A RICH HERITAGE

With a walk inspired by JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the history and heritage that can be found within the Ribble Valley is truly astounding

A feature of the Ribble Valley that makes it so unforgettable is its heritage. Sites such as the 14th century Whalley Abbey, the Ribchester Roman Museum and the medieval Clitheroe Castle form part of the locality’s historic backdrop.

What’s more, the breathtaking Stonyhurst College served as a source of inspiration for the prolific author JRR Tolkien and his book Lord of the Rings. In addition to its history, Ribble Valley also plays host to vibrant cultural, music, art and food events, which are up and running.

Considering all that Ribble Valley has to offer, it’s no wonder that it is recognised nationally as one of the best places to live in the UK. Even the Queen told her biographer that she yearns to retire to the area one day. Like Her Majesty, you are bound to fall in love with the fresh air and beauty of the Ribble Valley.

TOLKIEN TRAIL

This fascinating trail explores the Ribble landscape that is thought to have inspired the work of JRR Tolkien.

Starting from Hurst Green village the circular walk is 9km/5.5 miles and should take between three and four hours to complete. It can be muddy at certain times of the year so stout footwear is advisable and maybe a snack and drink to enjoy along the way.

The Tolkien Trail leaflet is available from the reception of the Shireburn Arms hotel in Hurst Green or downloaded from visitribblevalley.co.uk

The epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy was compiled over the course of some 16 years, and finally published in 1954/55. JRR Tolkien, his wife and children, regularly stayed at a guest house in the grounds belonging to Stonyhurst College. Their son, John, who was studying for the priesthood at the English College in Rome, was evacuated to the Jesuit seminary at St Mary’s Hall (now the preparatory school for Stonyhurst College) during the Second World War. Tolkien spent much of his time writing, both at the guest house and in the college itself.

Tolkien was renowned for his love of nature, wooded landscapes and the countryside around Stonyhurst, which is richly beautiful. A number of names occuring in The Lord of the Rings are similar to those found locally, including Shire Lane (in Hurst Green) and the River Shirebourn (similar to the name of the family who built Stonyhurst). The ferry at Hacking Hall (still working when Tolkien was staying in the area) may have provided the inspiration for the Buckleberry Ferry in the book, and the view from Tom Bombadil’s house may have been based on that from New Lodge. Whatever the direct links which Tolkien used in his book, he certainly spent much of his time at Stonyhurst working on The Lord of the Rings in a classroom on the upper gallery of the college.

‘Tolkien was renowned for his love of nature, wooded landscapes and the countryside around Stonyhurst’

An Oxford Professor of Anglo Saxon and later of English Language and Literature, he even taught a few lessons at the college during his visits.

Stonyhurst College is proud of its association with the author, which continued when his younger son Michael

taught Classics at the college and at St Mary’s Hall in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With the opening of a new Tolkien Library at St Mary’s Hall in 2002, JRR Tolkien’s connection with the Ribble Valley will live on for future generations.

Reproduced with permission from: visitribblevalley.co.uk