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Priya · 08-25-2025, 02:34 PM

Now it’s not just the hill of Tara, which I think Tolkien modeled the Barrow-downs midday halt location upon. I have a strong suspicion that Tolkien also represented from Arthurian lore - Sir Gawain’s quest destination: the ‘Green Chapel’.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – the Green Chapel in Tolkien’s (& Gordon’s) own words was:

“… nothing else than a fairy mound; …”.  
– Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Note to Line 151, J.R.R. Tolkien & E.V. Gordon, 1925

“… a hollow green mound.”
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Introduction – pg. ix, J.R.R. Tolkien & E.V. Gordon, 1925

Illustration from ‘MS Cotton Nero A.x’

It was barely more than a hillock of grass featuring a depression. As such, the eerie location resonates with the shallow hill which the hobbits encountered soon after leaving Tom and Goldberry. Once again, I repeat from the chapter:

“About mid-day they came to a hill whose top was wide and flattened, like a shallow saucer …”.
– The Fellowship of the Ring, Fog on the Barrow-downs

The slope being mild enough to ride their ponies up meant that it was just a gentle tumulus. After riding across they decided to turn and descend:

“… into the hollow circle.”  
– The Fellowship of the Ring, Fog on the Barrow-downs

So, subtly placed in the Barrow-downs adventure are indications of a similar sacred feature (to Tara and the Green Chapel) in the landscape. Yet not sacred to pagans (or obviously Christians) – but, with its standing stone, perhaps instead to fairy-folk? So what I’m advocating is that Tolkien pictured for his tale another ‘fairy mound’. And it was to both Celtic/Arthurian legends and perhaps we can say: fairy tale, that he turned to for the halt in the journey.

But what exactly is a fairy mound? And why a standing stone in its midst?

To the former - I tried looking up dictionary definitions. The New English Dictionary, which Tolkien worked on before his 1925 Sir Gawain & the Green Knight work, is of little help. So I turned to Google AI instead:

AI Overview

A faerie mound, also known as a fairy hill or fairy fort, is a folklore term, particularly prevalent in Irish and Scottish Gaelic traditions. These mounds are often associated with ancient earthworks like ringforts, hillforts, or burial mounds, and are believed to be homes or portals to the Otherworld, inhabited by fairies, or aos sí. Many believe that disturbing these mounds can bring bad luck or even curses.

08-25-2025, 02:34 PM	#8
Priya Pile O'Bones Join Date: Sep 2023 Posts: 16	Now it’s not just the hill of Tara, which I think Tolkien modeled the Barrow-downs midday halt location upon. I have a strong suspicion that Tolkien also represented from Arthurian lore - Sir Gawain’s quest destination: the ‘Green Chapel’. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – the Green Chapel in Tolkien’s (& Gordon’s) own words was: “… nothing else than a fairy mound; …”.   – Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Note to Line 151, J.R.R. Tolkien & E.V. Gordon, 1925 “… a hollow green mound.” - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Introduction – pg. ix, J.R.R. Tolkien & E.V. Gordon, 1925 Illustration from ‘MS Cotton Nero A.x’ It was barely more than a hillock of grass featuring a depression. As such, the eerie location resonates with the shallow hill which the hobbits encountered soon after leaving Tom and Goldberry. Once again, I repeat from the chapter: “About mid-day they came to a hill whose top was wide and flattened, like a shallow saucer …”. – The Fellowship of the Ring, Fog on the Barrow-downs The slope being mild enough to ride their ponies up meant that it was just a gentle tumulus. After riding across they decided to turn and descend: “… into the hollow circle.”   – The Fellowship of the Ring, Fog on the Barrow-downs So, subtly placed in the Barrow-downs adventure are indications of a similar sacred feature (to Tara and the Green Chapel) in the landscape. Yet not sacred to pagans (or obviously Christians) – but, with its standing stone, perhaps instead to fairy-folk? So what I’m advocating is that Tolkien pictured for his tale another ‘fairy mound’. And it was to both Celtic/Arthurian legends and perhaps we can say: fairy tale, that he turned to for the halt in the journey. But what exactly is a fairy mound? And why a standing stone in its midst? To the former - I tried looking up dictionary definitions. The New English Dictionary, which Tolkien worked on before his 1925 Sir Gawain & the Green Knight work, is of little help. So I turned to Google AI instead: AI Overview A faerie mound, also known as a fairy hill or fairy fort, is a folklore term, particularly prevalent in Irish and Scottish Gaelic traditions. These mounds are often associated with ancient earthworks like ringforts, hillforts, or burial mounds, and are believed to be homes or portals to the Otherworld, inhabited by fairies, or aos sí. Many believe that disturbing these mounds can bring bad luck or even curses.