Page:Amusements in mathematics.djvu/142

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
130
AMUSEMENTS IN MATHEMATICS.

blance between it and the mazes at Chartres and Lucca (Figs. 2 and 3) will be at once perceived.

Fig. 8.—Maze at Wing, Rutlandshire.

A maze at Boughton Green, in Nottinghamshire, a place celebrated at one time for its fair (Fig. 7), was 37 feet in diameter. I also include the plan (Fig. 8) of one that used to be on the outskirts of the village of Wing, near Uppingham, Rutlandshire. This maze was 40 feet in diameter.

The maze that was on St. Catherine's Hill, Winchester, in the parish of Chilcombe, was a poor specimen (Fig. 9), since, as will be seen,

Fig. 9.—Maze on St. Catherine's Hill, Winchester.

there was one short direct route to the centre, unless, as in Fig. 10 again, the path is the line itself from end to end. This maze was 86 feet square, cut in the turf, and was locally known as the "Mize-maze." It became very indistinct about 1858, and was then recut by the Warden of Winchester, with the aid of a plan possessed by a lady living in the neighbourhood.

Fig. 10.—Maze on Ripon Common.

A maze formerly existed on Ripon Common, in Yorkshire (Fig. 10). It was ploughed up in 1827, but its plan was fortunately preserved. This example was 20 yards in diameter, and its path is said to have been 407 yards long.

Fig. 11.—Maze at Theobalds, Hertfordshire.

In the case of the maze at Theobalds, Hertfordshire, after you have found the entrance within the four enclosing hedges, the path is