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The Monk's Grave - OK04C1
A traditional cache by an interesting , somewhat mysterious landmark
Owner: hal an tow
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Altitude: m. ASL.
 Region: United Kingdom (UK) > Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Cache type: Traditional
Size: Small
Status: Ready for Search
Date hidden: 13-02-2020
Date created: 16-02-2020
Date published: 17-02-2020
Last modification: 17-02-2020
2x Found
0x Not found
0 notes
watchers 0 watchers
49 visitors
2 x rated
Rated as: n/a
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Cache attributes

Listed on Opencaching only  Point of interest  Not recommended at night  All seasons 

Please read the Opencaching attributes article.
Description EN

This cache is placed near an earthwork, locally known as Monk's Grave and believed to be at least Mediaeval in age although It could well be more than 10 thousand years old.

 

 

Parking for one or two cars can be found near where the right of way leaves the road, opposite the gateway (.: please do not block the gateway itself., which is often in use)  There is a short uphill walk to the cache from there along a byway which is sometimes rather muddy and churned up by off roaders. who are legally entitled to use it.


"The Monk's Grave"  is a circular enclosure with a deep dry ditch around it,  that local name reflects the history of the area, which became an outlying grange farm of Leicester Abbey in 1392, some 500 years after the settlement was founded (and named Ingarsby) by Danes . The mound could be a prehistoric grave,  but no-one knows its intended use  for certain,as it has never been excavated by archaeologists. Although the central mound area is very small compared with typical motte and bailey castles. It has been described by some historians as an adulterine castle*,  : it could just as easily be a burial mound, or even the site of the Ingarsby windmill which is mentioned as in the area  in documents of 1540 and 1609.


The mound does command a good view of both the road below and the deserted mediaeval village of Ingarsby opposite, so perhaps it was a fortified look-out post to keep watch on passers by on that road and the junction with the byway which runs downhill beside it (and which explains those 4X4 tracks which have torn up the mound and encircling ditch)

 

From the cache location please take a moment to look over at the Deserted Mediaeval Village, on the opposite slope over to the east of the road: (you get a particularly good view if there is some low angle sunshine, late afternoon in winter is ideal ) the lumps , bumps and lines of the village thoroughfares and buildings are clear to see.

You can visit the D.M.V. by returning to the road , turning left and walking a short way to a gate and stile which mark the start of the bridleway that climbs up right through the middle of the DMV. The settlement was forcibly emptied by the landowner, Leicester Abbey in 1469 when the tenant farmers were ejected in order to use the land for more profitable sheep farming.

 

 

*Adulterine castles were fortifications built in England during the 12th century without royal approval, particularly during the civil war of the Anarchy between 1139 and 1154.. No,I'd never heard of them before either !

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Log entries: Found 2x Not found 0x Note 0x All entries