The Labyrinth at Castlebank Park
Lanark Community Development Trust had been considering for quite some time how to make the old sundial lawn at Castlebank Park more interesting and attractive to visitors. When HRH Prince Charles visited in June 2019, he suggested creating a maze there and following his visit he sent us a generous donation.
We discussed the logistics of maintaining a maze with our volunteers and came to the decision that we didn’t have the manpower for the upkeep of a maze so the idea of creating a labyrinth was born.
Labyrinths – A History
Labyrinths have been around for a very long time, perhaps as long as 7000 years! The Castlebank Labyrinth is a classical 7-circuit Labyrinth from ancient Greece. Each circuit has deep symbolic meaning, varying from culture to culture around the world. The Castlebank Labyrinth is a classical 7-circuit Labyrinth from ancient Greece.Unlike a maze, you cannot get lost in a labyrinth as there is only one path leading to the centre. This lets you focus on contemplation rather than navigation.
Classical Labyrinth on a Tetradrachm coin
Crete, Greece, c. 80BC
How to use the Labyrinth
Walk on the grass as you follow the path towards the centre and out again. As you walk the one path to the centre, contemplate on how you feel as you make your journey. Pause to reflect when you arrive at the sundial, then begin to retrace your steps.
The Development of the Labyrinth
Commemorative Benches
Working in partnership, Lanark Community Development Trust (LCDT) and the Lanimer Committee unveiled two new benches in the newly developed Labyrinth Garden of Castlebank Park. The benches have been hand-carved from cedar wood by Iain Chalmers of Chainsaw Creations and will be a lasting monument to the royal family.
The first bench was funded by a personal donation from Prince Charles following his visit to Castlebank in 2019. The bench will be called the ‘Prince of Wales Bench.’ The donation to LCDT allowed for the redevelopment site, and it was decided that a Labyrinth was the best use of the space. With delays due to Covid, the Labyrinth was finished in February of this year. Sylvia Russell, chairman of LCDT, said “it’s great to finally have the site fully redeveloped. It has taken a huge effort from our volunteers and staff at Castlebank to turn the site into another great asset at the park.”
The 2nd ‘Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Bench’ was funded by contributions from the Lanimer Committee, Lanark Inner Wheel, Lanark Rotary, Lanark Roundtable, the Lord Cornets’ Club and the Guildry of Lanark. This bench was commissioned to mark the historic and once in a lifetime Platinum Jubilee Celebration. The benches were unveiled at a ceremony on the Friday the 3rd of June 2022.
Installation & Unveiling