Castlewellan Peace Maze sets two world records

The Peace Maze in Castlewellan Forest Park has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records as being both the largest and longest maze in the world.

News of the achievement was celebrated at the maze by Forest Service staff and children from two local primary schools, who marked the occasion by releasing 300 dove shaped balloons from the centre of the maze.

District Forest Officer, John Watson, said: "We started planning this project in 1998. The concept was to commemorate peace and reconciliation with a significant landscape project for the people of Northern Ireland and its visitors to enjoy. Numerous hedge mazes have been built around the world and we are delighted to have received acknowledgement of the new world records for the Castlewellan Peace Maze here today.

"These are great recognition of the role many people played in the development of the Peace Maze. There were unprecedented levels of pupil participation, where over 4,000 school children submitted designs for the maze and 1,000 people attended community planting days."

The Peace Maze covers nearly three acres and has over two miles of pathway and the hedges. It is 21% larger and 29% longer than the previous record-holders and was constructed as a peace and reconciliation inspired project.

It cost around £570,000, 75% of which was funded by the European Union Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the remainder being funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Down District Council.

The idea for the project was conceived by Beverley Lear, Lear Associates, coincidentally on the same day as the Good Friday Agreement was signed (10 April 1998). Beverley, who is an anthropologist and landscape designer, used the best ideas from the childrens’ designs and formulated the final design layout.

The centrally placed solution to the maze is marked by a bell, which was previously located at Parkanaur Forest, Dungannon, Co Tyrone. The bell is believed to be the most frequently rung bell in Ireland, with in excess of half a million rings a year as people leave the maze.

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