ON a beautiful sunny morning at the heart of Bodmin Moor, the world’s largest stone labyrinth saw its final stone laid by a Cornish maid on her third birthday.

Completed on Friday [March 20] after seven years of hard work, Kerdroya was celebrated in time for the spring equinox with a procession led by traditional Cornish music and dance. It opened to the public yesterday [Sunday, March 22] and now stands as a living monument to Cornwall’s landscape, craftsmanship and cultural heritage, with the waters of Colliford Lake glittering in the background.

The 56m-diameter labyrinth is a traditional design with a single-path leading to centre, meaning you have to walk a mile to get to the centre – and then back again.

Its walls display 12 regional styles of Cornish hedging. A craft dating back an estimated 4,000 years, it blends stone-walling techniques with compacted earth and vegetation to provide haven or passage for wildlife including pollinators, birds, bats and hedgehogs. An array of wildflowers has already self-seeded, and throughout its development Kerdroya has helped to revitalise a traditional rural trade.

Its creator, Will Coleman - artistic director at Golden Tree Productions – made headlines with the Man Engine mechanical puppet that took Cornwall by storm in 2016. On Friday, he presided over the laying of the final stone with his three-year-old granddaughter, Bryher. Speaking in both Cornish and English, he said: “In a maze, you get lost; in a labyrinth, you find yourself.”

All along the wall are 400 brass plaques bearing the names and thoughts of sponsors and individuals who bought a yard of hedgerow to ensure the project reached its goal. “This is a community-funded project – we couldn’t have done this without them,” said Will. “It’s been quite a mission.”

The labyrinth sits on what was once a disused car park owned by South West Lakes Trust (SWLT). In 2019, Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – now Cornwall National Landscape - launched a competition to celebrate its 60th anniversary by finding a use for the site; Kerdroya, a long-cherished idea just waiting for a home, was the winner.

Colette Holden, former partnership manager of what was then the - recalled: “We had 20 projects to consider, and Will was very persuasive. We were blown away by his enthusiasm – how could we say no to something like this? Perhaps it will still be here in 4,000 years’ time.”

SWLT chief executive James Platts said: “It’s fantastic to see it open. It’s an educational place brimming with Cornish heritage. SWLT is all about public access, recreation and leisure – Kerdroya fits really well with what we do.”

The project has received supported from organisations including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Cornwall Council, South West Water, Arts Council England, Guild of Cornish Hedgers and local corporate sponsors.

Entrance to the site is free, although a parking charge applies. Visitors can download the Places and Trails app for a guided tour and the story behind Kerdroya. Visit goldentree.org.uk/kerdroya/