Letter 49b

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 49b
Recipient	Christopher Tolkien
Date	1 September 1943

Letter 49b is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition.

Background

Tolkien, Edith and Priscilla had travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon for the weekend to visit Christopher, who had been transferred there.

Summary

Tolkien describes a visit to the Collegiate Church, highlighting its historical significance and the impact of the Reformation. He contrasts the vulgar Tudor-Jacobean tombs with a modern Catholic statuette of Our Lady, reflecting on the changes over time. Tolkien also mentions the instructive depiction of the church in 1340 and the parish register, noting its Latin text and medieval handwriting still in use during Shakespeare's birth.