Saffron Walden Turf Maze

At 35 meters in diameter with a 1,500-meter path, the Saffron Walden turf maze is the largest publicly owned turf labyrinth in England. Recut in 1699 and marked with bricks in 1911, its origins are debated — possibly medieval or earlier. The unusual design features four corner bastions unlike any other English turf maze, creating a unique hybrid between classical and medieval labyrinth typologies. Located on the village common, it was used for recreational races and possibly romantic courtship rituals. At 322.98° Giza bearing, Saffron Walden connects to the East Anglian sacred landscape that includes Ely Cathedral and the Icknield Way — one of Britain's oldest trackways, in use for over 5,000 years.