The coordinates given are for the church lych gate, to find the cache you will need to walk around the church yard following the prescribed route on the marked paths and find the following clues…
The Cache is located at
N52 AB.CDE E001 JK.LMN
Start your wander round the church yard at the lych gate
The word lych is an old Saxon word for corpse. In the middle ages when most people were buried in just shrouds rather than coffins, the dead were carried to the lych gate and placed on a bier where the priest conducted the first part of the funeral service under its shelter. The current gate was constructed by a Mr Colin Baxter in the 1940s, using only hand tools.
Arthur Herbert Wigg died July K3th 19J7
Take the right hand path where it forks and head towards the nave.
Rosabella Balder 1B99 to 199D
One of the oldest grave stones in the graveyard lies on the left hand side of this path, it's much smaller than the rest and is covered with orange liken. The 14th century priest's doorway has a fine, fierce grotesque corbel above it, with flaring nostrils. It's probably not in its original place.
At the path junction turn left and head west towards the porch
It is believed that the current building stands on the site of a church founded by St.Felix, circa 650 AD. It is also thought to have been the site of a Roman Temple. The church stands on high ground (in common with nearly all churches named St.Michael's) overlooking marshlands to the west. The main fabric of the building is 13th century but the base of the central tower is most certainly 10th/11th century Saxon. Other features indicate an 11th/12th century Norman influence.
St Michael's was once a cruciform church (cross shaped in cathedral fashion) with a central tower and spire, the latter quite uncommon in Suffolk.
The South Transept had at one time an attachment to a south aisle and the outline of the two arches formed by these, at their junction with the nave and the tower, are clearly visible on the outside walls of the church. The tower is an 18th century replacement and the porch is 14th century. There was at one time a Norman north door which was later bricked up. The church originally had a thatched roof but this was replaced with tiles, the weight of which in later years caused severe distortion of the roof timbers of the chancel. A complete reconstruction of the chancel roof was carried out in 1958.
Follow the gravel path round the west end of the chancel
Ellen M Pert died 5th Sept 1C70 aged 105
George Henry Crickmore died A0 / 6 / 1974
Turn right and walk east along the north wall of the chancel
The relatively new extension here contains a toilet and kitchen to provide refreshments at the end of services.
Make your way east but stop just before the north transept
All that remains of what was a much larger north transept is now used as the organ chamber and choir vestry. At one time the church must have possessed some fine stained glass but only a few portions remain, mostly at the tops of the side windows. The most interesting piece is cross shaped and is at the top of the window above the north choir stall. This is definitely 15th century work and depicts Jesus displaying the nail holes in His hands.
Make your way back the way you came to George Crickmore's grave then turn right.
John Minister Summons died Aug 30 1899 aged E0
Robert husband of Susannah Tungate died May 2Mth 1913
Turn right on the grass path and head towards the gate
Mabel Lillian wife of William Pearsons passed away Feb Lth 1932 aged N9
The Yew tree marks the end of your journey. You will often find yew trees in churchyards as their straight boughs made excellent bows. It was common place for the men of the parish to practice their archery after the Sunday service. In 1252 the 'Assize of Arms' ensured that all Englishmen were ordered, by law, that every man between the age of 15 to 60 years old should equip themselves with a bow and arrows. The Plantagenet King Edward III took this further and decreed the Archery Law in 1363 which commanded the obligatory practice of archery on Sundays and holidays! The Archery Law "forbade, on pain of death, all sport that took up time better spent on war training especially archery practise". In 1515 King Henry VIII imposed a more detailed statute part of which decreed "And that buttes be made, in everie citie, towne and place accordinge to the law of auncient time used, and the inhabitantes and dwellers in everye of them to exercise themselfe with longe bowes in shotinge at the same, and elles wher on holy daies and other times conveniente.". This law has never been repealed!
You should now have all the information you need to locate the cache – good luck!
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro@gmail.com.
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