Beamflote Beast Mystery Cache

Beamflote Beast

You've done the rest, now do the be(a)st!

The Vikings appear to have first raided England in 789, then on June 8th 793. As stated by The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (Canterbury manuscript), "The raiding of the heathen rabble miserably devastated God's church in Lindisfarne Island by looting and slaughter".

The following years more major raids took place along most of the Southern and Eastern coasts of England culminating in 865/866 with 'The Great Army' which arrived in force in East Anglia, where it wintered and rested before commencing on a twelve year invasion. The East Anglian king, Edmund was killed in 870.

The first major British monarchs, the House of Wessex, also began its rise to fame during the 800's commencing with Egbert who defeated the Mercians in 825. His son, Aethelwulf, was the first king of Wessex to inherit the throne from his father since the seventh century. His other four sons succeeded him in turn - Aethelbald, Aethelbert, Aethelred I and finally the youngest and most famous, Alfred the Great.

Alfred fought the Viking 'Great Army' and eventually brought them to a standstill at Edington, which produced the Treaty of Wedmore in 878. Signed by Alfred the Great of Wessex and Guthrum of Denmark, the treaty listed the boundary between England and Danelaw as being up the Thames towards London, and then up the Lea to its source, straight to Bedford and then up the Ouse to Watling Street. This reference clearly shows that "Castle Point" fell under the influence and control of the Danelaw.

In AD 892, Haeston made a move into the Thames with 80 fighting ships and 250 support vessels which appear to have been settlers rather than raiders. Having come from starving France, he over-wintered and made a first settlement - building a fortification at Milton (Isle of Sheppey). Then in 893, he upped and moved over to Beamflote - meaning "wood and water". A fortification was then made or so the chronicles tell us.

History is very vague about when Benfleet was first settled but it is certain that a Danish community was living and working as shipwrights with repair yards some years prior to 892. By Viking standards, Benfleet was perfect - it had water and timber in abundance; it was also hidden from the main stream. This was a perfect place to refresh, hide and repair. The tidal marsh area also offered a daily degree of protection from attack by water. Vikings preferred to have easy access to their ships - this was always their preferred method of retreat should they need to withdraw. They also liked whenever possible to have a fortification surrounded by water.

So Haeston made a strong fortification, deposited his wife and treasures with a garrison guard and then departed, we assume to rape and pillage further away.

Whilst Alfred the Great was fighting and pursuing remnants of the Danish Great Army, we know that some escaped and came to Benfleet. It was Alfred's son, Edward, and son-in-law, Ethelflaed, who (with the help of merchants in London) raised a substantial fighting force and, under cover of the forests, arrived at Hadleigh and Thundersley.

It was from an advantage of high ground that they fell upon the Benfleet fort - how long the battle lasted, we do not know. However the result was a Danish defeat and those Vikings that escaped fled overland to another Viking fort at Shoeburyness.

Haeston's Wife and two children were captured but eventually Alfred returned them to Haeston. It is said that he vowed never to attack England again.

Once Benfleet fort had been overcome, all the Viking ships were destroyed, fired or taken up river to London and Rochester - or so the Saxon Chronicles tell us. The account, having been written some 70 years later, is accepted as being true and accurate.

We now jump forward to 1855 when navvies building the London, Tilbury and Southend Line were driving tiles for the Railway Bridge and they came upon burnt timber, partial ships and bones.

An Archaeological Journal of 1885 stated that fragments of ships' timbers, charred black with fire, which had lain buried for almost a thousand years, had been discovered in 1855. The same journal stated that parts of the Viking defences were still noticeable in and around the churchyard at St. Mary's, being one corner of the Danish fortress.

The listed co-ordinations are for the metal sculpture as a representation of the prow of a long boat. You don’t need to go to this but if you do, don’t forget to visit the nearby caches: Side-Tracked - South Benfleet, Begin with Not the Beamflote, and AMB - Take a shot!

This cache is of the puzzle variety, with a puzzle at each of the 5 stages to solve. The final cache is about the size of a 35mm film canister. Is it worth it? Of course it’s worth it but don’t necessarily expect to solve all the puzzles on your first visit. You may need some special equipment and also remember that Geocaching can be dangerous and it is recommended that you don’t take any risks. Also, remember that you don’t need to dismantle anything and that each stage is a puzzle to be solved to give you the co-ordinates for the next. Please leave everything you find exactly as it was - or should be. Good hunting. As a requirement of logging this as a find, I may ask you a question about some of the stages. If answered incorrectly, you will be disqualified from this find. Please don’t put any clues to others in your log. Prepare to be frustrated.

Stage 1, to find co-ordinates for stage 2.

N Aº B.CD'

E 000º E.F(G+H)'