East Yorkshire is set to enchant fans of J R R Tolkien this spring when sculptures celebrating the area’s influence on the fantasy author’s early writing are unveiled to the public.
Recovering from trench fever during the first World War, Tolkien spent nearly 18 months in Hull and East Yorkshire and the region’s landscape is believed to have been the inspiration for some of his stories, including The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Visitors have been able to follow in Tolkien’s footsteps on a self-guided trail, the Tolkien Triangle, but now one of his most significant experiences is to be immortalised with two new sculptures in the village of Roos, between Hornsea and Withernsea.
Funded by East Riding Council and Route Yorkshire Coast, two hand-carved oak statues of the writer and his wife, Edith, will depict a treasured memory from the summer of 1917 when she danced for him in a wood close to the village. This very moment inspired Of Beren and Lúthien, a pivotal episode in The Silmarillion, a collection of tales and legends revealing the story of Middle-earth.
Created by Lincolnshire-based artist Allen Stichler, who specialises in hand-carved wood sculptures, the statues have been crafted in oak from the Sotterley Estate in Suffolk and are scheduled to be officially revealed this spring.
One statue will show the young Tolkien standing in the woods and will be around 8ft 6in high, while the second installation, beside it, will depict Edith dancing in silhouette etched into a thick oak slab.
With the upcoming return of the hugely popular TV series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the announcement of 2026 film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, East Yorkshire is expecting to welcome many visitors who will be drawn to and inspired by the sculptures and the fantasy of Tolkien’s work.
Councillor Barbara Jefferson, cabinet member for heritage and coastal at East Riding Council, said: “Commissioned in memory of a remarkable author whose deep ties to East Yorkshire continue to inspire, this striking sculpture embodies a unique initiative.
‘’It not only celebrates a cherished literary legacy but also positions the Holderness region on both national and international stages, promising to invigorate the local visitor economy and attract a growing number of tourists in the coming years.’’
More details about the sculptures’ opening will be revealed soon, and the current Tolkien Triangle trail, covering many of the towns and villages along the East Yorkshire coast that Tolkien visited, will be updated to include the new sculptures: visiteastyorkshire.co.uk/listing/the-tolkien-triangle/204975101/