The cache is not at the published co-ordinates, which is the location for the question to answer. You should walk less than 1 mile depending on where you park. Free parking is available in front of the church, but may be busy during services. Also, cows walk & defecate freely here so wear suitable footwear. Dogs must be kept on a lead & please do not allow them to foul the churchyard. Please leave bikes at the parking co-ords & follow the route on foot only.
The Parish Church of St Thomas à Becket at Warblington
The first church was built at Warblington in Saxon times (c.959-975) and was listed in the Domesday Book in 1083, together with a monastery. Starting in 1290, it was extended westwards, the Chancel was rebuilt and the North Porch added. In the 16th century the West door was inserted and then further restoration was undertaken in the 19th century as part of the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the reign of Queen Victoria. In 1833 the organ was installed, a Spire was built on the Saxon tower and stained glass windows were fitted. In 2011, a fire broke out under a pew in the church and caused extensive smoke damage but the building as a whole survived although a new pew and pulpit had to be installed.
The church's somewhat isolated situation in a "lonely but well-filled churchyard" in a rural setting next to a farm made it a common site for body snatching in the 19th century and two huts built for grave-watchers survive at opposite corners of the churchyard.
Until 1796, the church had been dedicated to Our Lady of Warblington but it was then rededicated to St Thomas à Becket, whose Feast Day in July coincided with the Emsworth Fair. In 1924, the Parish of Warblington joined with that of Emsworth.
2020 marked the 850th anniversary of the death of St Thomas à Becket in Canterbury Cathedral and, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Warblington Church had planned a programme of events throughout the year to commemorate the remarkable life and extraordinary death of "this turbulent priest". Unfortunately, of course, all these events had to be cancelled and the church had to spend the majority of the year closed to the public and only opening for a few hours a week for private prayer. At the time this cache was published, the church was still closed for casual viewing but you can take a virtual tour, here.
Finding The Cache
The published co-ordinates will take you to the grave of a famous Hampshire resident. Sir Alec Rose was an ordinary Southsea greengrocer who circumnavigated the globe single-handedly on the small sailing boat Lively Lady. There were two reasons he wanted to sail around the world; to visit his son who lived in Melbourne and the 'simple' matter of having done it. Aged 59 at the time, he left on 16 July 1967 and returned 354 days later on 4 July 1968. Reportedly there were more than 250,000 people waiting for him on the day he landed. The voyage made him one of the most famous men in the country but he seemed baffled by the attention. "What", he asked, "have I done to deserve this?" Then he went back to work as a greengrocer. He was knighted and made a Freeman of the City of Portsmouth in 1968. He was granted the Freedom of the City of London in 1969 and was buried here (at these very co-ordinates) in 1991.
When you are facing Sir Alec's headstone, to the right you will see the grave of GKS and his wife C.
- A = number of letters in HIS first name
- B = SHE died on August 1Bth
- C = number of letters in HER first name
- D = number of letters in the fourth word of the seventh line
- E = number of letters in their last name MINUS 1
- F = HE died in August 198F
The cache can be found a short distance away, at N 50° 50.ABC W 000° 57.DEF
**************************************
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@gmail.co.uk.
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
*************************************