J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings (1954-55) and its predecessor The Hobbit (1937) have become cornerstones of Britain's literary heritage, triggering the fantasy genre without which many subsequent works, including J K Rowling's Harry Potter series, would not have been written. Tolkien's early life was split between the rural hamlet of Sarehole, just south of Birmingham, and darkly urban Birmingham itself, where he was sent to school. 

Such contrasting surroundings combined with his strict catholic upbringing meant that from an early age the polarizing forces of good and evil were very much alive. He himself refers to Sarehole as being the inspiration for the Shire, home of the Hobbits, in his own words 'a kind of lost paradise'. He spent many an hour playing near Sarehole Mill, the original for the mill at Hobbition near Bag End, and being chased off by the miller's son, nicknamed the 'White Ogre'. He also loved playing in Moseley Bog, an area of woodland said to be the inspiration for the sinister Old Forest on the outskirts of Hobbiton. Legend has it that the trees move, just like the trees in the Old Forest, and indeed many have roots resembling gnarled feet! 

He also often walked in the nearby Malvern Hills, inspiration for the Misty Mountains in the books. Locals refer to the range as the 'misty mountains' as, even on a clear day, they appear covered in mist. Tolkien may well have written the final parts of The Lord of the Rings while staying in the Ribble Valley in Lancashire. Tolkien was familiar with the area from visits to his son at Stonyhurst between 1942 and 1947, and some believe that it was a further source of inspiration for earlier parts of the work, attributing The Old Forest to Mitton Wood, Clitheroe and Hobbiton to the village of Hurst Green. Whichever it was that inspired him, it is clear that Tolkien based his vision of the safe hobbit world from which his heroes set out on the enduring quest of good versus evil on the lovely rural landscapes which, to him, represented home.  

The best way to appreciate these areas is on foot. Follow the Tolkien Trail from Sarehole or meander along the banks of the Ribble taking in many associations with 'Middle Earth'. The circular Mortimer Trail across the Malverns is also popular and offers lovely views of the Welsh border country. 

This information was kindly provided by Ian Collier, a member of the Tolkien Society.

Further information

The Tolkien Society was founded in 1969 to further interest in the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.B.E., the author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and other works of fiction and philological study. Based in the United Kingdom and registered as an independent, non-profit making charity, number 273809, the Society has an international membership which benefits from regular publications and events. For more information visit www.tolkiensociety.org (www.tolkiensociety.org).