Page "Labyrinth" Paragraph 56

Over the same general period, some 500 or more non-ecclesiastical labyrinths were constructed in Scandinavia.

These labyrinths, generally in coastal areas, are marked out with stones, most often in the simple 7-or 11-course classical forms.

They often have names which translate as " Troy Town ".

They are thought to have been constructed by fishing communities: trapping malevolent trolls or winds in the labyrinth's coils might ensure a safe fishing expedition.

There are also stone labyrinths on the Isles of Scilly, although none is known to date from before the nineteenth century.