The cache is not at the published co-ordinates, which are for the entrance door of the building. You must answer questions INSIDE to obtain the final cache location, using the formula below. New questions, formula and final location apply from 7th Nov 2021.
The priory is open to visitors after daily mass and entry is FREE; check the priory website for details of service times. Please don't try to tour the interior during services and observe all notices, as well as any directions by the church staff. While you can go to the final location whenever you like, the NO NIGHT CACHING attribute applies to the listing as a whole, due to the limitations of access to the information.
The Priory Church of St Mary and St Blaise
There has been a priory at Boxgrove for over 900 years (since 1117) although during the reign of Henry VIII, the monasteries were dissolved. At this time, the buildings and land were granted to Sir Thomas West, Baron de la Warr, whose family chapel is a striking 16th century addition to the building. Lord de la Warr was later forced by the Crown to exchange Boxgrove Priory for an estate in Hampshire in 1538.
Halnaker and Boxgrove remained in the possession of the Crown until they were granted to Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, in 1553. On his death in 1579, the property reverted to the Crown until it was sold to Sir John Morley in 1587 and it remained in the Morley family for over 100 years. His descendant Mary (née Morley) married the 10th Earl of Derby and after her husband's death, the Countess returned to Halnaker to undertake various charitable works. You can see at least two memorials to her in the priory.
After her death, Mary's heir sold the estate to Charles, 3rd Duke of Richmond who became patron. The present Duke of Richmond (who also owns and manages the nearby Goodwood Estate) is the current patron.
When you enter the first door, go down the steps, through the automatic door and turn right.
You will tour the building in an anti-clockwise direction and will be looking for answers to the questions given below. Use the following diagram to note the locations of each which will help you while your GPSr is cut off from satellite info, so if you may not have access to it on your device, you may like to print it out in advance, or save it off-line on your phone.
You will pass the first two beautiful stained glass windows and see a shiny brass plaque on the wall at approximately head height, which starts "To the Glory of God...". Look at the last word on the last line. Number of letters in this word = A
The next memorial along, is a striking effigy dedicated to Admiral Philip Nelson-Ward, the first Admiralty Director of Navigation and the inaugural President of the Officers (Merchant Navy) Federation.
Against the wall, you will next see a celebration piece commemorating 75 years of the WI, created by local members and depicting scenes from the village and surrounding countryside. How many sheep in total on this artwork MINUS 1? = B (Hint: there are two groups of sheep)
Next, you will see more of the classic stained glass windows, contrasted with a more modern and striking example, dedicated in 2008, memorialising Pilot Officer Fiske who died in the battle of Britain.
A little further along, you will see a blue plaque set in to the wall. 'Praise God for Sibyl' - but what was her year? = 193C
You will pass the main altar on your right...
...and will notice the De La Warr Family Chapel to your left, which dates from 1532.
As you turn back down to other side, you can see the rather splendid organ, too.
Just past that, are a couple of gold plaques on the wall. How many years for the Truro Canon? = D2
What year was Algernon accidentally killed in India? 189E
Past some more of the splendid stained glass...
Take a note of some of the marbled memorials. As you complete the interior tour, you will notice several more elaborate and grand monuments to the great and the good of the area, including those for The Dowager Countess of Derby (erstwhile patron) and the poignant and delicately decorated memorial to the men of Boxgrove who died in the two World Wars.
You can also find memorials to two of the several Dukes of Richmond who have been past patrons...
...as well as the late 16th century memorial to Richard and Martha Hobson.
Take a moment to look up at the beautifully painted ceiling before you leave and head to the ruined lodging house to the North of the priory.
Lodging House Ruins
What remains today of the original structure is part of the lodging house and part of the nave, which forms part of the current church.
At the 'Ruined lodging house' waypoint co-ordinates, you will see three of the few remaining carved stones in the (internal) corner, at about head-height. Two have been defaced by the carving of some initials, 2 pairs of which are clearer and deeper than the others.
Of these 4 letters, (using the decoding method A=1, Z=26) what is the numeric value of the initial which follows the J? Add these two digits together, this is F.
Now that you have all the answers, convert the variables in to the final location, using the following formula:
N50 51.ABC W000 42.DEF
Your checksum for the 6 missing digits is 41. Please be stealthy at GZ and please don't include any spoilers in your log.
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