Church Micro 10429…Hale Village
"The Childe Of Hale"
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The tower at St Mary’s dates from the 14th century and the rest of the church from 1758–59. The church replaced an earlier church on the site. Restorations were carried out in 1874 when a vestry was added. St Mary's is built in red sandstone ashlar with a slate roof. The tower is square with corner buttresses and a crenellated parapet. It has a west door with a window above it. At the bell stage are two louvred windows on all sides.
The windows on each side of the body of the church are round-headed. The east window is glazed in large squares, with a cherub carved in to the keystone.
In 1977 the church was set on fire leaving only the walls and the tower still standing. Following the fire, the foundations of a narrower, timber-framed church were discovered. The roof and interior of the church were replaced in 1979–80.
The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.
The co-ords will take you into the churchyard to the resting place of John Middleton known as the Childe of Hale. (Final cache is not located in the churchyard.)
Legend has it that one night John Middleton went down to the riverbank drew two lines in the sand and fell asleep, by the next morning he was as tall as the gap between the lines, Nine foot Three inches!!!
Just a couple of minutes walk from the church back towards the village is the house where he lived, note the two small windows at the end of his cottage, local folklore has it that he was too tall to fit on the bed so slept with his feet sticking out through the windows!!!
In 1617 when John Middleton would have been nearly forty years old he was invited to wrestle with the king's champion. The king's man was skillful, but couldn't overcome the impressive height and weight of John and was relieved to be able to retire from the contest with a dislocated thumb. The Lancashire man's success caused some jealousy, but the king took it all in good heart and sent John on his way home with a gift of £20 in 1617!!!! Jealous of his wealth John’s companions managed to swindle it off him on the way back home to Hale. His money was gone and he died in poverty. He was buried in the churchyard with an epitaph, "Here lyeth the bodie of John Middleton the Childe of Hale. Nine feet three Born (ABCD) Dyed (EFGH)."
Previously situated across the road from the church was a large tree trunk which in 1996 was carved with representations of John Middleton, Hale Lighthouse and other local symbols but in 2011 unfortunately the tree began to rot and in the interests of public safety the tree trunk was removed by Halton Borough Council. This short walk multi-cache will take you past a new 3m tall bronze statue which was erected just a little bit further down the road. How do you measure up against The Childe???
The Cache
The co-ords will take you into the church yard of the beautiful St Mary’s church (well worth a look while you’re here) and to the final resting place of John Middleton "The Childe Of Hale". (This is the starting point the final cache is not located in the churchyard.)
Part 1
You will need the year he was born ABCD and the year he died EFGH
N 53 G(A-E).(C-B-G)(B-E)H
W 002 (F-G)C.DHF
Part 2
You will need to read the plaque.
Halton Bourgh Council IJKL
Final Cache Located at
N 53 E(C+I).(D+K)G(F+L)
W 002 (L+K)C.CLI
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