Editorial - Caerdroia 1992
Welcome to this, the 25th edition of Caerdroia, which will show the range of material which can now be drawn together for each issue, covering a wide selection of information and ideas on the history and development of the labyrinth from its early origins until the modern day and beyond. Our thanks as always go to all those that have contributed to this edition - to the stalwarts and newcomers alike - and we extend our usual invitation to all of you to submit material for future issues. 
Caerdroia - the first 25
"What does Caerdroia mean?" is a question often asked of your editor. The City of Troy connection is usually sufficient to satisfy the enquirers need for explanation. "What is Caerdroia?" is a trickier question, and the answer often requires frequent updating as Caerdroia continues to contact new co-respondents around the world. For the benefit of readers new to the pages of Caerdroia, the following update will hopefully bring you up to date; for the seasoned traveller on the twisting path that leads eventually to the goal, perhaps this pause to look back will provide further ideas for the path ahead.
Since Caerdroia was founded in 1980, initially as a group to study English turf labyrinths, it has expanded its aims to encompass the study of the labyrinth in the broadest sense of the word. Ancient labyrinths carved on rockfaces, 3000 or more years old, which have evolved through various forms and mediums into the modern puzzle mazes of almost infinite complexity - the study of all of these belong within the covers. Starting as little more than a photocopied newsletter issued quarterly, it has itself evolved through several formats into an annual journal which gathers together contributions from readers scattered, much like the mazes and labyrinths themselves, around the world.
Over the years Caerdroia has drawn together many of the maze and labyrinth enthusiasts, researchers, designers and practitioners to share their knowledge, experiences, theories and ideas. Caerdroia has endeavoured to provide an open forum for all these people, a place where both academics and enthusiasts can meet to spread the word. As always the contents of each issue reflect the interests of those that contribute and the editorial policy remains one of publishing any material submitted, as long as it is constructive, reasonably well written and not offensive! The balance of material has evolved naturally over the years, but hopefully, you the reader will agree, it has always been informative and interesting, whatever your personal angle of interest. It has been difficult at times to please all of the people all of the time, but your continued support and the flourishing subscriber base suggests that we get it right more often than wrong. We remain keen to hear your opinions on general and specific matters concerning the journal in particular.
Producing each issue is in itself a labyrinthine process. The major, often academic or documentary articles, kindly submitted by their respective authors provide the essential clear pathways into each edition; the shorter notes provide the interesting meanders and occasionally frustrating diversions within the maze; the Notes and Queries chart those areas of the puzzle currently little explored or those that prove to be dead-ends. To provide this guide to the many circuitous paths within the labyrinth we rely on you all to forward any clues that you may find on your own wanderings - information and notes, photographs, postcards or press clippings - all are distilled down to produce the pages of Caerdroia.
Caerdroia has now become a means for anybody with an interest in this obscure little subject to keep in touch with current developments and keep in contact with the 500 or so readers around the world who share your enthusiasm. The Caerdroia Directory, introduced in the last edition, will continue to serve as a means for readers with labyrinthine products or services to make themselves known, as well as a notice-board for anybody seeking correspondence with other readers in their area or sharing similar particular interests.
Since the founding of Caerdroia, ongoing research and our ever increasing circle of contacts around the world has contributed a large body of data and general information towards the Caerdroia Archives - at the last count several filing cabinets full! Much of this information has been used over the years for the pages of Caerdroia, but much still remains, awaiting its chance. This provides an invaluable resource both for Caerdroia and its readers. Requests for photocopies of available material on particular topics or locations are always welcomed, although a full catalogue of the material currently on file remains a project for the future. The Caerdroia reprint service detailed in the 1992 Newsletter provides an opportunity for readers to catch up on items published in the pages of Caerdroia over the years; in the future we hope to expand this to include key items from the general archives. Contributions of material for the Caerdroia Archive are of course always welcome and of course will be fully credited to the contributor in any subsequent use. Aside from the obvious books and journals, photocopies of reports, photographs, press clippings, etc., the archive also contains numerous postcards and children's maze toys, various items of labyrinthine jewellery and other trinkets. An extension to Caerdroia HQ in the near future will at last provide Caerdroia with a purpose built office space and much needed storage, so don't be surprised if we are a little slow in answering your mail during the summer months while we reorganise.
Caerdroia has always been, and remain, a non-profit making organisation. By the very nature of any small body dealing with a subject as specialised as mazes & labyrinths, the constraints of a shoestring budget to cover the cost of producing, printing and posting the journal and newsletter coupled with the running of the organisation - postage, stationary, equipment, etc., relies on readers subscriptions for support. For this reason all who work for Caerdroia do so on an unpaid, voluntary basis.
With 25 editions of the journal now published, in various forms, the current format of a packed annual edition of Caerdroia seems to be the most practical for the future. The 60-odd pages each issue allows the space for both lengthy papers and plenty of short notes in each issue, as well as the time for your editor to type, edit, layout, prepare photos, paste-up, print and post within the general deadline!
The future course for Caerdroia, as might be expected travelling as we do a labyrinthine pathway, remains at best slightly unclear, but while we all have a common goal in exploring the labyrinth, whether we are concerned with finding the centre or not, Caerdroia will strive to continue to provide a companion for the traveller on the Chemin de Jérusalem or playing the Ludus Trojae.
Jeff Saward, Thundersley, March 1993.
 Inscription taken from former pavement labyrinth, Piacenza, Italy, c.900 AD.