Welcome to The Shambles: one of the most intact medieval streets in Europe. Despite its higgledy-piggledy appearance, its name actually derives from the old English word Fleshammels ("flesh-shelves"), referring to the fact that this street was originally important for meat selling and was lined with butchers' shops.
Many of the buildings date to the 14th century, and famously overhang the street in a precarious-looking way. Whilst there are now more wizard-related shops down here than butchers nowadays, it is still possible to see the old butchers' shelves and meat hooks in several of the old shop fronts. The overhanging buildings are thought to have been built like this intentionally, to create shelter from the elements to aid the better storage and display of meat.
The street was also home to interesting residents such as Margaret Clitherow: a 16th century martyr, of whom who you are about to find out more.
To log this cache you will need to complete the following tasks:
1. St Margaret Clitherow
Near the posted coordinates (at nos.35-36 The Shambles) you will find the shrine of St Margaret Clitherow. Margaret was born in York in 1553 and lived with her butcher husband in the Shambles (probably at the house opposite) after her marriage in 1571. A converted Catholic (a treasonable offence in Elizabethan times), Margaret was arrested and imprisoned several times for harbouring priests at her house. When she refused to convert to Protestantism, she was eventually executed in 1586, by being crushed to death by stones. Her cruel treatment drew reproach from Elizabeth I amongst others. Margaret was canonised in 1929. The shrine is free to enter daily.
a) If the shrine is open, enter and look for the large framed calligraphy notice (entitled St Margaret Clitherow) on the left hand wall. Make a note of all the red capital letters in the second line of the main text and email/message them to me.
b) Alternatively (if the shrine isn't open/accessible or you don't want to enter), stand at the entrance and look at the building opposite. Tell me what animal is poised outside the first floor window.
2. Butchers' shops
Walking approximately 30m further north, at waypoint 1, you will come to an interesting looking shop numbered no. 9 3/4, on the right. Whilst currently catering for the wizardry trade, this was once clearly a butcher's shop, with its shelf and meat hooks intact. Count the number of hooks above the window and door of the shop and send me your answer.
3. Photo!
Sometimes people say that if you stretch both arms out at the narrowest point of the Shambles you can touch both sides of the street. Whilst this is clearly nonsense (you may possibly be able to touch someone else's hand if you were both to lean out of an upper floor window, although I don't recommend you try it!) you should post a photo with your log showing you virtually touching both sides of the street. You don't have to be in the photo if you don't want - a photo of your hand will do! Examples are given below, kindly modelled by alanwito!
Please email or message me the answers (don't post them in your log) and remember to post a photo with your log. You can log the cache without waiting for a response, but please send me a message with your answers before you post the log.
Have a lovely day in York: my childhood home and one of my favourite cities!
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.