Devotees of Tolkien’s works who visit Middle-earth will be glad to know that many beloved landmarks will be available for visiting. Indeed, most of them are still actively in use. Following is an initial list, which will be updated from time to time.*

Museum at Michel Delving

The chief township of the Shire is Michel Delving on the White Downs. For generations the only real official in the Shire is the Mayor of Michel Delving (or of the Shire), who is elected every seven years at the Free Fair on the White Downs at the Lithe, that is at Mid-summer.

The Museum at Michel Delving is best known as the Mathom-house. Many items are on display or stored here, from belongings that have no immediate use to relics of great historical value. It appears to be quite a mish-mash of things, but in fact there are some treasures here. Merry, Pippin, and Sam all donated small things acquired on their great journey in the War of the Ring, for example. There are toys of dwarf-make from Dale and several small items, such as a pipe, said to belong to the Great King Elessar himself.

"His sword, Sting, Bilbo hung over his fireplace, and his coat of marvellous mail, the gift of the Dwarves from the Dragonhoard, he lent to a museum, to the Michel Delving Mathomhouse in fact. But he kept in a drawer at Bag End the old cloak and hood that he had worn on his travels; and the ring, secured by a fine chain, remained in his pocket."

-Fellowship of the Ring

Battle of Bywater Markers

The Red Book narrates the important history of these markers best.

"Nearly seventy of the ruffians lay dead on the field, and a dozen were prisoners. Nineteen hobbits were killed, and some thirty were wounded. The dead ruffians were laden on waggons and hauled off to an old sand-pit nearby and there buried in the Battle Pit, as it was afterwards called. The fallen hobbits were laid together in a grave on the hill-side, where later a great stone was set up with a garden about it. So ended the Battle of Bywater, 1419, the last battle fought in the Shire, and the only battle since the Greenfields, 1147, away up in the Northfarthing. In consequence, though it happily cost very few lives, it has a chapter to itself in the Red book, and the names of all those who took part were made into a Roll, and learned by heart by Shire-historians. The very considerable rise in the fame and fortune of the Cottons dates from this time; but at the top of the Roll in all accounts stand the names of Captains Meriadoc and Peregrin."

A small sign marks the site of the Battle Pit.

The Garden with the great stone marking the fallen hobbit heros has become one of the important monuments of the Shire, and the flowers that grow there have been planned so that nearly every day of the year something is blooming.

"And that’s the end-of-that,’ said Sam. ‘A nasty end, and I wish I needn’t have seen it; but it’s a good riddance.’

‘And the very last end of the War, I hope,’ said Merry.

‘I hope so,’ said Frodo and sighed. ‘The very last stroke. But to think that it should fall here, at the very door of Bag End! Among all my hopes and fears at least I never expected that.’"

-Return of the King

Three-Farthing Stone

Three-Farthing Stone, which is located at the centre of the old Shire (meaning before the King added Westmarch to the Shire after the Great War) is a familiar landmark. It is often used as a meeting place by the Hobbits.

"Sam planted saplings in all the places where specially beautiful or beloved trees had been destroyed, and he put a grain of the precious dust in the soil at the root of each. He went up and down the Shire in this labour; but if he paid special attention to Hobbiton and Bywater no one blamed him. And at the end he found that he still had a little of the dust left; so he went to the Three-Farthing Stone, which is as near the centre of the Shire as no matter, and cast it in the air with his blessing."

-The Return of the King

Inns

Although there will be comfortable Inns everywhere in the Shire, all the old familiar Inns will be there. Look for these.

Green Dragon Inn, Bywater

"Thinking it unnecessary to disturb your esteemed repose, we have proceeded in advance to make requisite preparations, and shall await your respected person at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at 11 a.m. sharp. Trusting that you will be punctual. We have the honour to remain, Yours deeply, Thorin & Co."

-The Hobbit

The Ivy Bush, Bywater

"No one had a more attentive audience than old Ham Gamgee, commonly known as the Gaffer. He held forth at The Ivy Bush, a small inn on the Bywater road; and he spoke with some authority, for he had tended the garden at Bag End for forty years, and had helped old Holman in the same job before that. Now that he was himself growing old and stiff in the joints, the job was mainly carried on by his youngest son, Sam Gamgee."

-Fellowship of Ring

Golden Perch, Stock

"‘All right!’ said Pippin. ‘I will follow you into every bog and ditch. But it is hard! I had counted on passing the Golden Perch at Stock before sundown. The best beer in the Eastfarthing, or used to be: it is a long time since I tasted it.’

‘That settles it!’ said Frodo. ‘Short cuts may make delays, but inns make longer ones. At all cost we must keep you away from the Golden Perch. We want to get to Bucklebury before dark. What do you say, Sam?’

‘I will go along with you, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam (in spite of private misgiving and a deep regret for the best beer in the Eastfarthing)."

-Fellowship of Ring

Bridge Inn, Brandywine Bridge

"‘So much for your Big Man,’ said Merry. ‘We’ll see the Chief later. In the meantime we want a lodging for the night, and as you seem to have pulled down the Bridge Inn and built this dismal place instead, you’ll have to put us up.’

‘I am sorry, Mr. Merry,’ said Hob, ‘but it isn’t allowed.’"

-The Return of the King

The Floating Log, Frogmorton

"As evening fell they were drawing near to Frogmorton, a village right on the Road, about twenty-two miles from the Bridge. There they meant to stay the night; The Floating Log at Frogmorton was a good inn."

-The Return of the King

*P.S. No, we didn't forget Bag-End. It will have a perfectly splendid introduction, all on its own, later.