Church Micro 10578...Sawston - St Mary's Traditional Cache

The parish church is the oldest building in Sawston and for most of the second millennium was the focal point of the parish witnessing to God during times of sorrow as well as during times of celebration and happiness. There was probably a church here in Saxon times before the year 1000 but as in most villages the coming of the Normans in 1066 led to a new church being built by the Norman Lord of the Manor. Ralph Pyratt lived on the site of Sawston Hall and wanted his church nearby. The Norman church ended at the current chancel arch and had a high pitched roof and small narrow windows possibly with leaded diamond panes which helped the water run off more easily. The west end of the nave is what remains of the Norman work with its four pillars, two round and two octagonal with typical scallop decorations and the semi circular arches. The pillars are very solid, the round ones have a circumference of 2.16 metres (85 inches) which may help to explain why the building has virtually no foundations. There may also have been a central tower which would help account for the tremendous size of the central pillars. Most of the church has been re roofed from the chancel to the aisles with stainless steel being used for the aisles. In 2006 the Victorian nave roof was replaced and the parapets repaired. The tower has also needed regular repair and no longer boasts the flag pole which sadly was struck by lightning.

This is a traditional cache and IS at the published coordinates.

The cache is a 2ml tube.

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