MCT : Kettle Bridge Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A 60ml container attached magnetically, with a safety line.
Although part of the Medway Canoe Trail this cache doesn't require a boat, and indeed boaters will need to get out of their vessel to get the cache.
There is parking for 2 or 3 cars nearby.
Do this at your own risk, and be careful.
The D and T have been increased above the level for the standard caches in the Medway Canoe Trail to reflect the need to boaters to exit their vessel: I was able to get out on downstream side, next to the bridge by standing in the water next to the bank and mooring my canoe to the small root, there is an easier exit just upstream, though there is sometimes an angler there.
I would say that it would normally be rated as a T4.5 for non-boaters.
Constructing a bridge at Barming caused a large amount of conflict, up until 1740 the river had been fordable at Barming allowing farmers to cross the river to land they owned on either side easily.
However in 1740 an act of parliament was passed to make the River Medway navigable, this meant a large amount of construction of tow paths and locks took place and also caused the river to deepen meaning it was difficult to cross without a bridge.
Barming Bridge is unusual in the fact the bridge is recognised under three names. It is also known as:
'St. Helen's bridge' - St. Helen's, or East Barming Manor, was attached to the nunnery of St Helen's in London and
'Kettle Bridge'. A number of places in this area have the prefix Kettle; -Farm, -Lane and –Corner. “Kettle” is thought to come from “cattle”, as bridge (and other places) were part of a drovers’ route from Romney Marsh to the Medway towns then on to London.
Local Morris-dancers, known as the “Kettle Bridge Clogs” dance over the bridge each year on 1st May starting at 19:00.
The bridge has been destroyed on two occasions, once in 1795 due to flooding and the second due to an unfortunate tractor incident in 1914 in which a 10 ton traction-engine, which had tried to cross the old wooden bridge and was evidently too heavy for it, ended up upside down in the water, although all men escaped unharmed.
The old wooden bridge was declared unsafe and replaced by a concrete and steel structure in 1996.
Christmas 2013:
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Qbjafgernz fvqr