Monument record MHG31659 - Maze - Ascoile

Gordonbush Windfarm Environmental Statement - Archaeology
information supplied by J Hooper, March 2004
See Report 1244 - Site 12

J Aitken : 14/05/04
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Maze.
Centre of intricately designed circular ‘maze’, laid out carefully and neatly on the level grassed clearing interior of the plantation of Feature 007 (above). The boundaries of the maze are defined by a single row of stone cobbles, joined end to end, to form a route from its start at the exterior, spiralling and turning back on itself many times, to eventually finish at the centre. The cobbles define a series of partly concentric and interlinked ‘layers’, although when examined closely, it is a double route, from its entrance opening towards 170 degrees. The entrance has a ‘tail’, leading into the start of the maze, which bends from the entrance to the E. See Plate 3.

The whole structure is 10m in diameter and there are 10, almost concentric ‘layers’ to guide the maze user from the entrance to the centre, which is marked by a larger boulder. The ‘layers’ are on average 0.5m wide, but the outer layers tend to be wider than those closer to the centre.

It is unsure of the age of this skilfully planned and executed feature, but it is thought that it is probably fairly recent (i.e. within the last decade), as the cobbles have not been at all consumed by the grass on which they have been placed. <1>