Tolkien statues for village that inspired his work
East Riding of Yorkshire CouncilStatues of an incident that inspired the author JRR Tolkien will be unveiled in an East Yorkshire village next month.
The wooden sculptures depict the writer's wife Edith dancing in a nearby wood, which was the basis for a scene in his novel The Silmarillion.
Tolkien, who is best-known for writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, spent 18 months in the area recovering from trench fever contracted while serving during World War One.
The two new artworks in Roos, near Withernsea, will form part of a Tolkien Triangle trail, highlighting his time in Hull and East Yorkshire.
Other locations on the trail include the former military hospital in Hull where Tolkien was treated and the military bases along the Holderness coast where he was stationed.
One of the hand-carved statues shows the young Tolkien. The second depicts Edith dancing in silhouette, etched into a thick oak slab.
Councillor Nick Coultish, cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said that the area "played a pivotal role in shaping the imaginative world of Middle-earth" – the fictional realm in which many of Tolkien's stories are set.
"The unveiling of these statues stands as a tribute not only to his time here during the First World War, but also to the lasting impact this beautiful landscape had on his creativity," he added.
"Tolkien found inspiration for some of his most enduring stories, and it is fitting that we celebrate his legacy in the very place that helped spark it."
The sculptures will be unveiled in the grounds of the village's All Saints Church on 6 June. The wood where Edith danced, an event that inspired his story Of Beren and Luthien, is still standing at the back of the church.
A limited number of free tickets are available for the unveiling, which must be booked in advance online.
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