Portal’s Paper Chase Traditional Cache
Amy and Adam's Dad: Oh Well, I had the best of intentions but pressure of work mean I won't get to replace this so I'm closing it down.
Thanks to all the visitors and watchers over the years, cache or not it's still a lovely place for a stroll.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache takes you back in time, to 18th Century papermaking, by
the picturesque River Test.
For a very rewarding walk park your car (respectfully – and
do not block the emergency access) on the no through road called
“The Green” (off the B3400 Whitchurch-Overton road) at:
N51 13.850, W001 19.729. If there is no space here you can also
park (again respectfully) at the adjacent new development,
“Hillside”, access also off the B3400. There is space
at the bottom of the hill (the other side of the hedge to the above
coordinates!).
Walk away from the main road to the track at the end of The Green,
keeping to the left hand side of the water meadows, bear left
through a hedge and follow the right hand field edge which swings
towards the River Test. Cross the field to the metalled drive at
N51 13.848, W001 19.173, and turn right.
If you want to cheat, or are short of time, parking is also
available off just off the B3400 clear of the track at: N51 13.873,
W001 19.359, but the walk is not as enjoyable. (Don’t attempt
to get closer to the River as parking is restricted to residents
and it may not be possible to turn around)
If parking here walk down the metalled track away from the main
road and towards the river.
Either way you will arrive at BERE MILL.
It was at Bere Mill that Hugenot émigré Henry Portal (formerly
Henri de Portal), started his papermaking business in 1712 and the
clear water of the fast flowing chalk stream was ideal for making
the newly invented, high quality watermarked, banknote paper.
In 1724 he was commissioned to supply the Bank of England with
paper for bank notes. Portals (now owned by De La Rue) still
supplies English bank notes from nearby Overton.
In the 1710s the quality of French paper was inordinately superior
to English, and many French papermakers were brought to England to
run mills and set new standards. The best paper in this country was
claimed to come from Southampton, probably from “Up
Mill” run by Daniel Rousillion. Henry Portal was trained as a
paper maker at “Up Mill” before moving to
Whitchurch.
Bere Mill, which is not open to visitors, has not changed much
since Portal occupied it and William Cobbett, (who was a passionate
opponent of paper money) rode by and raged against ‘the curse
of England’. Nevertheless the business prospered and after
six years had to move to larger premises in Laverstoke. The de
Portal family became so well respected in Hampshire that there are
memorials in All Hallows Church in Whitchurch and Winchester
Cathedral.
There is even a theory that the slang term “Quid”
(which came into use in the 18th Century) derives from
Portal’s Mill in Quidhampton (Overton).
Enough History, on with the cache!
From the bridge turn right and walk towards the mill following the
footpath alongside the garden wall to a five bar gate, from there
your GPSr should guide you to the top of the field and the
cache.
The cache itself is an ammo box, full of goodies, including some
very limited edition high quality bank notes! Will you get to the
bank before they run out?
You may need extra spinach to uncover the cache.
From the cache site you can admire the view across the River Test
to Freefolk Church, which has an interesting history, but
that’s another story…………
Adam (5) helped me "plant" the cache (he reckoned I was silly
‘cos it wouldn’t grow!) and on the way back to the car
he spotted a deer and a green woodpecker. We also saw some lovely
“old breed” sheep, butterflies, swans, trout etc.
There are plenty of other footpaths in the area and you could head
towards Whitchurch to complete a circular tour – take an OS
map, and maybe a picnic with you.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur ybt obbx (naq pnpur) vf ba n ybt haqre n ybt.