Bree - The East West Road

[edwardp]

Probably kind of a silly question. But does the East-West road actually run through Bree? From the map inside the front cover, it looks as if Bree is north of it.

Thanks!
-Ed

[Otaku-sempai]

EDIT: The large-scale maps are deceptive, the Great Road passes through Bree's protective hedge where there are gates at each end. Sorry! I was paying too much attention to the larger maps and not enough to the close-up view. On Fonstad's illustration I also mistook the Greenway for the Great East Road.

[michaelcurtis]

The text appears to disagree with the map.

"The village of Bree had some hundred stone houses of the Big Folk, mostly above the Road, nestling on the hillside with windows looking west. On that side, running in more than half a circle from the hill and back to it, there was a deep dike with a thick hedge on the inner side. Over this the Road crossed by a causeway; but where it pierced the hedge it was barred by a great gate. There was another gate in the southern comer where the Road ran out of the village. The gates were closed at nightfall; but just inside them were small lodges for the gatekeepers."

It reads quite clearly that the Road (captial R) enters Bree over a causeway and passes through the hedge, then exits the town at the southern corner. The Prancing Pony resides beside the Road.

If it were a lower-case road or a path or a trail, I'd agree that it might be a secondary road leading off from the East-West Road, but the use of the upper case makes it clear that this isn't the fact of the matter.

[Rich H]

The east-west road goes through Bree on the map as well so there's no disagreement. Not sure why Otaku stated otherwise, maybe he needs to lay off the pipeweed.

The Greenway (north-south road) passes by on Bree's western side.

[michaelcurtis]

Thinking out it, I think the conflict hinges on what one considers "the village of Bree." If you're taking "village" to mean the actual physical buildings, then you could say that the Road does indeed pass south of the village according to the map (The image posted above from the Atlas of Middle-earth).

However, I think most would agree that the "village" incorporates everything inside the hedge and up the western slop of Bree hill. That's the interpretation I'm reading and what most designations of the word "village" would include, so the Road does indeed pass through the village.

[Enevhar Aldarion]

The map is correct, the Great Road passes outside of Bree. The town is protected by a hedge and a pair of gates.

Looking at that map, The Prancing Pony sits right on the Great East road. So is the inn also outside of Bree? Every description I can find of the town says the road goes through it, just not directly through it, bisecting it.

[Rich H]

However, I think most would agree that the "village" incorporates everything inside the hedge and up the western slop of Bree hill. That's the interpretation I'm reading and what most designations of the word "village" would include, so the Road does indeed pass through the village.

All the area inside the hedge is labelled as "Bree" so, yeah.

[Otaku-sempai]

The east-west road goes through Bree on the map as well so there's no disagreement. Not sure why Otaku stated otherwise, maybe he needs to lay off the pipeweed.

The Greenway (north-south road) passes by on Bree's western side.

Bad memory! Plus over-reliance on the larger-scale maps that seem to show Bree a short distance from the Road. If I had actually taken a close look at either Fonstad's map or the one on pages 24 & 25 of the Bree sourcebook, I would have realized my mistake.

[Rich H]

With all the knowledgeable stuff you post you're allowed the occasional slip up, fella.

Lay off that Southern Star though; Addlestone the mind!

[Otaku-sempai]

Lay off that Southern Star though; Addlestone the mind!

I can't even use that excuse! I do not partake of pipeweed: neither the regular stuff nor the 'special blends' using certain Southron herbs.