The New Forest was established by King William I as a hunting forest shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066. It became a National Park on the 1stApril 2006.
Beneath the New Forest National Park are Eocene sands and clay (54-38 million years old). Within them can be found many sharks teeth, molluscs and corals. Where heaths and woodlands are found it is difficult to see the evidence of the Eocene sands except where they have been exposed by streams or artificial excavations. A notable area for exposures is in the Brook and Bramshaw area where the clay mineral glauconite can be found. This weathers near the surface to brown iron rich sediments. The result is a chalybeate or Iron Spring. The most notable of these is Irons Well, Fritham. Irons Well is said to have restorative properties especially for bad legs, sore eyes and leprosy. In the past the spring was known as Lepers Well.
The spring is beside a gravel track that once carried gunpowder from the nearby Schultze Gunpowder factory. The factory closed in 1921.
This cache is on Forestry Commission land and has been placed in accordance with the GAGB Agreement.
To claim the cache you will have to complete the following:
1. What are the dates of the Eocene period?
2. Take a photo of yourself with the stream/well.
3. State what mineral has weathered to give the brown colour. Iron is not in the answer.
4. Taste the well water (taste - don't drink) and say what it tastes of. If you don't fancy that have a guess.
5. Estimate how far it is from the stream/well to where it enters Eyeworth Pond?
Send your answers to me 'Coordin8z' by clicking my name at the top of this page and then the link marked 'send message' type your answers here and then send the email. Log your find. Don't wait for an answer to the email I shall only contact you if your answers are incorrect.