Southfarthing

From Tolkien Gateway
Southfarthing
Region
General Information
LocationThe Shire
TypeRegion
RegionsThe Shire
InhabitantsHobbits

The Southfarthing was the warmer southern farthing of The Shire. Its northernmost point was the Three Farthing Stone, its eastern border was the Brandywine River, and much of its border with the Eastfarthing ran along the River Shirebourn.[1]

This was the region where most of the Shire's pipe-weed production was concentrated, in warm sheltered places like Longbottom.[2] Another noted product of the Southfarthing was the strong red wine called Old Winyards.[3]

Geographic Features

A portion of this farthing was included on the map called A Part of the Shire so some features of this section were shown:

History

About T.A. 1630 many Stoors from Dunland entered and settled in the Southfarthing,[4] and thereafter Stoorish characteristics and appearance were common among the Hobbits in that region.

Tobold Hornblower of Longbottom first grew pipe-weed in the Southfarthing about the year T.A. 2670.[5]

Saruman, having received reports on Gandalf’s movements and noting his interest in the Shire, began keeping agents in the Southfarthing in T.A. 2953.[4]

The Southfarthing was where Lotho Sackville-Baggins began his rise to power during the War of the Ring, based on the substantial property in the region that he inherited from his father.[6] Presumably it was he who began exporting pipe-weed to Saruman.

References