In the village of Alkborough, North Lincolnshire close to the cliff edge is Julian's Bower, a small unicursal turf maze, 43 feet across, of indeterminate age.
According to Arthur Mee's book Lincolnshire the maze was cut by monks in the 12th century, but White's Lincolnshire Directory of 1872 maintains that it was constructed in Roman times as part of a game. Others think that while the feature is of Roman origin, it was later used by the Medieval Church for some sort of penitential purposes and only reverted to its former use as an amusement or diversion, after the Reformation.
Firm documentary evidence of its existence only seems to date from 1697 however, when it was noticed, on his travels, by the Yorkshire antiquary Abraham de la Pryme.
See also labyrinth.
Last updated: 10-21-2005 07:30:14
