Start at the car-park on The Green, Thringstone.
Car-park N52° 45.049 W001° 22.104.
The village of Thringstone is on the borders of the National Forest in NW Leicestershire and is mentioned in the Domesday book. “The Friends of Thringstone” have been tidying the village and placing blue plaques identifying key buildings. Don’t forget to look out for all the plaques as you go round the village. Lying on the western fringe of Charnwood Forest, Thringstone lends its name to an important geological structure which is not exposed at the surface, known as the Thringstone Fault. Formed during prehistoric volcanic times, this runs from Bardon Hill to Ticknall and forms an abrupt boundary to the eastern part of the Leicestershire and South Derbyshire coalfield.
This multi-cache will take you around the village and surrounding areas highlighting points of interest. The walk will take about 1 hour.
Stage A N52° 45.096 W001° 22.132
Baubles were ornaments manufactured in the village in the 19th century from alabaster mined in Chellaston, Derbyshire. Plates, jugs, egg-cups and other trinkets were made which were sold at the local monastery – Mount St Bernard. Others were exported to America and some were sold at fairs and at the seaside.
A= Add all the numbers on the blue plaque. Subtract 7 from this number.
Stage B N52° 45.1A8 W001° 22.179
The village school and the church were built by the Vicar of Whitwick as a protest to the papist revival of the district following the building of Mount St Bernards Abbey and a catholic day school.
The headmaster of the village school had an unenviable place in British history, as the first soldier to be killed on home soil during the first world war, being killed during the German Bombardment of the Hartlepools, December 16 1914. A window in the church commemorates his death along with a further 26 men from the parish who had fallen.
B= How many letters are there in the name of the headmaster on the blue plaque. Subtract 10 from this number.
Stage C N52° 45.184 W001° 22.1B7
St Andrew’s church is a small church made of Charnwood Forest stone. It is the final resting place of the Rt Hon Charles Booth the great philanthropist and pioneer of the Old Age Pension. He donated Thringstone House, located opposite the car park, to the village of Thringstone for the purpose of providing local inhabitants with a meeting place for social, recreational and educational activity.
The churchyard also holds the graves of at least 23 men who lost their lives due to accidents in the local coal mining industry.
C = The last digit of the year of Charles Booth’s death.
Return the way you came, to Main Street
Stage D N52° 45.285 W001° 22.24C
Here, there are two more Blue Plaques on 18th century buildings. The Gables was owned by Joseph Cropper of London, who on his death bequeathed the house to St Georges hospital, London. It was later bought by Joseph Towell whose family lived in the house until just before World War 2.
The Wheelwrights house opposite, had stables behind, and the front of house became an undertakers suppliers, where coffins were made and funeral wear hired.
D = The third digit of the date on the former village post office.
Stage E N52° 45.391 W001° 22.2CD
You are now at a barn that was at one time used by the village blacksmith. Later the barn was used as a meeting house of the Ranters, a religious group associated with the Methodists.
E = Add the numbers of the date on the plaque and subtract 14.
Stage F N52° 45.553 W001° 21.77E
You are now at the Bulls Head, the oldest pub in the village, which was named on an OS map of 1883. An old village story suggests that Samuel Taylor Coleridge may have stayed at the Inn when he came to visit William Wordsworth, who was leasing a cottage on a nearby estate, in 1805. Coleridge said that he stayed in a pub in the village from which he wrote a poem about nearby Grace Dieu priory. The car park is also used for access to Grace Dieu Priory Ruins. You can also do the Nuns on the Run cache GC13V41 whilst you are here.
Count ALL the letters (YES, even that one) on the Brown Heritage direction signs (both sides) = XY
F=Y.
The path through the car-park leads to the Sustrans cycle path.
Stage G N52° 45. 458 W001° 21.6F5
The bridge here is part of the Charnwood Forest Railway constructed by the Charnwood Forest Company between 1881 and 1883. The branch line ran from Coalville to the town of Loughborough. It was known as the Bluebell line due to the flowers growing along much of the length of the line during the spring. Passenger services ceased operating in 1931, and freight services in 1963.
G= Sum the digits of the Sustrans trail no, subtract 3 from this number
Stage H N52° 45.19G W001° 21.792
The Sustrans trail wends its way through Grace Dieu woods to Grace Dieubrook bridge. This area is lovely in the spring due to the carpets of bluebells through the woods.
The bridge has some of its railing panels missing. How many panels should there be?
H= Subtract 5 from the original number of panels
Stay on the Sustrans trail until you reach the road. As you walk along the road you will come to a bridge over The Brook. It is said that in the 17th century a coach and horses overturned while attempting to cross the ford here. The occupants of the coach perished and are said to haunt this part of the lane. Turn right and walk beside The Brook along Brook lane.
Stage J N52° 45.034 W001° 21.H67
You are now standing outside the gates of the Manor House.
J= Subtract 17 from the century the house was built in.
Stage K N52° 45.069 W001° 22.1J8
You are now at the Millenium Memorial.
Study the information on the plaques around the memorial. When was Charles Booth born?
K = the number which is used most often on the memorial.
You now have all the information to find the final cache which is located at:
Final Cache N52° GB.KDH W001° AF.AEJ
Walk past the shop to the footpath.
The cache is hidden in an area known as Bob’s Close which was donated to the People of Thringstone for recreation. An annual hay rake and picnic takes place here.
We hope you have enjoyed your walk.