This is a multi-cache. The GPS points to one of the gravestones for the clues below - this one on what was the road through to Epping back in the days of Pepys - a footpath that runs through the churchyard and beyond in both directions. There is a waypoint to the front door.
Instructions to find the cache are below.
This is the third or fourth church micro here. The first, GC1KA02, was placed in 2008, archived in 2011 but not immediately removed as it was found again in 2016. After publication, there was a note written by @tyke saying that "this is the 4th cache at this church. A cache was hidden intending to be the 2nd but was never published. My team found it while I was searching for a place to hide a replacement. I received notification that the other that I found, no longer in place, would not be published so I published my replacement as GC6AMYA. So this cache is the 3rd published."
Originally Theydon Garnon and Epping Upland parishes were the ancient settlements and churches in this area. The parishes met in Epping Street, a woodburners' clearing. That gradually changed with the development of the main road through what became Epping and later with the advent of the railways (now the tube). St John's Church was built as a bigger church to serve the town and was granted a parish by Act of Parliament in 1888.
All Saints Church, Theydon Garnon is now paired with St Mary's, Theydon Bois, after being part of the Epping District Team Ministry with Epping, Epping Upland and Coopersale churches for many years, as I remember well, having helped draft the new team instrument for this church to sadly leave the team and pair with Theydon Bois allowing these churches remain as independent parishes.
It is a beautiful church with a tremendous sense of history, albeit nowadays with a view of the junction of the M11 and M25. Historically Theydon Bois was on the main road into London through to Epping and Newmarket, there is still evidence on the ground of this. The original Roman Road from London has a clearly defined section remaining nearby (both as a bridle path in one area and another as a section of road).
Outside services and regular opening for visitors on Saturdays and Sundays the main church is not left open, although there is a pilgrim chapel in a porch, part of the Small Pilgrim Places, for prayer. kept open at all times. There is a number on the board to call if you would like to see inside the church outside the opening times. It is a popular church for weddings, so Saturdays in summer may be busy.
The following comes from the original cache:
Inside there is a nice historical guide to the church and a facsimile of a Charter dated 1305 sealed with the great seal of Edward the First in which he granted to Hugh Gernoun “and his heirs for ever” various privileges included the right to have a market every week on Thursday “at his manor of Theydon Gernoun in the County of Essex.” The original is now held in the Essex Records office in Chelmsford. Amazingly, the charter was (re)discovered by a firm of London Chartered Accountants when they opened an ancient chest in their offices in 1979.
The church of All Saints consists of nave and chancel, north aisle, north porch, south porch, north vestry, and west tower. The walls of nave and chancel are of flint rubble and those of the tower, aisle, and north porch are of brick. The chancel probably dates from the 13th century. The nave appears to have been rebuilt in the 15th century. The tower was built about 1520. In 1644 the north aisle and north porch were added and a north arcade of timber built. The south porch was built in the 18th century, and in the 19th century there were numerous alterations including the addition of a north vestry and organ chamber. The church is of special interest from its dated tower of 1520 and dated north aisle of 1644.
The chancel, which was probably built in the 13th century, has in its south wall a 13th century lancet window, and on the north side a niche of uncertain date. There is no structural division between chancel and nave.
About 1520 the west tower was added. It is of red brick, with some blue brick, of three stages with an embattled parapet. The date is recorded on a stone panel on the outside of the south wall, where it is stated that Sir John Crosbe, late alderman and grocer of London, and his wives Anne and Annes gave £50 towards the building of the tower. A portion of this inscription has been cut out and it is believed that this happened during Puritan times.
Note on the south east buttress of the tower is a scratch dial and above it a larger sundial.
During the 17th century several other new windows were added. In the chancel are two windows, one on the north wall and one on the south, both having two pointed lights, and the west window of the tower is also probably of the same century.
The communion rails were set up in 1683-4 at a cost of £4, in obedience to the orders of the archdeacon at his visitation of 1683. There is still an annual visit by the Archdeacon to ensure that all is in order with the Church. In the vestry is a large oak chest with iron bands given in 1668 by Sir John Archer. In it are some manorial records. At the west end of the nave is an oak door-frame taken from the Priest's House.
There are five bells. The first four were cast by Miles Graye in 1628 and the fifth by Robert Phelps in 1732. In 1733 the parish vestry agreed to borrow £22 at 5 per cent. interest to pay for the casting and hanging of this last bell. They were rehung in September 2008 after a century when the tower and frame were deemed unsafe.
On the north wall of the chancel is a brass to William Kirkeby, rector, 1458 with a figure of a priest in cope with shield of arms. This was formerly in the nave and was set up in its present position with a modern inscription between 1812 and 1835. In the chancel are a brass to Ellen (Hampden), wife of John Branch, 1567, and monuments to Lady Anne (Sidney), wife of Sir William Fitzwilliam, 1602; Sir Daniel Dun, 1617 and his wife Joan, 1640; James Meggs, rector, 1672; Sir John Archer, 1681; and Sir William Eyre Archer, 1739. The last is a large standing wall monument with grey sarcophagus and obelisk and medallion of the deceased flanked by three cherubs. Set into the north wall of the chancel is a grey marble altar-tomb with a flat-arched canopy resting on small side-shafts and having a frieze of quatrefoil panels. At the back of the recess is a brass of a kneeling man in armour, his wife, two sons, and three daughters, with indents of two inscription plates, two shields, a Trinity and another group, of about 1520. Opposite is another similar altar-tomb of slightly later date with the canopy set on twisted shafts, also with indents for brasses at the back of the recess. There are floor slabs in the chancel to Henry and Thomas Meggs, 1670, Margaret wife of James Meggs, 1681, and Richard Butler, 1688.
In the nave is a wall monument to Denton Nicholas, M.D., 1714, moved there from the chancel in 1934. There is a floor slab in the nave to Jane, widow of John Wormlayton, 1725, and their daughters Jane, 1705, and Anne, 1712. Other later monuments include plaques to Charles B. Abdy, 1843, Joseph Kemsley, churchwarden, 1897, and William S. ChisenhaleMarsh, 1929. There is a stained-glass window in memory of the Revd. Sir Cavendish Foster, Bt.
To find the cache:
You will be searching for old occupations and trades among the gravestones, starting near the church and working towards the gate on to the lane:
The cache is to be found at:
N 051 BC.ADD
E 000.CD.DFB
A is the year that Catherine Cooper died in her 84th year - April 1/24th xxxA (splodge over the day)
B is found in both the year and the age that Sarah Miller died - 13th October xxxB, aged xB
C and D are found from the grave of Samuel Miller who died on the 26th September xxDC
and on the grave of Benjamin David Turner - 1927- 19DC
F is the year that Marjorie Chapman died 11th February xxxF
A cooper made barrels and other staved casks, a miller ground flour, a turner turned wood into chair legs (among other things), these days turners and millers make precision instruments, and a chapman was an itinerant hawker or travelling salesman.
Answer check below:
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There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page that can be found at
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