Abstract
Cheddar Gorge (Mendip Hills, Somerset County, southwest England) is home to extensive cave systems carved into ancient limestone. Two of the most picturesque, Gough’s Cave and Cox’s Cave, are among the most important geological tourist attractions in England. Among the caves’ many enthusiasts was J.R.R. Tolkien, who first visited the site in 1916 while on his honeymoon and later in 1940 on a family vacation during his early work on The Lord of the Rings. As he noted in a 1971 letter these two visits (in particular, his earlier memories of the caves before their unfortunate commercialization) spawned the creation of the fictional Glittering Caves of Aglarond that so enamored Gimli. However, these are not the only (or even earliest) caves to appear in Tolkien’s legendarium. This paper draws connections between the myriad caves in Tolkien’s writings and the features of Cheddar Gorge, relying on detailed descriptions of the caves from the early 20th century (reflecting how Tolkien himself would have experienced them).
Recommended Citation
Larsen, Kristine
(2025)
"Immeasurable Halls and Dreamlike Forms: Tracing the Caves of Cheddar Gorge Throughout Tolkien’s Legendarium (and Beyond),"
Journal of Tolkien Research: Vol. 22:
Iss.
2, Article 15.
Available at:
https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol22/iss2/15
Comments
An abbreviated version of this paper was presented at the New York Tolkien Conference, Baruch College, New York City, on July 31, 2025.