Q: How Deserted Was Eriador in the Late Third Age?
ANSWER: Many of J.R.R. Tolkien’s readers draw the conclusion that Eriador was largely empty at the end of the Third Age, essentially a wasteland. But is that really the case?
We can agree that there were vast regions in Eriador that appear to have been unpopulated. The Lord of the Rings makes it very plain and clear that the lands between Bree and Rivendell were more-or-less deserted. But that is just one part of Eriador. It may help to look at a concise list of the communities that are attested in either The Lord of the Rings or Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth.
Lindon and Mithlond – Cirdan’s people dwelt here in the twin cities of Mithlond. It’s possible that some Noldor still lived in Forlindon beyond the Ered Luin, although Appendix A to The Lord of the Rings gives the impression that after Elrond’s departure there were few if any Elves left in Lindon.
Southern Ered Luin – Dwarves dwelt in the hills and mountains beyond the Shire. Readers cannot seem to agree whether they lived north or south of the Lhun, but I think they were probably south of the Lhun for the most part. Tolkien does not say how many clans or groups of Dwarves dwelt here.
The Shire – The Shire stretched from the Far Downs west to the Baranduin river and was divided into four Farthings. Only Hobbits dwelt in the Shire, which was more than 1400 years old at the time of the War of the Ring (Third Age years 3018-9). A permanent guard of Rangers was stationed at Sarn Ford on the Baranduin just outside the Southfarthing up until the War of the Ring. According to The Road Goes Ever On and The Lord of the Rings Wandering Companies of Elves from Lindon and Rivendell passed through the Shire. They appear to have had their own lodgings in Woody End near the Hobbit village of Woodhall.
The Buckland – The Buckland was a colony of the Shire established by the Oldbucks of the Marish in Eastfarthing in Third Age year 2340. The Buckland was thus more than 700 years old at the time of the War of the Ring.
The Cape of Eryn Vorn – This thickly wooded region was one of the last remnants of the ancient forests of Minhiriath. According to an essay published in Unfinished Tales, Men who were descended from the Gwathuirim of the Second Age probably still dwelt here at the time of the War of the Ring. They probably did not have any large villages.
The Bree-land – There were both Men and Hobbits dwelling in the four villages and surrounding farms of the Bree-land at the time of the War of the Ring. The Men were descendants of the Gwathuirim of the Second Age. According to both The Lord of the Rings and Unfinished Tales refugees from the south (apparently Rohan) arrived in the area in Third Age year 3018. Rangers occasionally passed through or stayed in Bree.
Forochel – According to The Lord of the Rings the Lossoth may have survived along the shores of the northern bay up until the War of the Ring.
Mount Gram – Although the realm of Angmar lasted only from Third Age year 1300 to 1974, there were Orcs living on or near Mount Gram as late as 2740-7, when Orcs began raiding Eriador again. They may have survived in this area in small numbers up to the War of the Ring.
The Ettenmoors – This was the homeland of the Trolls who troubled the Angle and other parts of eastern Eriador. The Rangers and Elves from Rivendell apparently hunted Trolls in these hill-lands from time to time.
The Angle – This long neck of land between the Mitheithel and Bruinen rivers was, according to a note found at Marquette University, the home of the Dunedain of the North at the time of the War of the Ring. By careful examination of the clues published in The Lord of the Rings, many astute readers were able to conclude that Aragorn’s people must have lived in the Angle prior to the discovery of the note in the Marquette archives. Some Elves may have lived in the Angle.
Imladris (Rivendell) – Elrond and his people lived in Rivendell. Other Elven lords, such as Gildor Inglorion, may also have lived in Rivendell, according to The Road Goes Ever On. According to The Art of the Hobbit Elrond’s house was 2 or 3 stories tall and probably consisted of four wings surrounding a courtyard or inner tower-like structure. The house was probably equivalent to a large manor house or small keep. Rangers and Dwarves may have occasionally visited Rivendell. Bilbo Baggins settled there at Elrond’s invitation.
Dunland – Men descended from the Gwathuirim of the Second Age still dwelt here at the time of the War of the Ring. There are no references to villages along the ancient greenway — the great north-south highway leading from Gondor to Tharbad — but The Lord of the Rings says that people living near the road fled away when Elrond and Galadriel’s combined parties of Elves (guests at Aragorn and Arwen’s wedding in Gondor) approached.
Enedwaith – According to Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth, the coastlands of Enedwaith were home to a few clans or tribes of “fisher-folk” who appear to have been related to the Druedain of Gondor.
Except for the Hobbits of the Shire and Buckland, most of these communities may have had only a few hundred to perhaps 1,000 inhabitants by the time of the War of the Ring. The Shire’s population must have numbered in the thousands, and may have extended to tens of thousands. Saruman’s ruffians — estimated by Farmer Cotton to number about 300 — were able to control the Shire (outside the Tookland) with the aid of several hundred Hobbits who had been pressed into service as Shirrifs.
The Rangers traveled from the borders of the Shire to Rivendell, but they also patrolled or visited the ruins of Fornost Erain in the North Downs and seem to have maintained caches of firewood on or near Weathertop, which would have served as a good vantage point for keeping watch on the wild lands near Bree.
Dwarves, Men, and Elves appear to have used the Great East-west road quite often. The Elves of Rivendell appear to have maintained the Last Bridge over Mitheithel.
See also
Could The One Right Have Influenced Bill Ferny In Bree?
Who Attacked the Inn and Slashed the Bolsters in Bree?
Why Did the Bree-land Survive the Decline of Eriador?
How Deserted Was Eriador in the Late Third Age?
Where Did the Refugees in Bree Come From?
Who Are the Foes Who Live Within a Day’s March of Bree?
Strange As News From Bree (Classic Essay)
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