The city has no statue, no iconic feature that links Tolkien to the city, and no businesses that are boastful of Birmingham as the city of Tolkien. Tolkien is inarguably a son of Birmingham – so why has the city not claimed him as their own? And more importantly why hasn’t the city cashed in on its claim to Tolkien?īirmingham Museum has a relatively unheard of Tolkien Trail.
The parallels with Isengard’s industrialisation and Mordor’s use of machinery to oppress nature are clear. Bloated black smoke would gurgle from the chimneys of the Black Country skyline, which would blot out the sun only to clear on Sundays when the factories were closed. The Chamberlain Clock Tower at the University of Birmingham Tolkien and his brother spent hours playing at the watermill, only to be chased away by the Miller’s son, whom they nicknamed the ‘White Ogre.’ The Chamberlain Clock Tower, here at the University of Birmingham, with its imposing height and menacing giant clock-face, inspired the Eye of Sauron. Sarehole Mill in Hall Green inspired the old mill in Hobbiton, south of which his Aunt had a farm called Bag End. Perrott’s Folly and Edgbaston Pumping Station, a slender red-brick tower, helped inspire Orthanc and Minas Morgul. The city captured the imagination of a young Tolkien, helping create some of the most iconic fantasy locations, most of which are now imprinted on the subconscious of the Western World. He grew up in Kings Heath, a suburb of the city, and spent a considerable amount of time in Hall Green, home to Moseley Bog, believed to be the inspiration for Fangorn Forest. Tolkien and his works are inextricably linked to Birmingham, and hints of Middle-earth can be found across the region.
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