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'MONS ACUTUS' Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

Achaos: Tower damaged by vandals and area of cache now overgrown.
So archiving cache and transferring contents to new cache.

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Hidden : 5/3/2003
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

St Michaels Hill, Montacute. 130 Metres High. Steepish climb

This Hill and tower overshadow Montacute Village, giving it it’s name i.e. ‘Mons Acutus’ , meaning very steep hill. The Norman’s had a great influence on this area and in 1068 a castle was built on the hill complete with Chapel , orchards and vineyards for ‘Robert of Mortain’ (William the Conqueror’s Half Brother), becoming his seat of barony. In 1102 Robert’s son founded a Clunic Priory, west of the present church endowing it with his Montacute and other estates. The castle stone was plundered for priory but the chapel of St Michael, on summit, was still in use at 1315. The hill is also famed for the Black flint Crucifix (Waltham Cross or Holy Rood) which was believed to have mystical powers and after digging up in 934 was transported to Waltham Abbey (Essex) by Canutes Standard Bearer. Local lore also has it, that Joseph of Arimathea was buried here. The hill is now home to a tower/folly built in ??? (That’s for you to find out . See below)
The Village is also home to the impressive Montacute House built in 1590 by Sir Edward Phelips whose family came to dominate the area by the 1480’s. Now N.T. owned and worth a visit.

The find is in two parts. First at, and in the tower, answer questions below.
Questions:-
1 How many slit windows in tower :- a
2 When was tower built :- 17bc
(Now enter to count and climb)
3 How many internal steps in tower (Including final level):- de Clue: It could amount to a year of Sundays.
(Now answer remaining questions before descent)
4 How many rungs on internal ladder :- f
5 No. of vertical bars on stair guard rail(inc ends):- g
Feed answers into location below, to discover cache, which is on lower hill and near path. Please use common sense when heading to cache and stick to well used paths, there are many dangerous steep descents if straying from these.

Parking at Rec/Sports field (OS Ref ST 49400 17350) Head southeast across field to pick up footpath to St. Michaels Hill.When in confines of hill follow path anti clockwise around base to pick up main track on west side of hill. (This spirals to summit and is easiest approach to tower)

Cache at N50 57.cae W002 43.(g/a)(d+1)(f-b-e)
2lt Tuppleware Container

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[In case your sums are wrong] Sebz ybar gerr ng A50 57 cbvag mreb guerr bar J002 43 cbvag guerr svir svir gnxr 17-20 cnprf ba urnqvat 230 qrterrf

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)