In the north east corner of Lincolnshire, in the beautiful little village of Alkborough & overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Trent and Ouse, is a rare Turf Maze (sometimes known as a miz-maze) said to be of medieval origin. There are various thoughts as to when it was first cut and who cut it but one school suggests that, because of its likeness to a maze pattern in French churches, Julian's Bower was first cut by monks from Walcot in Lincolnshire. Certainly maze patterns were adopted by the early church as a symbol of the Christian path to salvation and it may have been used for penitential purposes. Whatever the origins of the maze, it has played an important part in the lives of the locals, and games are known to have been played here on May Eve until well into the 19th century. A copy of the maze can be found sunk into the floor of the porch of the village church and it also appears in the village sign.
Note
1. Mazes are associated with the Legends of Theseus threading the Cretan Labyrinth to slay the Minataur, a common theme in ancient life and Turf Mazes often bore the name Julian's Bower or Walls of Troy. It is supposed that these names record the belief that Julias, son of Aeneas, legendary founder of Rome brought maze games to Italy from Troy after its sacking by the Greeks.
