St Peters Church, Leckhampton
The present church, including the nave, sanctuary, south aisle, and spire, is thought to have been built by Sir John Giffard, Lord of the Manor of Leckhampton, in the 14th century. He and his wife are commemorated by effigies in the church. There must have been an earlier church on the site, since in 1162 one of its priests was fined two shillings for non-payment of dues to the Canons of Cirencester Abbey by Archbishop Thomas Becket. The church was enlarged in the 1860s by the addition of a north aisle and the lengthening of the nave at the west end, under the direction of the architect John Middleton.[1] With the expansion of the local population, part of the medieval parish containing much of the 19th century residential development was detached to form the new parish of St Philip and St James. The church has a ring of eight bells, and an organ built by Hill, Norman and Beard in 1936 (modified 2000). The churchyard contains a memorial to Dr Edward Wilson, who died on Scott's last Antarctic expedition.
The church yard has many notable graves with the earliest grave being from 1670 and the oldest person buried here was Richard Purser who was 111 years old when he died in 1868. Other notable graves are
The musician John BARNETT and his son Domenico, of Cotteswold, on Leckhampton Hill. John Is described as the ‘father of English opera’, though his work goes unperformed today. Domenico taught music at The Ladies’ College.
Thomas BILLINGS, the developer of the Park Estate, among other speculative enterprises.
Evangeline Butler, the 5-year old daughter of the social reformer Josephine Butler. Evangeline died at her parents’ feet after falling over the banister rail at their home at The Priory one evening in 1864.
Fanny Duberly, "the officers’ darling" from the Crimean War, who witnessed the Charge of the Light Brigade and rode into Sebastopol after the siege, and who also wrote about her experiences during the Indian Mutiny.
Alexander SHIRER, the founder of Shirer and Lance’s stores.
Barnard George THOMPSON, Headmaster of Leckhampton School. Thompson Drive named after him.
Further information about the church can be found at the following website http://www.stpeters-leckhampton.org.uk/index.html
To locate the cache you need to take a walk clockwise around the churchyard starting at the lynch gate. All clues are visible from the pathway
This map will help you with the route
Ann Organ died ? March 1886= A
Edna Lucy Bennett was a worshipper at the church for ?9 years = B
To the left of the church porch are 4 stone effigies on the floor. How many have heads = C
John Ellis Fletcher late parish clerk was born in Cirencester October 11 179?= D
Caroline Watling died December ? 1862 = E
William Quelch was 3? when he died = F
The cache can be found at N 51° 52.(A+1)BC W 002° 05.DE(F-2)
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