Views of Kingskerswell 6 – Whilborough Common Traditional Cache
Hidden : 10/14/2012
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This is the sixth cache in our series Views of Kingskerswell.

The cache is located on Whilborough Common which covers an area of approximately 18 acres, the Common is very popular with dog walkers. From near this cache you can see Stoneycombe Quarry which lies about 1.5km west of Kingskerswell and was established around 1840. Although not technically part of Kingskerswell (the village boundary follows the road from Maddacombe Cross – The Bickley Mill) its presence has played a great part in the history of Kingskerswell.
 
The quarry works the East Ogwell Limestone which is a grey to pink massively bedded stone of Middle Devonian age - 380 to 370 million years old. The quarry was originally owned by the South Devon Railway Company and all quarried stone was moved by rail after the company built substantial sidings adjacent to the quarry.
 
During the First World War POW labour was used in the quarry. In later years the quarry was owned by ECC Quarries and now Bardon Aggregates. The quarry currently spans across both side of the Plymouth – Newton Abbot railway line, the original quarry being northern side of the railway line which is now redundant and used for dry silt tipping only.
 
Due to the ever increasing demand for building materials the quarry has expanded over the years and has already claimed areas of archaeological importance. It is hoped that further expansion will be limited and the areas such as Miltor Mator Common, Dainton Copse and Whilborough Common (all of which contain important archaeological features) will be spared from destruction – Kerswell Downs & Whilborough Common are now Scheduled Ancient Monuments http://www.ancientmonuments.info/en36029-prehistoric-field-system-and-settlements-o
 
This area, along with Kerswell Downs, hold a special place in Mo’s life. As a child growing up in North Whilborough he spent many happy hours on the Common and Downs playing with his brother and friends from the village. Mo can often be seen on the Common and Downs while out running nowadays.  In recent years Teignbridge District Council have been looking, with the help of the local Parish Council to increase the number of Sorbus anglica (English Whitebeam) trees on the Common. They have also been looking at the management of Placidiopsis cartilaginea a rare litchen found on the Common.
 
In order to get to this cache you will need to use one or more footpaths (depending on where you start from) Because of the terrain it is not a cache suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. You are looking for a small screw top sample type pot 10cm x 2.5cm – happy hunting. Please replace the cache very carefully.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gerr!!!!!!!!!!!!

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)


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