The Chippenham Civic Society have placed a series of blue plaques around Chippenham to give some insight into points of interest around the town.
The listed co-ordinates take you to plaque number 1 by the Bus Station. You can obtain a trail leaflet by downloading a copy (type "chippenham blue plaques" into the internet and it'll pop up as a PDF file.) Please note that this leaflet is slightly out of date as it only shows 12 plaques as more have been added since. It also states that plaque 3 is on the front of 'The China Bowl' shop which is now called 'Magpie'.
This multi-cache is designed to take you to each plaque where you may need to pick up some information. In theory, you could probably get all of the information you need by using the internet but then you would miss out on the lovely walk and all of the history. This website highlights some of the plaques, but not all: http://www.chippenhamcivicsociety.co.uk/heritage-blue-plaques/
I have numbered the plaques according to their number in the trail leaflet, but it is probably not best to do them in this order as they are dotted around town in a different order.
There are many places to park in Chippenham. Many are pay and display but the David Hathaway Retail Park is free for 3 hours and within easy walking distance of the town centre. However, any longer than 3 hours and you will be fined £60 as hey use ANPR cameras on your way in and out (speaking from experience!) You may be lucky enough to find one of the many free 2 hour spaces that line the roads around the town.
Please note that the high street is pedestrianised during the day and bicycles are not permitted to be ridden here so you will need to dismount for plaques 6 and 7.
Plaque 1 - What is the speed limit in the Bus Station? Label this A.
Plaque 2 - Look at the date on the plaque. Label the second digit B.
Plaque 3 - Look at the phone number of the shop. Not including the dialling code, label the fourth digit C.
Plaque 4 - Note: There is no plaque here yet but will be in the future. What time does the United Reformed Church open? EDIT: 23/8/17 This building is no longer used as a church and the information board has changed. The time was 10:30. Label the second digit D.
Plaque 5 - Look at the date on the plaque. Label the second digit E.
Plaque 6 - How many words in the first line of text in the centre of the plaque? Label this number, F.
Plaque 7 - Look above the archway next to the plaque. How many legs are on the coat of arms? Label this G.
Plaque 8 - NOTE: this plaque has recently been moved (I drove past the area on 18/2/14 and spotted the change.) It is now next to the main archway into the building and NOT in the archway by the red doors According to the plaque, what year did the factory close? Label the fourth digit H.
Plaque 9 - Look at the second word in the centre of the plaque. remove the second letter. What number do you get? Label this I.
Plaque 10 - Look at the red and white sign to the right of the plaque. What 'Span' number is written on it? Label this J. NOTE: 15/4/19 This sign has disappeared after repair works to the arches. The number was 2.
Plaque 11 - Look at the final word in the centre of the plaque. How many letters does it have? Label this K.
Plaque 12 - How many large windows does this building have? (Not including the ones on the main door.) Label this L.
Plaque 13 - This plaque is on the main building of Ivy Lane Primary School. Please do not enter the school grounds as all of the information on this plaque can be read at this address: http://www.chippenhamcivicsociety.co.uk/heritage-blue-plaques/ (Look for the Robin Tanner plaque.) The plaque can be seen from the main road. Above it is a silver sculpture of some ivy leaves. How many leaves are there? Label this M.
Plaque 14 - Look at the year that Sir Samuel Fludyer became MP for Chippenham. Label the third digit N.
When you have all of the information, solve this simple formula to find the cache:
NORTH MF (L+K).GKB
WEST D0H CE.I(N-G)(A+J)