Mizmaze

The Breamore Miz-Maze in May 2005

Mizmaze (or Miz-Maze or Miz Maze) is the name given to two of England's eight surviving historic turf mazes, and also to a third, presumably once similar site (at Leigh in Dorset) that is now merely a relic . Of the two which survive, one is at Breamore,Coordinates: 50°58′54″N 1°48′00″W / 50.9817°N 1.8001°W / 50.9817; -1.8001 in Hampshire; the other is on top of St Catherine's Hill, overlooking the city of Winchester, Hampshire.

A mizmaze forms a pattern unlike conventional mazes and is classed as a labyrinth because the path has no junctions or crossings. The pattern appears more like a very long rope, neatly arranged to fill the area.

Breamore Mizmaze

The Breamore Mizmaze, set on a hill close to Breamore House, is a quartered labyrinth similar in design to the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral. It is enclosed by a grove of yew trees, suitably romantic for such an odd survival. Close to it is a Bronze Age barrow. The Mizmaze itself is fenced: necessary for its preservation. In early 2010 many of the surrounding trees were felled to make way for a vehicle track which now surrounds the maze. Much of the unique atmosphere and beauty of this rare site has sadly been destroyed, presumably on the orders of the landowner Sir Edward Hulse. The turf labyrinth itself is also currently very overgrown. (Location just south of Salisbury, off A338).

St Catherine's Hill

Mizmaze on St Catherine's Hill

The Winchester mizmaze is most unusual, being roughly square, although its paths curve gently and it has rounded corners. It is also one of only two surviving historic English turf mazes where the path is a narrow groove in the turf (the other is at Saffron Walden, Essex). More commonly the turf itself forms the raised path, which is marked out by shallow channels excavated between its twists and turns; this is the case at Breamore, where the mizmaze is circular (a version of the medieval labyrinth design) and surrounded by trees. (The Winchester mizmaze is visible in Google Earth atop St. Catherine's hill. Google Maps co-ord: 51.045662, -1.311743‎ (+51° 2' 44.38", -1° 18' 42.27")

Mount Ephraim Mizmaze

A large modern Mizmaze has been created by garden designer Sarah Morgan at Mount Ephraim, a 9-acre (36,000 m²) garden near Faversham, Kent, England. Although based on a traditional labyrinth design, the layout incorporates some dead-ends, making it a hybrid between a maze and a labyrinth. The pattern of the grass paths is marked out with combinations of tall-growing ornamental grasses and colourful herbaceous perennial plants.

See also

• Maze
• Troy Town

Further reading

• Adrian Fisher & Georg Gerster, The Art of the Maze, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (1990), ISBN 0-297-83027-9
• Jeff Saward, Magical Paths, Mitchell Beazley (2002) ISBN 1-84000-573-4
• Janet & Colin Bord, Mysterious Britain, Paladin Granada (1974) ISBN 0-586-08157-7
• Edward Rutherfurd, "Sarum",

External links

• W.H.Matthews, Mazes and Labyrinths (1922) online version of this classic book
• Labyrinthos Jeff Saward's website
• Labyrinth Society
• The Megalithic Portal
• Labyrinth Locator (Veriditas & Labyrinth Society)
• Mount Ephraim Gardens