Westfarthing
| Westfarthing | |
|---|---|
| Region | |
 | |
| "The West Farthing" by Jef Murray | |
| General Information | |
| Location | The Shire |
| Type | Region |
| Major towns | Bywater, Hobbiton, Tuckborough, Michel Delving |
| People and History | |
| Inhabitants | Hobbits |
| Events | Free Fair, The Unexpected Party, Bilbo's Farewell Feast, Battle of Bywater |
| Gallery | Images of the Westfarthing |
The Westfarthing was one of the four Farthings of the Shire. Its easternmost point was the Three-Farthing Stone[1] and on its western border were the Far Downs[2] (and later, from Fo.A. 31 on, the region of Westmarch). Within its bounds was the "capital" of the Shire, Michel Delving and the ancestral homeland of the Tooks (and thus the seat of the Thain), known as Tookland.[3] Also, in the Westfarthing was Hobbiton, the home of Bilbo Baggins and his nephew, Frodo Baggins.[1]
Geography[edit | edit source]
A considerable portion of this farthing was included on the map called A Part of the Shire so many features of this section were shown:
- Hills: A portion of the Green Hill Country, Hobbiton Hill, White Downs, Far Downs
- Lakes: Bywater Pool
- Rivers: The Water, possibly a portion of the Norbourn
- Roads: East Road, South Lane
- Swamps: Rushock Bog
- Towns: Bywater, Hobbiton, Needlehole, Nobottle, Overhill, Tookbank, Tuckborough, Waymeet, Little Delving, Michel Delving, Whitwell,[4] Greenholm in the Far Downs.[5]
History[edit | edit source]
Perhaps the most significant event regarding Westfarthing was when Isumbras Took I became a Thain in T.A. 2340, beginning the hereditary Thainship of the Took line.[6] Thus Westfarthing was the centre of Hobbit "authority".
In T.A. 2941, the Unexpected Party occurred in the home of Bilbo Baggins at Bag End[7] in the West Farthing, and from the Green Dragon in Bywater, the Quest of Erebor began.[8] When Bilbo returned the next year he had to deal with an auction of his belongings since he had been presumed dead.[9]
To celebrate his 111th and Frodo's 33rd birthdays as well as his departure from the Shire, in T.A. 3001 Bilbo held a Farewell Party.[7]
On 23 September T.A. 3018, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin left Bag End heading for Crickhollow.[10]
Upon their return from their adventures in the south, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry returned to the Shire and in the Westfarthing they were the leaders in the Battle of Bywater, on 1 November T.A. 3019[11]
Culture[edit | edit source]
Every seven years the Mayor of Michel Delving was elected at the Free Fair on the White Downs at Lithe.[6]
As Westfarthing was the centre of Hobbit authority, the dialect of the Westfarthing (in scattered parts) had retained the deferential pronoun of the proper Westron which was lost in other forms of Hobbitish language. It was used more as a light-hearted term of endearment.[12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Part of the Shire" map
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Concerning Hobbits"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Three is Company"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Of the Ordering of the Shire"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Roast Mutton"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "The Last Stage"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Chief Days from the Fall of Barad-dûr to the End of the Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "On Translation"
