The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Probably founded in IV 41 (1462 by the Shire-reckoning)1
Location
On the Tower Hills in the Westmarch of the Shire
Race
Culture
Family
Meaning
A shortening of the full name Undertowers, named for the fact that it was built under the ancient White Towers on the Tower Hills
Other names

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About this entry:

  • Updated 6 January 2021
  • This entry is complete

The Towers

Chief settlement of the Shire’s Westmarch

Map of the Towers, Undertowers on the Tower Hills
The Towers of Westmarch (slightly conjectural)
The Towers of Westmarch (slightly conjectural)

A shortening of 'Undertowers', or a perhaps a direct reference to the three ancient Elf-towers that rose from the Tower Hills, and from which both the hills and Undertowers itself took their names. The Towers lay on the western edge of the land known as the Westmarch, the region between the Tower Hills and the Far Downs settled by Shire-hobbits after the War of the Ring. The Towers became the residence of the hereditary Wardens of Westmarch, descendants of Sam Gamgee's grandson Elfstan Fairbairn, whose family became known as the Fairbairns of the Towers.


Notes

1

That is, IV 41 is the year that the first Warden of Westmarch took up residence at the Towers. Undertowers might conceivably have existed beforehand, but if so it could only have dated back some ten years to the founding of the Westmarch in IV 31 (or 1452 by the Shire-reckoning).

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 6 January 2021
  • This entry is complete

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