The Archbishop of Canterbury will be at St. Nicholas and St. Peter ad Vincula Church, Curdworth on February 23rd 2015 to give thanks for 850 years of the church.
A short multi-cache starting at St. Nicholas and St. Peter ad Vincula church in Curdworth.
The Church of St. Nicholas and St. Peter ad Vincula is a beautiful red sandstone Grade II* listed building with a commanding, yet surprisingly quiet and secluded position in Curdworth. It contains features from a number of periods (see Related Web Page for more detailed information) .
The church is open daily 9:00am - 5:00pm (except Mondays).
The Church
The present Church of St Nicholas and St Peter ad Vincula is of Norman origin (1170-1190), established in 1165 when the Augustinian Canons of the Abbey of St Mary de Pratis were granted the right to present a priest to the parish. The church was lengthened in the 14th century and the Perpendicular style tower was added in 1460 by the Earl of Warwick, but it was never finished with its intended spire.
Bells
There are three bells in the tower; the first tenor, The Mary Bell dating from the 15th century, said to have been given in gratitude by a traveller lost in the Forest of Arden, guided to safety to Curdworth by the sound of a bell. The second bell is dated 1756 and inscribed "Thos. Eayre de Kettering" and the third treble bell is inscribed "Edward Astley 1663. Thomas Wilcox".
Memorials
Recent memorials commemorate those who died in two World Wars, including an aircraft propeller shaped into the form of a cross in memory of a young Australian airman who died at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome in the First World War.
Curdworth History
It is documented that this is where the English Civil War began in August 1642. The first skirmish between the Roundheads and Cavaliers of the Civil War (1642-49) took place in the fields to the south of Curdworth, the Battle of Curdworth Bridge (Modern day Lichfield Road/Marsh Lane). Some of the casualties are supposed to be buried in the graveyard.
At the edge of the King George V playing fields is 'The Bomb Hole', as known by locals, which is actually a marl pit, where a fertiliser consisting of clay and calcium carbonate was extracted.
The Cache
First find the plaque on the entrance gate to the church inscribed "In Loving Memory of Sheila Elizabeth Spinks 19AB - 19CD"
Then find the carving above the church door with the line "She passed from this life Sept EF 1936"
The cache can be found at:
N52 31.C (D/A) (D-B-A)
W001 44.B (E+F-A) D
Once you have calculated the final co-ordinates follow the path round the church and through the gate which leads on the the playing fields, the rest is up to you and your gpsr
The cache itself is a small camouflaged screw top container which contains a couple of swaps.
Gardening gloves would be a very good idea depending on the time of year you are looking, gz can get rather overgrown by nettles, despite being on a footpath.
Bring your own pen.
Roll of Honour:
FTF: 5Taylors
STF: DeniseBrum
TTF: AirEd