From Cromwell's Bridge to the Shireburn, along The Tolkien Trail.

Join me as we go along the Tolkien Way from Cromwell's Bridge to the Shireburn. (Copyright & blocked in 2 regions - you know where!) Oliver Cromwell marched an army of approximately 8,000 to 9,000 soldiers across the historic bridge (now known as Cromwell's Bridge) in August 1648. This crossing took place on the eve of the famous Battle of Preston (1648) during the English Civil War. Because the bridge was a narrow packhorse bridge (approximately 2 meters wide) built in 1561, legend dictates Cromwell ordered the side walls (parapets) to be knocked off so his cannons could fit across. The troops crossed the River Hodder at Hurst Green before marching south toward Preston to engage the Royalists. ___________________________ J.R.R. Tolkien spent significant time at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire during the 1940s, visiting his son John, who was training for the priesthood there during WWII. He wrote parts of The Lord of the Rings while staying at New Lodge and drew inspiration from the local Ribble Valley landscape, influencing names like Shire Lane. The landscape around Hurst Green and Stonyhurst is closely linked to The Lord of the Rings. Local landmarks, including the River Shirebourn (River Ribble) and Cromwell Bridge, are believed to have influenced Middle-earth. Tolkien was also known to spend time studying and writing in the Stonyhurst College library, which holds a rich collection of rare books and manuscripts, similar to what he would have used in Oxford. People come from all over the world to walk the famous Tolkien Trail. To follow in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien himself and see how he was inspired by the beautiful landscape of Lancashire. Cromwell's Bridge, located over the River Hodder near Hurst Green, Lancashire, was built in 1561–1562. Commissioned by Sir Richard Shireburne, it was originally a Tudor-era packhorse bridge. It is named after Oliver Cromwell, who crossed it with his army to fight in the Battle of Preston in August 1648.