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Staffordshire house once occupied by The Lord of the Rings creator J.R.R. Tolkien and his family hits the market

A property near Penkridge which is "steeped in imagination and history" and where J.R.R. Tolkien once lived is on the market for £450,000.

By Paul Jenkins
Published

Hidden away within the rolling landscape of the Teddesley Park Estate, and occupying an envious rural plot, the semi-detached cottage Gypsy Green is described as a "literary haven" which was occupied by the legendary author behind The Lords of the Rings, as well as his wife and infant son, in 1918. 

The extensive gardens at the house where Tokien once lived with his family at Gypsy Green near Penkridge
The extensive gardens at the house where Tolkien once lived with his family at Gypsy Green near Penkridge
Thepart built extension at the property which agents say can be used as a kitchen or living accommodation
The part-built extension at the property which agents say can be used as a kitchen or living accommodation
The living room at the three-bedroomed property, near Penkridge
The living room at the three-bedroomed property, near Penkridge

According to the listing on RightMove it is "widely believed to have shaped the earliest threads of the stories that would one day become The Lord of the Rings".

Featuring three bedrooms, one bathroom and a part-built extension outside, it is being sold by agents Bairstow Eves with offers above £450,000 invited.

The kitchen at Gypsy Green.
The kitchen at Gypsy Green
The stairs to the upstairs accommodation
The stairs to the upstairs accommodation
One of the bedrooms
One of the bedrooms

The listing reads: "Known as Gypsy Green, the redbrick cottage where J.R.R. Tolkien lived in 1918 with his wife Edith and infant son, the property is widely believed to have shaped the earliest threads of the stories that would one day become The Lord of the Rings.

"It is is a place where imagination and history are deeply rooted in the land."

The house offers three well-proportioned bedrooms and characterful living accommodation, with rooms that enjoy a strong connection to the outdoors and a sense of shelter and warmth within. 

The inside of one of the three bedrooms
One of the three bedrooms
Another of the bedrooms
Another of the bedrooms
The spacious bathroom with shower unit
The spacious bathroom with shower unit

The listing continues: "A cellar lies beneath, providing useful storage and further enhancing the traditional charm of the home — a hidden space, not unlike those found in the older houses of Tolkien’s Shire.

Another view of the bathroom with walk in shower
Another view of the bathroom with walk-in shower
The garden at the property, near Penkridge
The garden at the property, near Penkridge
A map of J.R> R Tolkien which features in the property where he once lived
The property features a map of 'J.R.R. Tolkien's Staffordshire'

"A part-built extension at the property could be used as a generous kitchen, additional living area or a garden-facing room designed to embrace the countryside.

"The grounds are a particular highlight — a plot of notable size and privacy, where the land stretches out gently and the boundaries feel softened by nature it continues.

"Here, days are guided by the turning of the seasons, and evenings by birdsong and fading light. It is a place of retreat and reflection, where one might feel, as Tolkien once wrote, 'safe, warm, and content'.

The property was last sold in 2005 for £450,000 and it can be viewed on RightMove or through Bairstow Eves. Contact the Cannock office on 01543 228 329.