Mazes are part of the Renaissance garden tradition, becoming part of formal garden design throughout Europe.  This became unpopular in the eighteenth century and was revived in Victorian times. A number of wealthy people created mazes for their own enjoyment and William Waldorf Astor was following in this tradition when he planted the maze at Hever Castle in 1906.

The maze measures eighty feet by eighty feet. The hedges reach eight feet in height and there is almost a quarter of a mile of pathways inside.  It is one of only a few traditionally designed mazes in the country and is open between April and October (weather permitting).