Rosamund Coughton Court

The labyrinth features a statue of Fair Rosamund. She was reputedly one of the great beauties of the twelfth century and inspired ballads, poems, stories and paintings. According to legend King Henry II adopted her as his mistress, and in order to conceal his affair from Queen Eleanor, it was carried out within the innermost recesses of a complicated maze (labyrinth) which he had made in his park. Rumours however reached the ears of the Queen and she managed to find her way into the Labyrinth and confronted her terrified and tearful rival. She then forced her to choose between the dagger and a bowl of poison; Rosamund chose the latter and died. Around her statue is planted a variety of rose called Rosa Mundi which was named in her memory. ( It is not Rosa Mundi in the background)