Spooky #2 Traditional Cache
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Paul
Geohatter
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Our second cache placed at or near locations with a ghostly or paranormal theme or history!
This one is placed near to the Ironbridge and near to a public house with a ghostly connection!
The area around Ironbridge is described by those promoting it as a tourist destination as the "Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution". This is a falsehood based on the idea that Abraham Darby perfected the technique of smelting iron with coke, in Coalbrookdale, allowing much cheaper production of iron. However, the industrial revolution did not "begin" in one place, but in many. The growth of railways, spinning machines, weaving and other industrial inventions and activities were going on all over the country. Smelting iron by Darby was but one small part of this generalised revolution and was soon superseded by the great iron-smelting areas.
The grandson of the first Abraham Darby, Abraham Darby III, built the famous bridge - originally designed by Thomas Farnolls Pritchard - to link the two areas. Construction began in 1779 and the bridge opened on New Year's Day 1781. Soon afterwards the ancient Madeley market was relocated to the new purpose built square and Georgian Butter Cross and the former dispersed settlement of Madeley Wood gained a planned urban focus as Ironbridge, the commercial and administrative centre of the Coalbrookdale coalfield. The Iron Bridge proprietors also built the Tontine Hotel to accommodate visitors to the new Bridge and the industrial sights of the Severn Gorge. On the hillside above the river are situated the stone-built 16th century hunting Lodge at Lincoln Hill, many 17th and 18th century workers cottages, some imposing Georgian houses built by ironmasters and mine and canal barge owners, and many early Victorian villas built from the various coloured bricks and tiles of the locality.
Ironbridge has an annually recurring problem of flooding from the River Severn, as do many other parts of Shropshire. Flooding has previously caused much damage and disruption to the Wharfage, which accommodates both The Swan and White Hart pubs, and various private homes. Starting in February 2004, DEFRA in association with the Environment Agency implemented a portable barrier which is erected at times of floods. At its peak, the flood water has reached a depth of one metre against the barrier.
Now...the ghostly theme is resurrected here in the second of our limited series dealing with spooky happenings and ghostly themes!
Silently, shrouded in a mist, a boat similar to a severn trow glides slowly down towards Jackfield where it is also seen unloading.
At the helm stands a tall figure with a hood covering his features. Upon the boat deck lie bodies.
During the plagues of the 15th-16th Century many bodies were moved this way and then buried in plague pits to prevent the spread of the disease.
Unfortunately there was no protection for those, like the boatman, who came into contact with the bodies, and many of them also died of plague.
Perhaps the ghostly boatman of Ironbridge is one of these victims.
The family-run 200-year-old hotel opposite the Ironbridge has a very restless ghost.
'Fred', as he is nicknamed, is thought to be the ghost of one of the last men hanged in Shropshire.
After he murdered a landlady in Ketley he took refuge in room five at the Tontine where he was arrested.
To this day guests have had strange feelings, lights switch off, also clocks in the room go backwards.
Mwah ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!
Small buttie box...HEAVY muggle area so be careful especially in summer!! please rehide this carefully with leaves etc as it has been muggled before with loss of trackables.
Also be careful it cant fall over the wall!!
Thanks to Wiki for the above descriptions!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Uvqqra va gur ivarf bs gur xaneyrq byq vil pbirerq gerr guvf fvqr bs gur jnyy! Nobhg 9' gb evtug bs bevtvany ybpngvba.
Treasures
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