St John's is a fine stone-faced Grade 2* listed building, consecrated in 1850. The churchyard contains the ruins of the old brick church of St John the Evangelist, built in 1632, and the new church, which was built in 1850 when the old church was too small and also found to be unsafe. The Brick Church was Grade II listed in 1951, but this important example of Stuart-period brick construction was still in danger. The elements and, unfortunately, vandalism were taking their toll.
It was not until 1989 that help arrived: English Heritage promised financial support and advice to 'consolidate' the ruin that is to make it safe without substantial changes. In 1991, with sufficient funds promised, the builders and masons moved in. It was here, during the consolidation work, that the missing coffin of the fourth Earl of Aberdeen, George Hamilton Gordon, was discovered. The Coffin of George Hamilton Gordon KG, KT, fourth Earl of Aberdeen, Prime Minister from 1852 to 1855 rests in the Bentley Priory Vault. Identification is by the coronet of an Earl and bottom right the insignia of the Knight of the Ancient Order of the Thistle of Scotland.
The parish had strong connections with the many local dignitaries with estates in the area, to whom there are notable monuments in the church and churchyard. These included Stanmore Park, Stanmore Hall and Bentley Priory, the latter at one time the home of Lord Abercorn and Lord Aberdeen, whose son Douglas Gordon was Rector and one of the donors of the new church.
At the given co-ordinates you will see a large blue sign.
A = Number of letters in the first word on the sign.
B= Last number of the Rectory phone number.
To the left is the Lych gate. Above the Lychgate is an inscription carved in the wood. Look on both sides.
C= What year was the gate erected ? Add the first two numbers together.
D= How many boys first names are mentioned on the front top of the gate.
To the left you will see a Bus stop.
E= Last number of the bus that contains three numbers.
F= First number after the H of the second bus that stops there.
Follow the path along the hedge and you will see an entrance to the churchyard and the World War 1 Memorial.
G=Last number of the last year at the top of the plaque.
H=find the plaque with the top left name Harry, how many letters in his surname.
I=on the bottom right of the same plaque you will see a surname repeated twice, how many letters are there.
J=How many plaques in total have names on.
The cache is hidden at the following co-ordinates; N 51 AB.CDE W 00 FG.HIJ In total the sum of the above should add up to 55.
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.
For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?id=275067 please read the "Place your own Church Micro" page http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/place_your_own.html before you contact him at churchmicro@gmail.co.uk. See also the Church Micro Statistics page http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/cm.html and Home page http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html for further information about the series.