Mazes and Labyrinths: A General Account of Their History and DevelopmentMatthews, W. H.
History
Mazes and Labyrinths: A General Account of Their History and Development
Matthews, W. H.
Labyrinths; Maze gardens
In the large view of London and Westminster engraved by Wenceslaus
Hollar (1607-1677) there is shown in the middle of Tothill Fields a
clump of trees surrounding a sort of shelter, like a band-stand, but no
sort of labyrinthine design is visible.
Another London maze mentioned by Aubrey, and one which has left its
remembrance in the present-day nomenclature of the locality (Maze
Pond), is that of Southwark. "At Southwarke," says Aubrey, "was a Maze
which is converted into Buildings bearing that name."
In another place he says, "On the south side of Tooley-street a little
westward from Burnaby-street is a Street called the MAES or MAZE,
Eastward from the Borough (another name for Labyrinth). I believe
we received these Mazes from our Danish Ancestors...." This latter
observation is one which seems to have been entirely overlooked by
subsequent archaeologists and antiquaries, but its significance will be
seen when we come to consider the subject of "stone labyrinths."
It is clear from the last phrase, that in this case Aubrey had in mind
turf mazes rather than hedge mazes, and we are in doubt as to whether
the Southwark maze was of the former or the latter species.
The Abbot of Battle had a residence there after the dissolution of
the monasteries, and it has been stated that he had a maze in his
garden, or, alternatively, that his garden paths were laid out in such
an intricate manner as to suggest the name. But there are records of
the name being applied to the locality before the dissolution of the
monasteries, and it is quite possible that there was once a turf maze
in the neighbourhood, perhaps before the abbot's time. According to a
footnote in Strickland's "Lives of the Queens of England," the maze in
Southwark once formed part of the garden of the Princess Mary Tudor,
but the authority for this statement is not quoted.
Maze Hill, Greenwich, is said to derive its name from the former
existence of a maze, traces of which are claimed to have been found
near the entrance to Morden College, Blackheath. The name was formerly
spelt Maize Hill and at one time Mease or Meaze Hill. We shall have
a word to say about place-names towards the end of this book, but we
may remark in passing that inferences as to the past existence of an
object based solely upon a current homonymous place-name are obviously
unsound.
CHAPTER XVI
THE TOPIARY LABYRINTH, OR HEDGE MAZE (_continued_)
_Latter-day Developments_
Towards the end of the eighteenth century the taste for mazes in
private gardens had to some extent declined, but as an adjunct to
places of public amusement the topiary labyrinth was still in great
demand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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