All of the caches start at the church where you need to find the answers to a couple of questions to allow you to find the final cache position, but this one however will take a little more effort to reach than the others in the series and as such is a slight departure from the norm (and rated accordingly). However the final position is still no more than a kilometre from the church but you will need to follow the footpaths properly. It is also probably my favourite.
This is the seventeenth in the series and starts at the pretty church of St. Martin's in the hamlet of Cwmyoy and is situated at about 190m above sea level in the Vale of Ewyas in the Black Mountains area of the Brecon Beacons National Park. This chuch is only just in Monmouthshire as for some reason there is a spur of Monmouthshire that goes up this valley.
The village itself is best known for this church as it has been called the 'most crooked church in Great Britain', and as such is one of my favourite in the area.
The church itself originates from the 12th century although most of the building we see today is 13th century with the standard nave,chancel, porch and western tower design, however the round-topped window in the northern wall dates from the 12th century. Other features vary in age from the 16th century windows to when the church was restored in 1880's.
Concerning it's crookedness, because the church is built on Old Red Sandstone sitting on top of Marl through many years of subsidence and slippage the chancel and tower have essentially gone in opposite directions giving the building that twisted look. The church has benefited from huge tie beams and buttresses to stop it's collapse!
Of particular interest (apart from the building's amazing shape!) are the six bells in the tower dating from 1672 and the 'weeping chancel' where the nave represents Jesus Christ's body and the chancel his head fallen sideways in death, except of course the whole chancel has gone sideways!!! If it is open pop in and take a look at the crookedness from within.
The co-ords above are for the car park which is round the back of the church (you'll wonder if you're going the right way, but keep going) and there is a single gate just down the road from the car park, although there are three gates into the churchyard in total.
To find the whereabouts of the final cache location look for the answers to the questions below and replace the letters for the appropriate numbers in the co-ords at the bottom. So here we go:
How many arched buttress' are there supporting the tower? A
How many other arched buttress' are there supporting the rest of the church? B
There is a pathway that leads from the eastern gate (the other end from the tower) to the porch that has a dedication to a Mark Gibbons. From the gate end how many letters on the eighth inscribed slab?(Be careful here as some of them get covered with earth/mud) C
On the same end of the church there is an inscribed stone plaque on the wall, above some gravestones. On it's top there is a design that includes two cherubs holding the same thing in their outer hands. If they are holding trumpets D=8, if they are holding lyre's, D=7, if they are holding hearts, D=6.
Take a look up at the tower. How many crenelations are there in total (the toothed bits of the wall). Count a corner as one. E
Go in the porch. How many plasterwork panels with various designs are there? F
So replace your answers in this co-ord and off you go to get the cache! Final position N 51° FC.(D-C)AD W 003° (F-C-B)B.B(E-D)F
The cache is a small tub with room for some swaps/trackables, and you will need decent footwear/clothing when you head off to find it. PLEASE NOTE, there is no direct route to the cache, you will need to walk on footpaths that go around and past it first of all, and then make your way to it. Also this cache has significantly harder terrain than the others in this series (hence the ratings) and as such is done at your own risk! The view of Skirrid is one of the best by the way from the cache site. 