Church Micro 12031 . . . Blubberhouses
This multi will take only 10-15 minutes to do and there is convenient parking right outside the church.
The cache, a black-taped 35mm film pot, is hidden close to this lovely old church which on first appearance looks neglected or even abandoned - with an overgrown churchyard and boarded up window. However, it is still very much in use!
Step 1: at the given coordinates you will see the church notice-board. At the bottom centre of this is an 11-digit telephone number. The last digit of this = A
Step 2: enter the front yard of the church where @ N 53 59.593 W 1 44.725 there is a memorial plaque to the Horsmans. George passed away on B3 December 1968.
Step 3: now go to the front door of the church which you will note is framed by a stone archway. There are C stones forming the arch, ie. across the top of the arch between the vertical pillars.
Step 4: go into the church and check out the organ which was played by Ms Peck for 2D years.
Step 5: still at the organ you will see a small plate with information on the organ builder who was from a place with E letters in its name.
Step 6: finally go to the east end of the church where on the wall is a memorial stone (tablet) erected by Lady Frankland Russell in memory of John Gill, her estate manager, who died in his 6Fth year.
The cache is hidden at:
N 53 59.(A+B)(A+D)(C-1) W 1 44.(E-1)(F-D)(D-B-2)
The small but prominently located and picturesque Victorian chapel of ease of St Andrew's, Blubberhouses is one of just two churches in the Parish of Fewston with Blubberhouses meaning 'place at the houses by the bubbling spring' [according to the Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names] in the beautiful Washburn Valley in North Yorkshire. It is one of the six Washburn Valley and Mid-Wharfe Anglican churches.
It was built privately in 1851 in an Early English style by Lady Frankland Russell of Blubberhouses Hall for her estate workers, so that they did not have to walk the 3km or so to Fewston Parish Church, consecrated on the 24 September 1856 and dedicated to St Andrew. She endowed the church with £30 per annum and the work was supervised by her estate manager, who she later memorialised by erecting a wall plaque in the church after his death in recognition of his 'valuable services'.
She employed architect Edward Buckton Lamb (1805-1869) aka the ‘Rogue Gothic Revivalist’ because he believed in the 'true Gothic' architectural style which was also used by the more famous architect, William Butterfield.
Lamb designed four other churches in Yorkshire - at Sowerby, Bagby, Healey and Aldwark, all close to another branch of the Frankland family at Thirkleby, near Thirsk. All have a very original Modern Gothic style said to be based on components of Anglo-Venetian and early French. They were part of an attempt to combine medievalism with modernism, traditional forms, new materials, pointed arches and plate glass, all very popular in the 1860s. A recurring feature was a tall spire topping a central tower, and an altar fully visible from the nave.
The old pews, each of which bear Roman numerals, are thought to have come from the church at Thirkleby. In the late 19th century St Andrew's was used extensively by navvies during the construction of the upper (Thruscross) reservoir, who also started a Sunday School.
In July 1987 it was designated as a Grade II Listed Building. See the photo Gallery for the listing text which details the church's structure and features.
By 2015 its future was in doubt with heavy expenditure on the roof being required. But at a public meeting 
in September 2015, local residents decided to keep the church open. This decision was subsequently ratified by the Parochial church council and a Friends of Blubberhouses Church group was formed to oversee repairs, raise funds and rejuvenate the life of the church. The work on the new roof was finished and the next phase will be to conserve the windows.
See here for a blog on the church with some good photos.
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http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html