Marshalland YMBB Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Park at the entrance to Spier's Old School Grounds. Carefully cross the road and much more carefully on the way back. This is the site of the old demolished Marshalland farmhouse. This cache celebrates the work done by 'Youth Making Beith Better' at Spier's - path maintenance, tree work, etc. It's hidden, but not covered over.
William Roy's map of 1747 refers to the site as Marchland, indicating that the farm lay on the boundary or march of the Baronies of Giffen, Broadstone and Beith, the physical boundary being formed by the Powgree Burn at this point, which is also recorded as the Powgreen or Marshyland burn. Marshalland lay within the Barony of Broadstone. Later maps refer to the site as Marshyland and Marshalland.
The last people to live at Marshalland were David and Mary Kerr, the farmhouse and buildings being demolished in the early 1960s.
In 1686 John Shedden obtained the 14s Lands of Marsheland from Hugh and John Lyle. He also obtained the 32 Penny Land of Erestoun's Mailling or Burnside of Marsheland. Robert Service bought Marsheland and passed it on to his son Robert. In 1816-17 Robert sold it on to Robert Spier, father of John Spier.
A John Shedden of Marsheland, born 25 April 1756 was locally known as 'Jack the Marsheland'. He was a notorious poacher and had various brushes with the law. He had to leave the area for a while and became a game-keeper, his local nickname adapting itself to become 'Jack the Gem-Keeper.' When he died he had a friend fire a shotgun over his grave, much to the surprise and consternation of the minister.
A Marshall family were blacksmiths in Gateside for many generations however no direct connection has yet been shown to exist.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va nzbatfg gur yvzr gerr guveq sebz gur ebj raq.
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