News

Plans for new Tolkien center draw praise, concerns 
about proselytization 

Fantasy novel enthusiasts want to turn the Oxford house of J. R. R. Tol­kien, where he wrote The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, into a meeting place for writers, screenwriters, and filmmakers from all cultures and faith backgrounds.

In 1930, Tolkien moved into the house at 20 Northmoor Road. Project North­moor is a charity created with the purpose of buying the house, currently for sale for roughly $6 million. The project has already raised about $1 million.

The Oxford City Council will not allow the property to be turned into a museum, since it’s in a residential area, but Tolkien fans hope it might become a literary center of discussion and en­counter for those who wish to delve deep­er into the world of Middle Earth.