Wooden Statues of Tolkien, Wife Unveiled in East Yorkshire

Two large eagle sculptures inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which had welcomed travelers at Wellington International Airport since 2013, were recently removed to make way for a new locally themed display, with airport officials hoping to relocate the eagles to a museum. Meanwhile, in East Yorkshire, a pair of wooden sculptures depicting J.R.R. Tolkien and his wife Edith will be unveiled on June 6 in the village of Roos to honor the area's influence on Tolkien's writing. The statues commemorate a 1917 moment when Edith danced for Tolkien in a nearby wood, inspiring the tale of Beren and Lúthien in The Silmarillion, part of Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. These sculptures, carved from oak, will be located near All Saints Church and are part of a Tolkien Triangle trail highlighting Tolkien's time in Hull and East Yorkshire during World War I. Local officials emphasize the region's pivotal role in shaping Tolkien's creativity and hope the unveiling will attract visitors to the area. The unveiling event will include a talk by a local historian, with free tickets available to the public.