The Labyrinth at Castlebank Park

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.

• Walk & Reflect
• Meditate or Pray
• Have Fun 

The Development of the Labyrinth

Project Timeline

• June 2019 – HRH Prince Charles visited Castlebank Park, he suggested creating a maze there and following his visit he sent us a generous donation.
• November 2019 – Initial design of the Labyrinth was created and marked on the grass.
• January 2020 – Six cherry trees were planted at each side of the site.
• March 2020 – Covid19 lock-down, all work was halted.
• December 2022 – The design of the Labyrinth was again marked out, and work started on removing the top soil.
• January 2022 – Delivery of some of the building materials. Along with Castlebank volunteers, community payback & Skills Exchange, the Labyrinth started to take shape.
• February 2022 – The build of the Labyrinth completed. Two custom benches commissioned for either end of the site.
• March 2022 – The sun dial installed on the plinth.
• June 2022 – Two commemorative benches installed at either end of the Labyrinth (more information below).

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 

Planned and implemented by Lanark Community Development Trust and
Castlebank Volunteers with assistance from SLC Community Payback Squad,
CCI and Skills Exchange Scotland.

Funded by a donation from HRH The Prince of Wales