Also, for the new members looking for places to get started, please take a look at our overworld map that's updated nightly here:
http://mcmaps.applenova.com
I snapped a pic of the top view and circled a few uninhabited areas near spawn that you could use to set up shop.
We will be trimming the large expanses of the world in the coming weeks, but the areas shown in this picture should be safe from deletion.
(arteggio: I believe that's your old castle on the western edge.)