Maiden maiden maiden over Multi-Cache

At the above co-ordinates is a plaque on the Bramley Cricket Club clubhouse at Gosden Common that commemorates the first recorded womens cricket match, between eleven maids of Bramley and eleven maids of Hambledon, back in 1745.

The match was reported in the The Reading Mercury on 26 July 1745 :

"The greatest cricket match that was played in this part of England was on Friday, the 26th of last month, on Gosden Common, near Guildford, between eleven maids of Bramley and eleven maids of Hambledon, all dressed in white. The Bramley maids had blue ribbons and the Hambledon maids red ribbons on their heads. The Bramley girls got 119 notches and the Hambledon girls 127. There was of bothe sexes the greatest number that ever was seen on such an occasion. The girls bowled, batted, ran and catches as well as most men could do in that game."

There is a round brown plaque on the clubhouse at the above co-ordinates, refering to the Maidens cricket match.     Suggested parking is either in the cricket club carpark or in the track that approaches the carpark off Tanyard Lane.

The pitch is bordered by three historic methods of transport, the A281 being the obvious one, and on the other side are the remains of the Wey and Arun Canal and the Guildford – Horsham railway line. It was the railway that killed off the canal, and probably the road that eventually killed off the railway.

Above those four arches is where the canal aqueduct ran. The base of the canal is now the DownsLink footpath over the river.   The railway ran through on the iron girder bridge (now gone).

A few dates in history (of little relevance to the solving the final location): 1745 : First recorded women’s cricket match. 1805 : Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar 1816 : Wey and Arun Canal opened 1865 : Guildford – Horsham railway opened 1871 : Wey and Arun Canal abandoned 1965 : Guildford – Horsham railway closed (aged 99yrs & 9 months).

Aqueduct:   N51 12.051    W00 33.620

This is a simple cache (almost a cache & dash by Brambler standards).     You need to set out for the aqueduct (pictured above) at N51 12.051   W00 33.620.     Follow the road over both bridges before finding the way down to the Downslink on the right after the second bridge.     As you cross the first bridge, looking right you will get a view of the weir which you will be able to hear but not see later on.

Enjoy your wander through a little bit of the local history.   If you need a pub for beer, food or both, then I would recommend the Jolly Farmer just after the mini-roundabout on the right into Bramley.

Please note: "Stealth required" - please check for local walkers before extracting the cachebox.    Thanks.