The Lord of the Rings movies are, of course, monumental pieces of art. The filmmaking is simply exceptional, and the story transcends the trappings of high fantasy, reaching a wide, mainstream audience.
But as good as the movies are, they were forced to leave a lot of great material out for the sake of pacing and storytelling. As such, audiences may be left in the dark in regards to world building. Not that world building is important to the story, but it adds a lot of character and history to the world. And in that same vein, these are ten things that movie watchers didn't know about The Shire.
10 It Lies Within The Old Kingdom Of Arnor
Arnor was once a kingdom of men located in the northwestern portion of Middle-earth. It was founded by Elendil and contained the likes of Númenóreans, the Dúnedain, elves, and hobbits.
Unfortunately, the Kingdom was eventually fragmented, resulting in the realms of Cardolan, Rhudaur, and Arthedain. It is within the area of Arthedain that The Shire is located, and they shared the space with the Dúnedain.
9 The Shire Has Its Own Calendar
The Shire was officially founded in the year 1601 of the Third Age. However, this year is also referred to as Year 1 within the Shire calendar, which is called Shire Reckoning.
Much like our own, the Shire calendar contains twelve months, each with thirty days. The Shire Reckoning officially began when hobbit brothers Marcho and Blanco crossed the Brandywine River and settled in the area. The fertile land of what became the Shire was gifted to the hobbits by King Argeleb II.
8 Hobbits Once Lived Near The Misty Mountains
The movies would have audiences believe that Hobbits have always lived in the Shire. But that is not the case.
Hobbits originally hailed from the vale of Anduin, near the Misty Mountains. However, growing trouble in nearby Mirkwood caused them to relocate, and they traveled west over the Misty Mountains before settling in Dunland. They eventually made their way even further west before finally settling in the peaceful Shire.
7 The Shire Was Once A Royal Hunting Ground
Long before The Shire was The Shire, it was a royal hunting ground often used by King Argeleb II, the tenth King of Arthedain.
He began his rule in 1589 of the Third Age before dying in 1670. His rule was plagued by a literal plague and the aforementioned evil, resulting in the area of Arthedain (itself born from the fragmentation of Arnor) growing depopulated. His kingdom in ruin, Argeleb II gifted his old hunting grounds to the Hobbits, and in return, they pleaded loyalty.
6 The Shire Is Part Of The Kingdom Of Gondor
Eventually, the Witch King of Angmar conquered Arthedain but left The Shire alone for reasons unknown. And when the Kingdom of Arnor collapsed, The Shire officially became a part of the Kingdom of Gondor.
However, The Shire also remains an entirely self-governing province.
5 The Story Takes Place Roughly 1,400 Years After The Founding Of The Shire
The hobbits lived in peace as a self-governing province for roughly 1,400 years. Bilbo Baggins acquired the One Ring in year 1343 of the Shire Reckoning, meaning 1,343 years since Marcho and Blanco crossed the Brandywine River.
The events of The Fellowship of the Ring begin in the year 1418 of the Shire Reckoning. It was in April of that year that Gandalf returned to Bag End for Bilbo's birthday party, and it was in the following September that the Ringwraiths entered Hobbiton, officially declaring an end to world peace.
4 The Shire Is Attacked By Saruman
The movies remain very faithful to the source novels, but for one major difference - an event known as the Scouring of the Shire.
The Return of the King novel ends with the Hobbits returning home to find an industrialized area governed by Saruman. The Hobbits' return instigated the Battle of Bywater, which is known as the final battle in the War of the Ring. Saruman was defeated and exiled by Frodo, but his throat was eventually slit on the doorstep of Bag End by Wormtongue.
3 Buckland Was Given To The Shire By Aragorn
Located east of the Brandywine River is a region known as Buckland. While Buckland is inhabited by Shire Hobbits, it is not officially recognized as a region of The Shire.
Buckland is separated from The Shire by the Brandywine, but access is granted to both locations via the Brandywine Bridge and Bucklebury Ferry, which the Hobbits use to escape from the Ringwraiths. This area was eventually made part of The Shire during the reign of King Aragorn.
2 The Shire Is Protected By Dúnedain Rangers
The Shire is a peaceful location. It's not very important in terms of geographical positioning, natural resources, or dangerous inhabitants, so it remains free from violence or conquest.
However, it is still protected by Dúnedain Rangers, who regularly patrol The Shire's borders. These Rangers are the last remnants of the Dúnedain of Arnor, the old Kingdom in which The Shire is located.
1 The Shire Is Often Visited By Elves And Dwarves
The movies portray The Shire as a little oasis untouched by outside influences. And while that is mainly true, it is also subjected to the odd visit from Elves and Dwarves.
Dwarves travel on the Great Road that leads to their mines in the Blue Mountains. Wandering Companies of Elves also pass through The Shire while traveling to the Gray Havens. Both races are of great importance and interest to the Hobbits.
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