The Church
Cowbridge church (Holy Cross) was first built sometime in the C13th, probably soon after the granting of a charter to Cowbridge borough in 1254. It was built as a chapel of ease to Llanblethian. The original church consisted of nave, chancel, and the massive tower which survives unchanged. Internally, the church underwent many changes over succeeding centuries. The south (or Llanquian) aisle was added to the nave in 1473 to provide for Llanquian worshippers whose chapel (near Aberthin) was ruinous. This south aisle was reputedly built by Lady Anne Neville the wife the lord of Glamorgan Richard Duke of Gloucester (the future Richard III). In 1484 Richard III granted a chaplaincy to Holy Cross church. A chantry chapel (now the vestry) served by a chantry priest was added to the building in the C15th.
Note the Carne memorial on the south wall of the south aisle depicting William Carne (d.1616) of Nash Manor and his wife kneeling at a prayer desk, and their six children. On the north wall of the nave is a memorial tablet to Judge David Jenkins of Hensol (d.1664) and his family.
Members of the Edmondes family of Old Hall are commemorated by memorial tablets in the chancel, as is Dr Benjamin Heath Malkin (d.1842) the historian and topographer who lived for a time at Old Hall.
The close association between the old Cowbridge Grammar School, Jesus College Oxford and the church is recorded in memorials to former headmasters of the school, and by inscriptions, dedications and coats of arms in stained glass windows.
Holy Cross has a complete ring of eight bells from the Evans foundry at Chepstow dating from 1722.
The Cache
To find the cache you will have to take a stoll around the church yard and answer the following questions to obtain some numbers.
Head through the gates and to the porch. To the right of the porch are some windows. A = the number of windows
Follow the path around to the end of the church. Here is a wooden door. B = number of studs in the upper hinge
To the right of the door is a drain pipe. C = number of sections in the drainpipe
Continue around to the south side of the church. D = How many butresses hold up the wall (exclude the corners)
Now step back beside the tree and look up at the bell tower. E = the number of sides on the tower turret
F = the number of openings (vents) on a single south side of the church tower and G = the number of slats that there are in a single vent.
The cache can be found a short walk away at
N 51° F (A+F) . (D+C) (E-B) F W 003° (G-A-F) (C+D) . F D (G-C)
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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.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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