Eorl's Hallow

Eorl's Hallow
Type:	Memorial
Region:	East Rohan
Area:	The Wold
Location:	[45.6S, 51.2W]

The Monument to Eorl - Eorl's Hallow

Location

Eorl's Hallow, also referred to as "Memorial of Eorl" on the map of The Wold ^{[45.6S, 51.2W]} This memorial was erected on the site where he fell in battle.

The eight stones depict the life of Eorl the Young, First King of the Mark.

The runes used are Futhorc (the ones portrayed on Thorin's Map in The Hobbit) which can be found as well on the Stone of Wyrgende and in Meduseld.

You can find the hallow a short ride south of Harwick/Feldburg/Fang Point.

A model of the Hallow is available for display on the lawn of your home:  Eorl Memorial

Lore

The first four stones

The second four stones

The shields arrayed around the hallow bear four emblems: the Horse, the Sun, the Hauberk, and the River. The horse and sun are common elements of Rohirric heraldry, while the hauberk and river are the emblems of nearby cities: Harwick and Floodwend, respectively.

Beginning immediately to your left as you enter the circle and proceeding clockwise:

The Inscription on the first stone

First Stone Felarofes . yetemed . Leodes . wrecend

We see Eorl at young age taming Felaróf, first of the Mearas, the horse that has killed his father, Léod. Eorl demanded that Felaróf would serve him, avenging (wrecend) thus the death of his father (TA 2501).

The Inscription on the second stone

Second Stone read . stræl . stanlendingas . laðung

The Red Arrow (read stræl) of Gondor is brought before Eorl summoning (laðung) him to aid the people of Gondor (stanlendingas, the Old English rendering from Sindarin "Gondor", Land of Stone) against the Balchoth (TA 2510). The messenger we see is Borondir, bearing a message from Cirion, who was Stewart of Gondor at that time.

The Inscription on the third stone

Third Stone eoðeodes . rad . oferwadung . langflode

We see Eorl leading the Éothéod (as the Rohirrim were called when they still inhabited northern lands) to the south, along the Eastern shores of the Great River (langflode, the Old English rendering of Anduin, the Great/Long River).

The Inscription on the fourth stone

Fourth Stone Seolforlades . Feld . eastcyninges . deað

We see Eorl triumphing over/slaying the Eastern Kings (eastcyninges) on the Field of Celebrant (Seolforlades Feld, the Old English rendering of the Sindarin "Celebrant", Silver-course).

The Inscription on the fifth stone

Fifth Stone Halig . Fyrgen . brothora . aðswarc

Three months after their victory the brothers-in-arms (brothora) Cirion and Eorl meet on Halifirien (the Holy Hill, Halig Fyrgen) to swear oaths (aðswarc)) of mutual protection. The province of Calenardhon is given to Eorl and his Éothéod as a gift.

The Inscription on the sixth stone

Sixth Stone géong . cyning . ridamearces . hlaford

The young king (géong cyning) Eorl, Lord of the Riddermark, is sitting on the throne of Rohan. Note that Meduseld is not yet built at this time.

The Inscription on the seventh stone

Seventh Stone Brego . æðeling . rices . yrfweard

Brego, Prince (æðeling) of the Mark is raised as heir (yrfweard) to the king. When he is of age, he is given a sword by his father.

The Inscription on the eighth stone

Eighth Stone siðest . hild . wirðful . wældeað

Rohan is attacked by Easterlings in TA 2545, a battle in which Eorl falls - he is struck by arrows in battle (siðest hild) and has an honourable death in battle (wirðful wældeað)

The Headstone

The Headstone her . Eorl . mearces . fyrmest . cyning . afeol

In this place Eorl, First King the Mark, has fallen.

The Inscription on the head stone

Lament for the Rohirrim

Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?

Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?

Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?

Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?

They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;

The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.

Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning,

Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?

"Thus spoke a forgotten poet long ago in Rohan, recalling how tall and fair was Eorl the Young, who rode down out of the North," Aragorn explains in The Two Towers, chapter 6.

• The Anglo Saxon Lay which served as Tolkien's inspiration for Aragon's lament.

The Wanderer

Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago?	Where is the horse gone? Where the rider?
Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?	Where the giver of treasure?
Hwær cwom symbla gesetu?	Where are the seats at the feast?
Hwær sindon seledreamas?	Where are the revels in the hall?
Eala beorht bune!	Alas for the bright cup!
Eala byrnwiga!	Alas for the mailed warrior!
Eala þeodnes þrym!	Alas for the splendour of the prince!
Hu seo þrag gewat,	How that time has passed away,
genap under nihthelm,	dark under the cover of night,
swa heo no wære.	as if it had never been!

• The Lament for the Rohirrim is depicted in Edoras, in the Golden Hall of Meduseld inlayed in the floor in front of the seat of Théoden, the King of Rohan.

Use in the Heraldry of Rohan

While this poem already features prominently in Tolkien's novels, the developers of LOTRO assigned it an additional meaning - that of a call to the Reeves of Rohan, by the symbols of their houses (and thus of the regions they rule).

• 

  Wildermore:
  The Horn

• 

  Norcrofts:
  The Helm

• 

  The Wold:
  The Hauberk

• 

  Entwash Vale:
  The Harpstring

• 

  Sutcrofts:
  The Harvest

Credits

Thanks to Erunamo of Morthond, Elf Lore-master for the translations.

Eorl's Hollow

The Wanderer

A video portraying Eorl's Ride:

• The Ride of Eorl

Published on Oct 23, 2012

Based on a poem by Cennwyn (Landroval server), BBB brings you The Ride of Eorl. Featuring a cast of thousands. Well, lots anyway. More than three.