Church Micro 11652...Millarhill Multi-Cache
Hidden : 2/26/2018
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:


Please see waypoints for access to the tower, the terrain rating is based on the length of walk from either starting point, not the gradient at GZ, and there is no need to climb any fencing :)

Newton, Old Parish Church of St Mary.

This 17th-century tower is all that remains of the old parish church dedicated to St Mary. The church proper stood against it and to the north; it appears to have been built at a subsequent date. The new parish was formed from the old Parishes of Newton and Woolmet. There are records for births dating from 1629, for marriages from 1639 and for deaths from 1730. The church used to house three "isles", or aisles, around the main body, dedicated to Newton, Sheriffhall and Edmonstoun local estates. It was the venue for the illegal marriage of Lord Linton and Lady Seton and later the union of Lady Margaret Leslie of Sheriffhall and the Earl of Weymss on 13th January 1653. There used to be a small manse, but this is now gone, although a few tombstones remain in what was once the kirkyard.

Pre-1700, the colliers who worked the nearby mines were buried in unconsecrated ground and not able to attend the church, but a petition in 1725 allowed them to worship in a purpose-built loft from 1732 onwards. The church was deemed as geographically unsuitable for "parish" worship and a more central site was chosen. It closed in 1742 when the new church opened. Since then, the main part of the church has been lost, but the tower was preserved as an eyecatcher for the landscape and pleasure grounds of Dalkeith Palace.

To find the cache you will need to explore the tower and surrounding grounds. *Please be aware that the area is used (Tuesday evenings, as far as I'm aware) for clay pigeon shooting*

A = How many large trees surround the tower?

 

B = On the ground a few meters to the south of the tower, there is a large tombstone level with the ground, it is between the tower and the raised tombstones. How many "C"s are in the name?

C = At the same tombstone, how many "S"s are in the name?

D = Again, at the same tombstone, how many "O"s?

E = On the west face of the southern corner, there is a name very neatly carved into the stone about a metre from the ground, what is the first letter? Then work out its equivalent value, i.e. A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.

F =  The top of the tower has a crenelated parapet like a castle might have. Crenels is the name given to the gaps, the solid widths between the crenels are called merlons. Calling the side parallel with the bypass to be roughly north, which side is missing a merlon? Take the second letter of this general direction and work out its equivalent value as before.

The cache can be found at: N55 54 (F+D) (B+D) (A-C) W003 0C (E-B) (E÷D) (C+A)  Check sum A+B+C+D+E+F=27 (sorry for any previous confusion, I'd originally added the final 7 numbers together, which equals 39.)

If you would like to add to the Church Micro series yourself then please look here http://churchmicro.co.uk/   There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page that can be found at http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

orgjrra cbfgf (vg'f qevsgrq sebz OBC), oynpx cbg

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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