The Heath of the Sky-roof was an upland heath located about a league from the town of Tavrobel in Tol Eressëa, according to the early version of the legendarium in The Book of Lost Tales.
It was the location of a great battle during the Faring Forth, after which it was called the Withered Heath, presumably due to the destruction that has taken place during the battle.[1]
Other names
The place was also called the High Heath, and the Heaven Roof.[2]
Its Gnomish name was Ladwen-na-Dhaideloth,[2] glossed as the "Heath of the Sky-roof", consisting of the elements ladwen ("levelness, flatness; plain, heath; plane; surface") + na ("of the") + dai ("sky") + teloth ("roofing, canopy, shelter").[3] An alternative form of the name was Ladwen Daideloth.[2]
Another name for the place was Dor-na-Dhaideloth,[2] meaning "Land of Heaven Roof", the first element of the name being dôr ("land, country").[4]
Inspiration
G. L. Elkin, the Acting Director of the Shugborough Estate, has suggested to Christopher Tolkien that the Heath of the Sky-roof might have been inspired by Hopton Heath, where in 1643, a battle of the Civil War was fought.
It was located a few miles away from Great Haywood which served as an inspiration for Tavrobel.[5]
Alternatively, according to John Garth, it might have been inspired by Cannock Chase, a small area of countryside in Staffordshire.[6]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales", outline 5, p. 284
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales", outline 8, p. 287
- ↑ Paul Strack, "G. Ladwen-na-Dhaideloth loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 16 April 2022
- ↑ Paul Strack, "G. Dor-na-Dhaideloth loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 16 April 2022
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Appendix: III. The Second 'Silmarillion' Map", p. 413
- ↑ John Garth, Tolkien and the Great War, "Epilogue. 'A new light'", p. 273