Historic Church & Cathedral Labyrinths in England

The historic labyrinths situated in English cathedrals, churches and chapels mostly date from the late 19th century, a period when renewed interest in labyrinths combined with a wave of church building and restoration during the Victorian era. Only two examples, the splendid gilded roof-boss in St.Mary Redcliffe Church and the tiny labyrinth on the Hereford Mappa Mundi are from the medieval period, when many labyrinths were created in the cathedrals of France and Italy.

Situated largely in the south and east of England, these labyrinths are always a pleasure to visit, situated as they are in everything from simple chapels and churches to grand cathedrals. They range from the relatively simple to some of the most fascinating examples from their period. The majority are relatively easy to find, although obviously some are subject to limited opening hours and others will require the finding of a key or caretaker to gain admission. And therein lies the joy of tracking them down. While several are in large towns and cities, a number are beyond the reach of regular public transport and will require some planning to visit.

For the benefit of visitors to England, and residents who wish to find them for themselves, the following information will hopefully prove useful to determine the whereabouts of these preserved ecclesiastic labyrinths and how to gain access to see them.

Clicking each of the named locations marked with a red square will take you to a new window with information on that labyrinth location. Close the window to return to this map.

Please note: if you have visited any of these labyrinths since the latest report given and find that opening hours or other visiting details have changed, please send me an e-mail with your findings and I will update the information.

Every summer we lead guided tours to a number of these historic labyrinths. Visit our tours page for further details. We are also available as guides for individuals and groups wishing to visit some, or all, of these labyrinths as part of more varied tours.