T.A. 3019 November 2: The Shire-folk, the Moon, and Menelvagor rising on the eve of the End of the War of the Ring

Updated 2021 October 23

On the evening of T.A. 3019 October 30 (S.R. 1419 Winterfilth 30), the “Travellers” (Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin), returning home from their adventures, arrive at the Brandywine Bridge only to find it now has a gate, keeping them out. This was also the date of the full moon, but since it was described as wet and rainy ever since Weathertop, the hobbits probably would not have seen the moon through the clouds that night.

After confronting the hobbit guards at the gate and putting Bill Ferny in his place, they learn that a Hobbit Chief has instituted a bunch of new rules, including keeping the bridge gates closed from sundown to sunrise, as well as controlling and restricting resources such as food and fire wood. They stay the night in one of the newly-built bridge guard houses, then head west out on the Great Road the next morning, on the 1st of November (Blotmath).

When they reach Frogmorton, they are “arrested” for breaking the rules, but the Shirriffs seemed too intimidated to physically detain the Travellers, and ended up essentially escorting and hosting them in their Shirriff-house for the night.

They finally come to Bywater on T.A. 3019 November 2 (S.R. 1419 Blotmath 2), where Merry blows the Horn of the Mark and they rouse the Shire-folk.

‘Raise the Shire!’ said Merry. ‘Now! Wake all our people! They hate all this, you can see: all of them except perhaps one or two rascals, and a few fools that want to be important, but don’t at all understand what is really going on. But Shire-folk have been so comfortable so long they don’t know what to do. They just want a match, though, and they’ll go up in fire. The Chief’s Men must know that. They’ll try to stamp on us and put us out quick. We’ve only got a very short time.

‘Sam, you can make a dash for Cotton’s farm, if you like. He’s the chief person round here, and the sturdiest. Come on! I am going to blow the horn of Rohan, and give them all some music they have never heard before.’

They rode back to the middle of the village. There Sam turned aside and galloped off down the lane that led south to Cotton’s. He had not gone far when he heard a sudden clear horn-call go up ringing into the sky. Far over hill and field it echoed; and so compelling was that call that Sam himself almost turned and dashed back…

When Sam got back he found the whole village roused. Already, apart from many younger lads, more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes, and heavy hammers, and long knives, and stout staves; and a few had hunting-bows. More were still coming in from outlying farms.

Some of the village-folk had lit a large fire, just to enliven things, and also because it was one of the things forbidden by the Chief. It burned bright as night came on. Others at Merry’s orders were setting up barriers across the road at each end of the village.

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, “The Scouring of the Shire“

“Resistance” by Eric Faure-Brac

It seems the weather cleared up on their way to Bywater, and just like today (2021 October 22) it was only a couple of days past the full moon, so the hobbits probably had a nice and round gibbous moon over their Bywater bonfire that night. This moon is depicted in the simulation screenshot below, rising a couple of hours before midnight with the Remmirath (“the Netted Stars”, a.k.a. the Pleiades) rising above and a bit to the right of the Moon, and the constellation Menelvagor (“the Swordsman of the Sky”, a.k.a. Orion) rising just below, coming over the horizon.

The waning gibbous moon a couple of hours before midnight, on T.A. 3019 November 2 (S.R. 1419 Blotmath 2). Created in Stellarium using the moon of 1942 October 27, near Oxford, UK.

The next day, on the 3rd of November (Blotmath), the Battle of Bywater occurred and the Hobbits finally scoured the Shire of the rest of Sharky‘s Men; with nearly 70 ruffians killed in the battle, but also 19 hobbits.

When they came to a ruined Bag End, they discovered that Sharky was Saruman, and Frodo ordered him to leave the Shire. Saruman then ordered his servant, Wormtongue, to leave with him; but after some more abuse from Saruman, Wormtongue finally snapped and killed him, then Wormtongue himself was shot dead by hobbit archers.

These events officially marked the end of the War of the Ring.

Tolkien noted in Appendix D that afterwards “in the Buckland the Horn of the Mark was blown at sundown every November 2 and bonfires and feastings followed.” This was to commemorate this first blowing of the Horn by Merry and the rousing of the Shire-folk.