this makes the land a haven for both resident and passage waterbirds. In late winter, large flocks of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Black-headed Gulls roost here and as spring migration gets underway a good variety of migrants pass through.
When we placed the cache we had three swans fly low right over us and could see several other species on the marshy pond areas.
The cache is best approached by the footpath that passes my Long Way Round cache or that leaves the main road at N 53 51.519 W 000 24.306. Once on the pasture follow the hedge down to the Beverley Barmston drain (not the river Hull) and follow the drain south to the bridge.
The cache contains a Lottery scratchcard for the FTF and the usual swaps.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Unjgubea