JRR Tolkien's books and works continue to inspire. Thanks to the huge success of Peter Jackson's film franchise, a completely new generation have discovered the fantasy and magic that Tolkien created. However, what was it that inspired Tolkien, a university professor and academic, to conjure up the incredible imagery of Mordor, the Shire, the Forest of Mirkwood and the towers of Barad-dûr and Orthanc? What better way to find out than to visit the places where Tolkien lived, grew up, and worked. Many of these places inspired his creation of Middle-earth, and for any Tolkien fan, there are fifteen places you must see if you want to try to understand the mind of the true master of high fantasy.
Sarehole Mill
While Tolkien was born in Orange Free State in South Africa, his family moved to on the outskirts of Birmingham when he was just four years old. At the time, Birmingham was the industrial heart of the UK, but Tolkien lived away from the factories and warehouses and enjoyed rolling fields, pastures, woods and quaint buildings in the little hamlet of Sarehole Mill. Tolkien spent much of his childhood at Sarehole, which has a water driven mill in its centre, playing with his brother. Many people think Tolkien used his early childhood memories of Sarehole as inspiration for the Shire and Hobbitton, and when you see the quaint cottages and the mill itself, you will understand why. If there is a building on earth that best describes Bag End, then it is Sarehole Mill. Tolkien loved the place so much that he helped pay for its restoration in the 1960s. |
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Perrott's Folly
Tolkien's The Two Towers is named after the towers of Orthanc in Isengard and Barad-dûr in Mordor. While several different locations have been suggested to be the inspiration for these two monoliths, when you set on eyes on Perrott's Folly, you will have to admit it has to be a leading contender. Not far from where Tolkien lived as a child, the tall, thin tower of Perrott's Folly, with its ramparts and medieval appearance, looks like it jumped straight out of the pages of one of Tolkien's books. Built by John Perrot in 1758, the folly would have originally offered an unrivalled view of the pre-industrialised Birmingham. However, in Tolkien's day, the most distinguishable sight visible from the top of Perrott's Folly would have been the tall tower of Edgbaston Waterworks or the clock tower of the nearby university. |
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Edgbaston Waterworks
New Zealand
While Tolkien never visited New Zealand himself, the rugged scenery used by Peter Jackson in his trilogy of movies (and forthcoming Hobbit films) certainly created the atmosphere of Middle-earth. New Zealand is certainly worth a visit for any fan that has been enamoured with the films. The rugged and imposing scenery provides a glimpse of Middle-earth in real life, especially Mount Ngauruhoe, which served as Mount Doom. While New Zealand is long flight from both Europe and America, Australasia cruises provides a more sedate and relaxing way of seeing New Zealand and the surrounding antipodean islands. It is certainly worth the effort an expensive too, as many of the natural features serve as the perfect backdrop for the imaginings of Tolkien, and if you go now, you may catch a glimpse of filming for the forthcoming Hobbit trilogy. |
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The Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland
Tolkien's Home in Oxford
Merton College
Exeter College
Addison's Walk
Tolkien's Tree University Botanical Gardens
Tolkien spent a lot of time in the Botanic Gardens in Oxford where he would sit against his favourite tree. Famously photographed against this twisty, deformed Pinus nigra, it is an enormous Austrian pine that must have served as inspiration for the Ents in Lord of the Rings as the tree looks as if it is about to stand up and walk. |
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The Eagle and Child
The Bodleian Library
Another must see location in Oxford for any Tolkien fan is the Bodleian Library, which is the main research library at the University. This is the location where many of Tolkien's treasured manuscripts and original drawings for Lord of the Rings are kept and allows fans the unique privilege of seeing the original works close up. Furthermore, it is also home to the Red Book of Hergest, one of the most important medieval documents in the world, which is full of ancient tales and poetry (written in Welsh) and probably served as inspiration for his Tolkien's own fictional Red Book of Westmarch. |
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Oxonmoot
If you have never been to a major Tolkien event then you really can't call yourself a fan. Perhaps the best is Oxonmoot, run by the Tolkien Society UK, which is held at Oxford College during the weekend closest to 22 September (Frodo and Bilbo's birthday). The weekend celebration is a mix of talks, exhibitions, shows and a masque ball held in the evening where everyone dresses up as their favourite Lord of the Rings characters. |
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Tolkien's resting place
The Somme
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