The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Founded no earlier than III 1601 (year 1 by the Shire-reckoning): survived into the Fourth Age
Location
A town in the Shire, southeastward of Hobbiton near the eastern borders of the Westfarthing
Race
Culture
Family
Associated with the Cotton family, who farmed the lands to the south of Bywater
Pronunciation
by'water
Meaning
Simply the village 'by' the 'Water'

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About this entry:

  • Updated 21 July 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

Bywater

The village by the Water

Map of Bywater
Bywater and the surrounding region1
Bywater and the surrounding region1

A town or village of the Shire, lying close to Hobbiton on the borders of the Westfarthing, near the East Road.


Notes

1

The map shown here follows the large-scale map of the Shire published in The Lord of the Rings, but it should be noted that Tolkien did not appear to consider that map completely canonical. In late notes reproduced in The History of Hobbit, he says that 'in that map Bywater and its pool are somewhat too far east'. According to those notes, Bywater lay much more nearly southward of Hobbiton, with just a mile and a quarter between Hobbiton's road junction and the northernmost dwellings of Bywater (including the Green Dragon inn). These comments fit the text rather more easily, for instance making the Green Dragon much more accessible to the Hobbits of Hobbiton who evidently frequented it, but for consistency we maintain the standard map layout here.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 21 July 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

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