St. Edward’s Church, Stow-on-the-Wold, in
Gloucestershire, was built on the site of a former Saxon church and the
present-day edifice fuses various architectural styles. Whilst all of its
authentic features are of interest in their own right, there is one feature
that has become the most photographed door in the Cotswolds. The church’s north
door, flanked by two ancient yew trees is rumoured to have sparked J. R. R.
Tolkien’s inspiration for the “Doors of Durin,” the west gate of Moria that
appears in a scene in the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
The north porch of the church was built about 300
years ago and young yew saplings were planted to enhance its entrance. Today these
trees are now part of the architraves for the door.
J R R Tolkien was a Professor of Old English at
Merton College in Oxford for 14 years and he was known to visit the Cotswolds and Stow
in particular. Rumour has it that he was so taken with the door of the church
that he used it in his book. Nevertheless, this is still just a rumour, and
nobody has so far authenticated it but see for yourself from the photos below.
