September 27, 2002

A Visit to Tolkien's Grave
Dave M

I just wanted to share my experience of visiting Tolkien's grave at the weekend. I was at the Tolkien Society's Oxonmoot weekend, & on the Sunday morning we visited the cemetary. Its an ordainary grave in an ordinary cemetary, the stone itself is grey marble, about 3 feet high, with the famous Beren & Luthien inscription. Its in the Roman Catholic part of the cemetary, surrounded by graves of ex polish soldiers & airmen who stayed in England after the war.

Its well tended, with a few flowers & some bare earth showing through.

There was a little ceremony, One of the organisers read a passage from the Two Towers, the part where Frodo & Sam part with Faramir. Then Denis Bridoux, a Society member, who's French but lives in Yorkshire, sang Galadriel's Lament beautifully in Elvish.

At the end I was able to kneel & place my hand on the earth of the grave - don't know why that was significant to me but it was.

Also managed to get into the Eagle & Child pub - the 'Bird & Baby', where Tolkien & the other Inklings met to read their work to each other on Tuesday mornings. There are photo's of them on the walls, & a letter, signed by all the Inklings, including Christopher Tolkien, to the Landlord, saying 'We, the undersigned, having just partaken of your ham have drunk your health'.

I'd advise anyone who can to get to Oxford. Oxonmoot is a good way to experience it, along with other Tolkien fans. Check out their website.