[Rumil]

Hi CSteefl & Mouth,

Interesting question, I think there are quite a number that are definite, possible or probable (though which is which?).

Tolkien spent most of his early life in the Midlands, Birmingham mostly, then Warwick. He was also Up North for a while (was it Leeds or Sheff?) then of course down to Oxford. As a very young child he was in South Africa and was in the army on the Western Front in WWI. Holidays in Switzerland have already been mentioned.

OK, so locations-

The two towers- already explained.

Sarehole Mill in Birmingham- Sandyman's Mill (now visitable as an attaction)

The Shire - Warwickshire countryside

These are I think pretty widely accepted

Dead Marshes - the trenches of WWI

Mordor, smokes and broils, slag heaps etc - WWI trenches and probably heavy industrial bits of West Mids at the time

Misty Mts - Swiss Alps

Some I think might be interesting ideas-

Kor Tirion - inspired in some way by Warwick Castle

The hidden gardens of Warwick fit in somewhere but can't remember where at the mo!

Birmingham University Chancellor's Court and the big clock tower (Old Joe) bring to mind the top level of Minas Tirith and the tower of Ecthelion, Gondolin too maybe. (OK in marble rather than red-brick) as JRRT was at school just over the road.