Churches devoid of a micro - are there any...?

[+Buckleberry]

I was just wondering if there are any churches left which are still without a micro? I drive past one just off the A127 at Warley, Essex on my way to work and was contemplating hiding one there after not seeing one listed but bugger me, I looked on the maps search page this afternoon, and one has been at this church for a couple of years! Don't know how I managed to miss it. Here's the link GC1HC4V

 

It left me wondering, how many churches can there be left now that haven't had a micro deployed in their vicinity...?

[The Hearse]

I was just wondering if there are any churches left which are still without a micro? I drive past one just off the A127 at Warley, Essex on my way to work and was contemplating hiding one there after not seeing one listed but bugger me, I looked on the maps search page this afternoon, and one has been at this church for a couple of years! Don't know how I managed to miss it. Here's the link GC1HC4V

 

It left me wondering, how many churches can there be left now that haven't had a micro deployed in their vicinity...?

I thought I had read somewhere that caches could not be placed in churches except virtuals that is. I had a quick look at GAGB but could not confirm my understanding. Certainly, our two local churches have micros... both in holes that could easily accommodate a normal size cache!

 

The question could be extended to cover church land because most land belonging to the church does not contain a church and if I am right about permission not being given to place caches in churches, it might just include all church land.

Edited July 3, 2010 by The Hearse

[+pklong]

Lots. There are none in North Devon at all I think.

 

Philip

[+Graculus]

Caches in churches, churchyards, cemetaries etc etc...

http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/church.html

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books

[+Stuey]

Lots. There are none in North Devon at all I think.

 

Philip

 

There are hardly any in Devon at all.... probably. They've just not caught on down here.

[+The Blorenges]

Lots. There are none in North Devon at all I think.

 

Philip

 

There are hardly any in Devon at all.... probably. They've just not caught on down here.

 

Nor here in this SE corner of Wales.

 

One particularly attractive church in a nearby village is deserving of a cache but we have a final of one of our own puzzle caches very close by but just outside the church grounds. The local church in our own small town is attractive, but not exceptionally so, and we haven't felt the urge to put a micro there 'just because it hasn't got one'. The next village in the other direction has a pretty church and a footpath running nearby so we might put a church macro there... sometime... if we feel inspired

 

MrsB

[+*mouse*]

Mixed bag down our way. North of Bristol you're tripping up over them, but elsewhere not so many.

Some very good, some bad, some indifferent...... and some that aren't actually micros - much prefer them!!

 

The macro revolution never quite caught on..... shame

Edited July 3, 2010 by *mouse*

[+Buckleberry]

Yeah, it was almost a rhetorical question really. I'm certainly not the kind to place a cache just because one isn't there or, indeed, within church grounds but was just surprised that I never noticed this one at a lovely historic church and thought it deserves to be visited by those that may not know it's there, only to find there's been a CM there for some time...

Edited July 4, 2010 by Buckleberry

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

St Martins at Liskeard doesn't have one.

[+L8HNB]

Thers a few in the Northern part of Worcestershire, with more being added recently, and seem to be lots in Shropshire from our few forrays up there. South Worcestershire dosent have may yet......

[+tonibunny]

I love the Church Micro series and as L8HNB says, there are some wonderful caches in Shropshire. If you like looking round historic churches anyway (as I do) then you can have a really enjoyable day doing a whole bunch of them. They're called "Shropshire Church Gems".

 

I have a couple of church caches up in Shropshire/North Wales but they're bigger boxes rather than micros and they weren't created as part of the Church Micros/Church Gems series as they pre-date them. Often near church property there's not space for more than a micro but I'm sure that whoever manages these series wouldn't mind if people placed larger boxes if they found room for them, despite the name!

[Deceangi]

I wonder how many churches there are in the UK? Only I've just recently published Church Micro 1,27?th cache.

 

It's the most popular series theme in the UK

 

Deci

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

John Betjemans Guide to "English Parish Churches" states that there are 16,000 Parish Churches in the UK.

[+Maple Leaf]

Occasionally I stop for caches near churches, but the word micro in the name normally puts me off this particular series and therefore I don't always read the cache page if there are other caches nearby.

 

I haven't got a problem with micros (I have one myself) as long as they are well thought out or are the biggest container for the location - just don't like them when it is a 35mm container hidden just because you could (and normally you don't find this out untill you have done the cache).

 

However, I did do the 1000th Church Micro a couple of months ago and am pleased to say it was NOT a Micro, the village was pretty, the final cache was in a lovely location and even better it was a Wherigo (I wouldn't have come across it if it hadn't been a Wherigo, so it was just a bonus that it was a proper cache)

 

Maybe I should pay more attention to the cache size on the listings ..... then I may stop for more of this series when I am out and about in different parts of the UK.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Most of the churches in my area have a church micro -- except our parish church. I'm really, really hoping that one continues to be overlooked. It's isolated, our parish is very small and protective of it, and it's only recently been left open for visitors. Lots of paranoid eyeballs on strangers.

 

More power to the people who like them, but I'm way too self-conscious for the church micro series.

[+mcwomble]

Most of the churches in my area have a church micro -- except our parish church. I'm really, really hoping that one continues to be overlooked. It's isolated, our parish is very small and protective of it, and it's only recently been left open for visitors. Lots of paranoid eyeballs on strangers.

 

More power to the people who like them, but I'm way too self-conscious for the church micro series.

 

Churches are meant to be visited - sometime they're open, sometimes you have to get the key off the verger, other times they're locked up tight and if they are then there's still the external architecture to admire and invariably an interesting graveyard either mown or left to wild flowers.

 

As to the original question, well in Essex it certainly feels that way especially southern Essex.

 

As for saturation well Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers, quotes just 6688 in England, 226 in Wales and 20 in Scotland - but then change-ringing has been a predominantly English pastime.

[+The Chaos Crew]

where I am in the Cotswolds, most of the nicer churches do already have caches - not all micros - in fact many round here are size small and up.

 

I'm grateful to the cache placers, the caches have always been placed responsibly and appropriately, and hunting them has brought me to some truly beautiful old churches that I never would have found otherwise.

 

One just last week had inside a stunning 13th century painting of St Christoper - it was about 20 feet high - I feel enriched for having seen it.

 

I always go into the church if open to pay my respects

[+MartyBartfast]

Just wondering if the Church Micro series only applies to CofE churches, or whether the other mobs get in on the act as well?

[+pklong]

Just wondering if the Church Micro series only applies to CofE churches, or whether the other mobs get in on the act as well?

 

It does seem to be mostly CofE, they are the more visually and historically important churches in England.

 

ClareLouise has one outside a Catholic church and I'm sure I've seen them outside Methodist churches too. I wonder if there will be any outside religious buildings of other faiths. Are there any Synagogue, Mosque, Temple or Humanist micros?

[+burtsbodgers]

There are quite a few around the Chichester area, but not all have micro's.

I did a survey for a scouting activity, and out of 42 churches in the city only 1 has a micro.

You also have to consider whether the church is active as there are many that are not and would still be worth marking.

[team tisri]

I was just wondering if there are any churches left which are still without a micro? I drive past one just off the A127 at Warley, Essex on my way to work and was contemplating hiding one there after not seeing one listed but bugger me, I looked on the maps search page this afternoon, and one has been at this church for a couple of years! Don't know how I managed to miss it. Here's the link GC1HC4V

 

It left me wondering, how many churches can there be left now that haven't had a micro deployed in their vicinity...?

 

Near where I live there are at least half a dozen churches within a mile or so. I've been tempted to place a multi-church micro that takes you to each of them in turn and then on to a micro hidden somewhere in the space between them. I just need to find a suitable space...

[+mcwomble]

Just wondering if the Church Micro series only applies to CofE churches, or whether the other mobs get in on the act as well?

 

Having done more than a few of the CM series, I can say that most faiths have been covered.

Mainly CofE but then most village churches are (except for the ones before 1537 which were of course Catholic), but there's been a slack handful of Catholic, Methodists, Spiritual, Pentecostal and Quakers.

Both Lewes and Worthing are fine examples of the mix.

 

The CM series also gives you great contrast sometimes in only a matter of a mile or so. Contrast the gothic remains of St Thomas at Winchelsea, with the "wooden scout hut" of Winchelsea Beach. Just one of the great things about the series.

[+mcwomble]

Near where I live there are at least half a dozen churches within a mile or so. I've been tempted to place a multi-church micro that takes you to each of them in turn and then on to a micro hidden somewhere in the space between them. I just need to find a suitable space...

 

I have something similar on the Dengie Peninsula in Essex - 11 leading to 6 bonus which in turn lead to the oldest church in Essex - total of 18 churches and ex churches.

[+AngryBirds]

Around Worthing, West Sussex, most of the old and nice ones have a micro. There are still some of less character left, but I am more interested by the ones bringing life into the community. I asked permission from the church warden of St-Matthews, if I can put a cache on their grounds to give cachers a place to reflect ... they have very comfy benches I am awaiting an answer ...