Treasure Hunt June 2011

CAR TREASURE HUNT

18th June 2011

I had forgotten how much fun a car treasure hunt is! I was lucky enough, along with lots of other Friends of Newport Cathedral Choir, to take part in one this afternoon. Set up by John Granger and Rob Wilson, we all started at the Cathedral at various times and all finished – some of us taking rather longer than others! – at the Priory Church, Abergavenny.

But that makes it sound rather too simple! On the way we had to visit many destinations and collect a variety of objects from the everyday (a Ł2 coin) to those requiring a bit of thought (something triangular) to the downright bizarre (three Welsh feathers!) We Bartons were the first to set off and thought we were doing rather well until we were overtaken by two carloads of Williamses somewhere along the A48 towards Chepstow, and from then onwards it was game on! It is a strange experience finding yourself in some far flung corner of the diocese tripping through a graveyard and meeting the leader of the Girls’ Brigade behind a headstone, or digging around in a flowerbed to find a photo of a Cathedral lay clerk asleep on a soft toy. I could fill a whole magazine with anecdotes of our adventures, but I thought I would do this in a different way. Who can recognise themselves or others in this series of “Rules for Car Treasure Hunters?”

1. No matter how many maps you have, it is also advisable to carry a sense of direction.

2. It is unseemly to donate a prize and later win it.

3. Do not inadvertently end up in the wedding photos of a couple that you don’t know from Adam.

4. If you steal a fern from someone else’s car, there will be divine retribution.

5. Three men in a car will lead to a chilly atmosphere at tea.

6. People who bring large boxes of caramel shortcakes are always welcome.

7. It is totally unacceptable for a Cathedral Organist to even wonder whether he can remove three feathers from a dead (Welsh) bird in the middle of the road.

8. If the instructions say “bear right at the Cenotaph” it is better not to bear left at the Cenotaph.

9. Brynbuga is Welsh for Usk.

10. A disco is near as dammit a club.

11. Thirty people counting a lot of holes in a wall will all get a different number.

12. If you put together one photographer and one primary school teacher they will not necessarily be able to erect a Swingball set.

13. 4 ladies enjoying a picnic tea rather later than everyone else will probably have to finish it in the car park.

14. There are more castles in Gwent than just Chepstow.

15. The A48 goes in both directions, only one of which is correct at any one time.

16. If your first question is “Where is Stow Hill?” you probably won’t win.

17. Try not to leave a) a churchwarden in a small office, b) a bass and his wife in a large car park, and especially c) a mad tenor with no coat, in situ for more than 3 hours.

18. Do not believe anyone who says they haven’t collected a “Total Archives” pen, because they are lying.

19. Half a dozen children in a church hall will always find a) the piano and b) whoever has the iPod.

20. The weather in June can never be relied upon.

Winners etc!

Fastest time – the Maher family

Most points – modesty forbids

Booby prize – Williams family assorted

Many thanks must go to:

John and Rob for organising it

The Priory Church in Abergavenny for providing us with an end venue and a dry place to eat our tea

John, Geraldine, Rob and Steve for hanging about for hours

Sir Trevor Morris for providing a splendid guided tour, especially after waiting for so long for everyone to arrive