ITOX Traditional Cache
EwanTheArcher: The cache has been vandalised and the area where it was "hidden" is no longer secure.
Unfortunately I will need to remove this listing.
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This cache is located in the grounds of the Irvine (Marress) sports club. The sports club seems to be quite successful with many clubs using the facilities. Sadly one of them that I was part of has vanished. It was Irvine Toxophilites (ITOX).
The Archery club has been in existence from 1814 and has been disbanded and reformed several times. At the moment it is still disbanded and any local archers need to go to Kilwinning to practice their sport. See askarts.co.uk for more info on the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers.
Irvine Toxophilites did follow a similar beginning as their Kilwinning counterparts in that they held a regular competition at the Papingo. The Irvine archers , however, do not seem to have formed themselves into a regular society till 1814, when the Irvine Toxophilites was constituted a body which survived its jubilee by a year or two.
The most important occurrence in its history was the fact that its members, to the number of sixty, served as bodyguard to the Queen of Beauty, Lady Seymour, at the famous Eglinton Tournament in 1839. In recognition of their services on that occasion Lord Eglinton presented the society with a challenge prize, a gold belt and quiver set with carbuncles, which since the dissolution of the body is in the possession of the town of Irvine.
If you wish to view it is in the safe keeping of the Irvine Burns club museum.
The cache is located beside the old club hut and you can still see the remains of an old boss. The tree beside it was planted when the hut was built.
It is possible to park very close to the cache thanks to “temporary” road that was laid when the weir across the river was being repaired.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ebbg nobhg ng gur obggbz bs gur gerr. Lbh znl svaq vg (gler)fbzr. Cyrnfr ercynpr gur pnzbhsyntr.
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