Shire (Middle-earth) facts for kids
The Shire is a special place from the books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It was created by the British author J. R. R. Tolkien.
It's a peaceful area in the northwest of Middle-earth. This is a big continent in Tolkien's made-up world called Arda. The Shire is home only to hobbits. Hobbits are a short, friendly people, a bit like humans.
The Shire was started in the middle of the Third Age. Not much exciting history happened there because hobbits love peace. The biggest events were during the War of the Ring.
Tolkien had the idea for the Shire while writing The Hobbit. He officially created it for The Lord of the Rings. He was inspired by Sarehole, a place in Birmingham where he lived as a child.
Contents
What do Hobbits Call the Shire?
Hobbits have their own names for the Shire. They sometimes call it Sûza or Sûzat. These words come from Rohirric, a language from Rohan. The hobbits learned these words before they moved to the Shire.
The Elves, who speak Sindarin, call it i Drann. The Shire is also known as "Four Farthings." This name refers to how the land is divided.
Exploring the Shire's Geography
Tolkien described the Shire as a large area. It was about 193 kilometers (120 miles) from west to east. It stretched about 241 kilometers (150 miles) from north to south. This means the Shire covered about 47,000 square kilometers (18,000 square miles).
The Shire's first border on the east was the Baranduin River. To the north were uplands leading to the old kingdom of Arnor. The White Downs were its western border. Marshlands to the south of the Shirebourne River marked its southern edge.
Later, hobbits moved east into Buckland. This area is between the Baranduin River and the Old Forest. Much later, they also moved west into the Westmarch. This land is between the White Downs and the Tower Hills.
The Shire was divided into four main parts called Farthings. Buckland and the Westmarch were officially added later. King Elessar gave these lands to the hobbits after the War of the Ring.
Within these Farthings, some families have their own areas. For example, the Tooks mostly live near Tuckborough in Tookland. A hobbit's last name often shows where their family came from. Samwise Gamgee's name comes from Gamwich, his family's original home. Buckland was named after the Oldbucks, who later became the Brandybucks.
The Shire had many towns but few big cities. It still had large areas of forests and wetlands. It is described as a "small land" but very beautiful and fertile. Hobbits loved their home. Its good location made the land fertile. Hobbits had a great farming system. They grew lots of cereals, fruits, and wood. They also grew pipe-weed, which hobbits loved. Their economy was mostly self-sufficient. Hobbits usually ate all their crops or saved them for gifts.
What are the Shire's Hills Like?
The Shire has low hills, not tall mountains. Here are the main ones:
- Far Hills: Also called Faraway Downs. These are between the Tower Hills (west) and the White Downs (east). They were the Shire's western border at first. Later, they became part of the Westfarthing. The village of Greenholm is found here.
- White Downs: Also known as White Hills. These are in the Westfarthing, east of the Far Hills. "Michel Delving" was located here. The Free Fair, where the Mayor of the Shire was chosen, happened here.
- Scary Hills: These are in the Eastfarthing. They stretch from the Baranduin River almost to the Northfarthing border. The villages of Scary and Quarry are near these hills to the south. Dachshund village is at their base.
- Green Hills: These hills stretch from the Westfarthing, through the Southfarthing, and into the Eastfarthing. They go into the Woody End. The lands they covered were called the "Green Hills Lands." This included "Took Land" and the towns of "Ravines of Took," "Tucker," and "Tuft." The Shire River and the Cardoon River start in these hills.
What is the Weather Like in the Shire?
The Shire usually has a mild ocean climate. Temperatures are a bit warmer in the south than in the north. Seasonal changes are a little stronger in the far east. This means hotter summers and colder winters there.
It rains moderately all year. The Northfarthing gets more snow when cold air comes from the north.
Who Lives in the Shire?
Only hobbits live in the Shire. During the War of the Ring, almost all hobbits lived there. Only a few lived in the nearby town of Bree. Hobbits are known for being short, usually between 60 and 120 centimeters tall. They also have lots of hair on the tops of their feet.
There were different groups of hobbits. But they all mixed when the Albos hobbits founded the Shire. This blended their physical traits. The hobbits from the marshes, called Forts, are a bit different. They can grow fuzz on their chins, while other hobbits have no beard at all. The "Gamoviejo family" used to live in Marish before moving to "Buckland" and changing their name to Brandybuck.
Some well-known hobbit families include the Took, Handbag, Bolger, Gamgee, Brandybuck, Sackville, Cornet, Boffin, Proudfoot, Burrow, Dachshund, and Round families. Each family often has a land or town where they live. Their name often comes from that place. For example, the Gamgyis come from "Town of Gamwich." The Tooks mostly live in "Took Land" in the Green Hills.
Images for kids
-
A map of Iceland divided into four farthings from 1761, similar to how the Shire is divided.
-
Industrial buildings near the Worcester and Birmingham Canal in Worcestershire.
-
Part of the Shire built for Peter Jackson's films in New Zealand.
See also
In Spanish: Comarca (Tierra Media) para niños
