On Wednesday 9th September, around 60 members and guests enjoyed our first talk of the season given by Andrew Meller who entertained us in lively fashion in ‘Tolkien in the Cotswolds – The Shaping of Middle Earth’.
Even from his infancy in South Africa and childhood in Birmingham, Tolkien drew inspiration from the landscape and people around him.
Andrew gave us many examples of places and characters in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings with direct links to Tolkien’s experiences.
Later, settled with his wife Edith in Oxford, Tolkien made regular trips into the Cotswolds where the couple had many connections including Tolkien’s brother Hilary who lived in Evesham.
Famously Tolkien is said to have based the Doors of Durin on the tree-lined door of St Edward’s church in Stow and the Bell Inn in Moreton-in-Marsh is said to have inspired The Prancing Pony in Bree where the Hobbits meet Aragorn for the first time. Broadway Tower is rumoured to be the idea behind the creation of Amon Hen with its ancient Seat of Seeing enabling the occupant to see great distances.
Tolkien’s time working on the Roman dig at Dwarf’s Hill Lydney Park in the Forest of Dean in 1929 and the myths and archaeology discovered there must surely have been a huge inspiration in shaping Middle Earth.
About Andew Meller
When not researching the past, historian Andrew has worked as a head teacher, actor and storyteller and has just retired as a bookseller with Waterstones.
