Julian Bower Maze Alkborough

A fine example of a turf cut maze in Alkborough.. It stands on a hillside overlooking the confluence of the River Ouse and the River Trent. No-one knows who originally cut this 12 metre maze (labyrinth) or when,  but it is first recorded in 1697 by Abraham de la Pryme.
One of the theories about the origin of the maze  was that it was carved by a small cell of monks who lived in this area until the 13 century. The early Christian church did use the idea of mazes as a symbolic of the path to heaven and also as a penitential device. The nearby Alkborough church has a copy of the maze inlaid into the church porch floor.
I went on an outing with the Louth U3A  birdwatching group today  but the birds were few and far between as the wind was so strong so decided the maze was a lot more interesting!!
I love these old bits of the land that we can't truly explain today. It puts us in perspective as human beings!
There is also a road in Louth known as Julian Bower. 
Intriguing!