Westfold-men

From Tolkien Gateway

Westfold-men,[1][2] also known as Westfolders,[3] or men of Westfold[4] were Men who lived in the Westfold of Rohan.

History[edit | edit source]

Some of the original Westfold-men may have been Gondorians of Calenardhon until it was given to the Rohirrim in T.A. 2510.[5] Those people likely built or helped build Helm's Deep which was located in Westfold.[6]

At the time of the War of the Ring their commander was Erkenbrand.[7] They participated in the Battles of the Fords of Isen and suffered many losses.[8] Erkenbrand then led his men to Helm's Deep.[9] Some Westfold-men were already at Helm's Deep,[10] but Erkenbrand and the men under his command had not arrived by the time the battle had begun and it was feared that they has been overtaken and would not come.[11] Erkenbrand and his men (1000 in total) arrived in a dire hour of need during the battle led by Gandalf.[12]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Westfold is a combination of "West" and fold from Old English folde ("earth", "land", "country").[13]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

On the First Map of The Lord of the Rings a label called Westfold was placed in a western valley in the south of the Misty Mountains where Dunland is now located on the final published maps, but it was struck out afterwards.[14] In an early draft of the chapter Helm's Deep the men who served Saruman were from Westfold and spoke the "Tongue of Westfold".[15]

See also[edit | edit source]

The Index of 50th Anniversary Edition of The Lord of the Rings (edited by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull) seems to interpret Helmingas and Westfold-men as somehow synonymous, and connects the two.[16]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", pp. 531, 535 and 538
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Road to Isengard", p. 543
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 532
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 535
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", "(iii) Cirion and Eorl"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 528
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 529
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 527
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 531
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", pp. 529-31
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep", p. 541
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry Folde, pp. 770-71
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "Maps IVD and IVE", map square N10, p. 319
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part One: The Fall of Saruman", "II. Helm's Deep", p. 8 and p. 21
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Index"