Tolkien’s very own Two Towers approved for overhaul

A building which is believed to have inspired Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien is to have a 21st-century overhaul.

The gatehouse at Edgbaston Reservoir is to have tens of thousands of pounds of work done to make it suitable for modern-day use.

The improvements will include new doors and toilets, the installation of central heating, new floors, a new roof and alterations to make it fit for disabled users.

Birmingham City Councils planning committee chairman, Coun Peter Douglas Osborn, welcomed the changes, saying: This is a magnificent building and full of heritage which needs preserving.

The gatehouse is a Grade II-listed building built in 1825. At the moment, it is owned and run by Birmingham City Council and is home to many organisations connected with the reservoir, including the Ranger Service and the Allotment Service.

It is also a meeting place for the Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir, Birmingham Rowing Club, the Sailing Club, West Heath Ramblers and Sure Start Ladywood.

The lodge house also acts as a centre for the 75,000 visitors who use the Edgbaston Reservoir every year with the building itself having around 520 visitors.

Councillors were told the work was needed so the building could meet the demands of the modern day.

The existing building currently presents a poor environment for staff members and the general public, a report said.

It is not suitable for disabled users, has no heating and has a leaking roof.

Work is due to start once the application has received the final Government seal of approval, required because of its listed building status.

Source: Birmingham Mail

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on 3 January 1892 in Bloemfontein, capital of the Orange Free State in South Africa. The Lord of the Rings was completed in 1949, but publication was further delayed while Tolkien tried to find a publisher who would agree to publish both The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. When this proved impossible, Tolkien allowed Allen and Unwin to publish The Lord of the Rings on its own. The book was divided into three separately titled volumes (somewhat to Tolkien’s annoyance, since the work was not intended as a trilogy). The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers were published in 1954 and The Return of the King in 1955.

Posted: July 1st, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: JRR Tolkien

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