Lord of the Rings enthusiasts will be eager to add this stunning Cotswolds location to their must-visit list. It’s well known that author J. R. R. Tolkien found inspiration for Middle Earth in numerous real-world locations across England, and one particular spot has been attracting fans keen to explore it.
Ellen Ferrara Bencard, an English-American correspondent, has been visiting Stow-On-The-Wold, a market town in Gloucestershire, twice every summer for over three decades. However, it was only recently that she discovered its connection to Tolkien, the renowned English author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
After being guided to the north side of St Edward’s Church, a medieval parish church and grade I listed building, she uncovered what she describes as the “most magical thing in the place”. In a recent video on her @bencardsbites TikTok page, the travel and history enthusiast showcased the “classic Cotswolds parish church”.
According to Ellen, to discover this “treasure”, you need to enter the church courtyard and proceed to the north side. At the north door, she claims you’ll find what “Tolkien fans come from all over the country and perhaps even the world to seek out”.
The door, which is framed by two ancient yew trees, is often referred to has the Tolkien Door, and while it’s not officially been confirmed, it closely resembles the description of the Doors of Durin, at the west gate of Moria, which is referred to in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
The enchanting-looking entrance is crafted from dark timber, features studded panels, and has an old oil lamp suspended above it. The doorway itself is also quite compact – ideal for a Hobbit or Dwarf to pass through.
Ellen revealed: “Tolkien was a professor just up the road, at Oxford, and he had friends in the area. So he stayed here frequently, and would walk in the church yard. And people would say that these doors in between the ancient embedded yews are what inspired that magical entry way into the realm of the Dwarves that he wrote about. Whether or not that legend is true, it really is fantastic.”
Tolkien served as a Professor of Old English at Merton College in Oxford for 14 years, and he is known to have regularly visited Stow-On-The-Wold. Enthusiasts of the epic fantasy novels, originally published in 1954, were astounded by the magical door.
“Wow, I always drive through this place when I drive to the Midlands,” said one fan. “I literally go to Stow about once a week, am a LOTR fan and I never knew this,” added another.
A third commented: “That’s beautiful, thank you for sharing,” while someone else wrote: “I will have to start exploring my own country more!”.