Viking Invaders Multi-Cache
Hidden : 8/20/2013
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


The battle of Maldon deserves its place not only in the annals of English Literature, but also in our country's history. It records an instance of astonishing heroism comparable to such celebrated events as the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Siege of Lucknow, or in the Zulu War, the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

It is now over a thousand years since the battle of Maldon which took place near the town in the year 991. The events are recorded in a poem which was probably written at the end of the tenth century, and it is one of the most famous writings in Old English to have survived. Unfortunately, the manuscript, which was in the collection of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, was destroyed in a fire in 1731, but a transcript had been made - although the beginning and end of the poem have been lost.

In the battle, the Vikings, under their leader Anlaf, try to land at Maldon after a series of raids along the Essex coast. Here they are confronted by a substantial Anglo-Saxon force, led by Earl Byrhtnoth (or Beorhtnoth, but whose name is now commonly modernised as Brithnoth).

The Vikings demand payment as the price of their withdrawal, but Brithnoth scorns the idea of Danegeld, and rejects the offer with contempt. The battle has to wait because of the rising tide. When the tide ebbs, Brithnoth allows the Vikings to cross the river in order to fight on the surrounding land.

The Essex men at first stand firm against the invaders, but when Brithnoth is killed by a poisoned spear, some of the defenders panic and flee. The others stand by Brithnoth's body, and fight to the last.




If you visit St Mary's Church on the riverside quay in Maldon, you will find a stained glass window which depicts Brithnoth's dying prayer. There is also a statue of Earl Brithnoth which stands guard by the entrance door to All Saints Church in Maldon High Street. A new statue of Brithnoth was erected in Maldon's Promenade Park in 2006 and the Maeldune Heritage Centre, located in the old tower of St Peter's Church, houses a 42 foot Maldon embroidery which celebrates the 1000th anniversary of the Battle of Maldon.

Of course, we have no idea what Brithnoth actually looked like. However, some sources suggest that he was a man of huge physical stature. He is burried at the abbey in Ely Cambridgeshire and, from an examination of his bones in 1769, his height was estimated at 6 feet 9 inches (2.06m)!

Brithnoth's widow, Aethelflaed, presented the abbey with "a curtain woven and depicted with the deeds of her husband as a memorial of his virtue". It is thought that this may have inspired the idea for the later Bayeux Tapestry commemorating the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

At the given co-ordinates you will find a mural. Study this carefully. This should help lead you to the cache.

A = When standing on the path directly in front of the mural, how many tree stumps are on the grass verge directly behind you
B = Number of mermaids in the sea
C = Total number of boats depicted
D = Number of seagulls
E = The total of the oars on the viking boat
F = How many stripes are on the main sail
G = Swords being wielded by Brithnoth
H = Number of houses


The cache is a bison and can be found at:
N 51 43. (E-G) F B
E 000 41. A+A (F-H) (C-D+G)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gur svany vf vafvqr gur cebz cnex. Hccrezbfg pbeare bs gur terra srapr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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