While this location is accessible 24/7, please note that it is right beside a number of inhabited farm buildings. Visiting during unsociable hours will attract unwanted attention. Please be a responsible cacher and only visit during the hours of daylight. There is a small grassy parking area next to the infornation board (see waypoint)
Please use one of the two trailhead waypoints provided to find the correct route to the tower. Some SatNav apps may take you on a different route on a poorly maintained track through farmland.
Entrance to the tower is entirely at your own risk. You will need to climb a tight, stone spiral staircase; please be aware of your own levels of agility and fitness before attempting this cache.
Temple Bruer Preceptory Tower
The tower at Temple Bruer is all that remains of of a thriving prectory that once stood here, a monastery and community of the Knights Templars a military order that was active in the 12th and 13th centuries. Founded in around 1150-1160, Temple Bruer was once the second wealthiest Templar preceptory in England, after London.
The surviving 13th century tower originally formed part of the Templar church and is one of a pair of towers that was once attached to the chancel of the circular-naved Templar church. It is one of the few Templar sites still to have standing remains and its importance is recognised by the fact that it is a Scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building.
The interior walls are covered in graffiti, masons marks and centuries-worth of symbols carved and scratched into the stone. There are many apotropaic symbols such as daisy wheels, pentangles, triquetras, interlocking ‘V’s and ‘M’s. Perhaps these were added by locals after the Templars were arrested and taken to Lincoln Castle, accused of devil worship, infanticide and many other transgressions. More prosaically, there are also centuries worth of initials, names and dates carved by visitors and vandals. Please don't add to them!
The surviving tower was one of a pair which formed part of a large round church, typical of Knights Templar churches.
After the Order was supressed in 1312 by Pope Clement V, the Preceptory was taken over by the Knights Hospitalier but gradually fell into disrepair and by 1541 that Order too was dissolve, the house and preceptory having fallen into disrepair. By the 19th century, all that remained was this, one of the two towers. You can see the roofline and other marks of the original building over the doorway, which once was an entrance from the church's chancel. The roof of the tower was later repairs to ensure its survival and the remains are now in the care of Lincolnshire County Council.
You can see what the preceptory once looked like by watching this reconstructive fly-through video:
A full history can be found here.
This Virtual Cache
This building is not staffed and poses a number of potential threats to those who choose to enter. If you are are senible and careful, you'll be fine. However, entrance is entirely at your own risk. You must complete the following tasks at all three locations. Send me your answer using the message centre. I will try to respond to all messages but you do not need to wait for a response in order to log this cache. However logs by cachers who have not submitted correct responses and uploaded the required photo within a week may be deleted.
Physical Graffiti: The Tasks
You are looking for a series of numbers. Add all these numbers together and send me the total using the Message Centre.
- Outside the building
a) Take a photo of yourself or an identifying object at the entrance to the tower; upload this photo to your log.
b) Look for the information board. What is the first year after the word 'misconduct' ? This date = T
- Inside on the ground floor
Go up the outer stairs and open the door to the tower
Starting from the entrance to the staircase, how many head-height archways are there? This number is U
- Upstairs at the first floor
Go up the spiral staircase until you reach the first floor level.
Look for dates next to each of these example of graffiti:
a) F.P. [= V]
b) ANNIE GLASIER [=W]
c) DEAN [=X]
d) W.M. [=Y]
e) Wilcock [=Z]
Add together all these numbers and dates and send your answer to me as a single number in a message.
T + U + V + W + X + Y + Z
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.