MALVERN’S links to author JRR Tolkein are being celebrated with the arrival of a new Hobbit door on Belle Vue Island.
It has been designed by Phil Ironside to toast Tolkein who wrote the award-winning books Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
The author would often walk along the Malvern Hills and stop off at the Unicorn Inn to visit his friends.
Due to the amount of time he would spend in Malvern, some say it is clear settings from “The Lord of the Rings” were inspired by the landscapes he admired on the hills during his frequent visits.
George Sayer said: “Tolkien would relive the book as we walked and compared parts of the Malvern Hills to the
White Mountains of Gondor, which makes it even harder to believe that Malvern does not have a big part to play in the production of the classic series.”
Phil added: “Painting the door was great fun and encourages residents to find the door to Middle Earth and immerse themselves in the magic that Tolkien created.
Coun Daniel Walton, Malvern Hills District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Economic Development, added: “It is brilliant to see the town’s connections to such a literary legend recognised in such an imaginative way.”
Visit www.visitthemalverns.org/lovetolkien for more information and to see a time-lapse video of artist Phil Ironside painting the Hobbit door.
