Abbey Road Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A small lock box placed near the entrance to Pluscarden Abbey. The cache lies outside the Abbey grounds.
In 1230 King Alexander II asked a Benedictine Order to found a Priory at Pluscarden. The Priory was complete when the Edward I's English army stormed through Moray in 1303. It isn't known how much damage was suffered at their hands, but repairs must have followed quickly. However, the Bishop of Moray did the Priory no favours when in 1390 he fell out with Alexander Stewart, the youngest son of King Robert II. Alexander Stewart, better known as the Wolf of Badenoch, descended on Moray in a fury with an armed band of Highlanders and burned down Elgin Cathedral, much of the towns of Elgin and Forres, and also for good measure wrecked this Pluscarden Priory. Sadly, after many successful periods of repair, the Priory then slowly fell into disuse and when it finally ended being a Priory as a result of the Reformation in 1560 there were only around a dozen monks still present. In 1897 Pluscarden estate was purchased by the 3rd Marquess of Bute by which time the nave of the priory church had been removed and the transepts and choir were roofless. He started the long process of restoring the Priory and in 1945 his younger son handed Pluscarden Priory over to the Benedictine community of Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire for their use. The first mass was held in the roof-less church of the reborn Pluscarden Priory on 8 September 1948. The tower was re-roofed in 1954 and Pluscarden became independent of Prinknash in 1966. In 1975, after 750 years as a Priory, Pluscarden was granted the status of an Abbey. Since then the restoration of Pluscarden Abbey has continued. Visitors today can view the splendid transepts and crossing, and chapels in part of the choir. There is also a range of visitor facilities. Visitors to Pluscarden Abbey are most welcome but they are asked to leave their cars outside the grounds in the designated parking area and walk the last couple of hundred yards to the Abbey itself. The site of the cache is outside the Abbey grounds at the side of a narrow public road 100 metres east of the Abbey entrance gates. Please be respectful of the tranquil life the monks lead when you are visiting the Abbey. Dogs and rowdy children should be kept on a lead at all times!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ng gur onfr bs n ynetr gerr oruvaq n ybj fgbar jnyy ba gur fbhgu fvqr bs gur ebnq. Gur pnpur vf vafvqr n pnzzb ont.
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