. Mazes and labyrinths; a general account of their history and developments. rred to in thecontributions of several of the other poets concerned, ofwhom we may mention Francis Izod, Nicholas Walling-ton, William Bellas and William Denny. A figure in thecrude frontispiece conveys a similar allusion. In Essex we have an example of rather larger dimen-sions than the majority, namely, that on the east side ofthe common at Saffron Walden (Fig. 64). A tall bankhides it from the Thaxted road, which runs within a fewyards of it. The four bastions (or bellows) and thecentre are slightly raised. The ove
. Mazes and labyrinths; a general account of their history and developments. rred to in thecontributions of several of the other poets concerned, ofwhom we may mention Francis Izod, Nicholas Walling-ton, William Bellas and William Denny. A figure in thecrude frontispiece conveys a similar allusion. In Essex we have an example of rather larger dimen-sions than the majority, namely, that on the east side ofthe common at Saffron Walden (Fig. 64). A tall bankhides it from the Thaxted road, which runs within a fewyards of it. The four bastions (or bellows) and thecentre are slightly raised. The overall dimensions areapproximately 91 ft., excluding the bastions, and 138 corner to corner. This maze is referred to in the Corporation accountbooks for the year 1699, when it was apparently On several subsequent occasions it became neglectedand almost obliterated, but fortunately there has alwaysbeen some person sufficiently interested to cause itsrenovation. According to a local record, re-cuttings havetaken place in 1828, 1841, 1859, 1887, and 1911. On. Fig. 64.—-Turf Labyrinth, Saffron Walden, Essex. (W. H. M.) the last occasion it was underlaid with bricks, to facilitatefuture renovations. As in the case of the Winchester example, the path**consists of the narrow and shallow groove instead of theraised turf, and this gives some weight to the traditionthat it is only a copy of a much larger maze whichformerly existed further to the east. 83 In a manuscript book of the latter part of theeighteenth century the maze is spoken of as a favouriteresort for the young bloods of the town, a complicatedsystem of rules and wagers (in gallons of beer) being laiddown in connection with walking the maze. It is stated that a large ash tree at one time occupiedthe centre, but that it perished by fire in the Guy Fawkescelebrations of November 5, 1823. A few years ago some boys, playing on the centralmound, discovered a Roman coin. This does not, ofcourse, prove that the w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectlabyrin, bookyear1922
