This cache is part of a series of caches which are placed at or near village halls and community centres. For details and statistics visit the Village Hall Series website Click here
Built in 1852 for Sir Thomas Parkyns, the Infants’ & Girls’ School was dedicated to the memory of his grandmother and parents. It was later known as Ruddington St Peter’s Junior School and was subsequently converted to a community hall in 1976, being officially re-opened to the public as St. Peter’s Rooms on 13th November of that year.
The Parish Council offices are situated within these rooms and all Parish Council meetings are held there. Part of the building is sub-let to the Local History & Amenity Society and contains the Ruddington Village Museum.
Inside the building is a small dedication to Ruddington born Francis Wheatley VC, DCM (1826 – 21 May 1865).
He was awarded his Victoria Cross (VC) for duty in the Crimean War on 12 October 1854. The day before his VC action, another act of gallantry earned him the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The citation for his VC reads: On 12 October 1854 Wheatley and some other Riflemen were occupying a section of the trenches before Sevastopol when a live Russian shell fell amongst the men. Without hesitation Wheatley seized hold of the shell and endeavoured to knock the fuse out with the butt of his rifle. He was unsuccessful at the first attempt and so, with great presence of mind and deliberation he managed somehow to heave it over the parapet of the trench. It had scarcely fallen outside when it exploded. Had it not been for his coolness, presence of mind and supreme courage and discipline, the shell would have inevitably exploded amongst the party causing serious casualties, but instead not a man was hurt.
The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. 111 VC medals were presented by Queen Victoria in person at the inaugural investiture at Hyde Park, London on 26 June 1857 and in date order of the individual's actions, Francis Wheatley was the 11th recipient.
This is a 2 Stage Cache due to the proximity of the nearby Church Micro. At the given coordinates you should soon spot a yellow wall box. The box has an alphanumeric 8 digit Reference Code in the format [*** - AB - CDE].
The 2nd and Final stage is approximately half a mile away to the South,near the Country Park, at N 52° 53.A(A+D)(B-A)' W 1° 9.B(A+B)(C-E).
This is the starting point for a Monkey Travel Bug TB3FVJ3.
To mark this 700th Village Hall Series Cache, there is an nonactivated Travel Bug for the FTF. It would be nice if it was given a name that connects it to this Cache perhaps?.
Congratulations to the dedicated 3 way FTFs. Published at 21:51 and Spire67 making the first log at 22:12.
This Cache was disabled for several months because someone didn't put it back where they found it. It was some 15ft from the required spot, and they had placed some twigs over it too, despite being sufficiently camouflaged anyway. PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU FIND IT!
Cache is now a 'Log Only' due to the number of Muggle incidents.