The Labyrinth
Please note the Labyrinth is currently in need of some significant restoration
to redefine the pathways and is currently not suitable for use
In the churchyard at All Saints' Church, Tudeley is the prayer labyrinth:
we invite you to come and use this method of prayer and listening to God.
Labyrinths were a feature of many medieval churches, most famously Chartres Cathedral in France.
Their origins go back much further, long before the birth of Christ. They were adopted by the church to be used as shortened pilgrimages, probably because of their cross-like symmetry.
The labyrinth has no walls and only one path. The path way leads to the centre and then continues outwards. There are no dead ends.
The labyrinth at All Saints is based on a design found in a fountain in Damascus. At the centre is a carving designed by Frances Hawken and executed by Joe King, depicting The Cross and the hands of God:
"The eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deuteronomy 33: 27)
Our Prayer Labyrinth
The pathway is made by cutting the grass very short. The edges either side of the path are produced by allowing the grass to grow a little longer. There is a wooden cross in the centre, with various numbered turning points along the way.
Prayer journeys can be made walking around the labyrinth and there are several prayers and meditations to guide you: these can be found in the porch at the entrance of the church.