I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay, small acts of kindness and love.
– J.R.R. Tolkien
What Is The Shire?
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional Middle-earth. An inland area settled exclusively by hobbits (Shire-folk) in the region of Eriador and the Kingdom of Arnor in the northwest of the continent. Tolkien based the Shire’s fauna, flora, climate, landscapes and placenames on rural England where he lived. In Peter Jackson’s films, the Shire was represented by countryside and constructed hobbit-holes on a Hobbiton farm near Matamata, New Zealand, which is now a famous tourist destination. #creative
How Big Is The Shire?
Tolkien describes the Shire as an area of 18,000 square miles (47,000 km²). 40 leagues (193 km, 120 miles) from the Far Downs in the west to the Brandywine Bridge in the east, and 50 leagues (241 km, 150 miles) from the northern moors to the marshes in the south. When compared to real countries, the Shire is larger than, for example, the Netherlands, Estonia or Denmark. #funfact
What Is The Shire Famous For?
Sheltered from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth, The Shire was well-suited for farming and thus focused on agriculture. One of its chief products was Halflings’ Leaf aka Pipe-weed, grown especially in the warmer regions of the Southfarthing. #420 #wow