This has appeared on the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21859633

So now we have 'Middle-earth' next door to 'Craggy Island'.
(allegedly).

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Published ebooks:
Instrument of the Empire
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Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla
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Great find, Dorth! Whilst reading through that I remembered an article on cracked about how some of Tolkien's landscapes were also inspired by (industrial) Birmingham, where he lived.

I guess that makes Sauron a Brummie?

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Manners maketh man

Interesting, though i doubt that could have been the inspiration for Gollum's name, considering his name was first written in The Hobbit during the 1930's whereas Tolkien only visited this place from 1949 onwards. Still, fascinating to see the ways in which the landscapes of Middle-Earth have been inspired by the world around us.

Bizarrely enough, afriend of mine was in a stage play of the Lord of the Rings in Wimbledon about 8 years ago, and the actor playing Gollum performed with a Black Country accent!