Built by Humphrey Perrott in 1758, this tower in Edgbaston features six levels, 139 steps, and a large domed room at the top. Many legends have popped up attempting to explain Perrott’s purpose for building the tower. It is now called a “folly” because its original purpose is unclear. Some say it was simply for entertaining, which he did quite often, while others suggest that it provided a vantage point for him to see his wife’s grave in the distance. However, given its proximity to Perrott’s hunting lodge, it is likely that he built it for spotting deer and other prey.

Since its use by Perrott, the tower has been used for a number of things, primarily a weather station, before being restored and open to the public in 2008. In Tolkien’s youth, he would have passed by the tower quite often. It, in conjunction with the chimney at Edgbaston Waterworks, is believed to have inspired Tolkien’s vision of the two towers. Most locals hold that they are the inspiration for Minas Morgul and Minas Tirith, although Tolkien never stated clearly.

It is not the history of Perrott’s Folly that interested Tolkien, but rather its placement and design. As you can see from the map, it is very close to the Oratory, the Severn-Trent Waterworks Tower, and several of Tolkien’s childhood homes. Even today, despite the city of Birmingham having grown so modern and large, Perrott’s Folly stands out from its surroundings. The effect is amplified by the fact that the Severn-Trent chimney can be seen nearby. During Tolkien’s childhood they would have appeared even more out of place.

When looking at the towers, it is very easy to see how a young boy might find them visually strange and oddly menacing. They hold a certain eeriness even today. Assuming that they served as Tolkien’s inspiration for the towers Orthanc and Barad-dûr, we see that Tolkien’s description of Orthanc is very near to the appearance of Perrott’s Folly. The most important factors to note are the central spiral staircase, the seeming fusion of multiple towers, and the flat landing on top. The comparison can be continued further when we consider that both Perrott’s Folly and Orthanc are no longer used for their original purpose. Orthanc was built for the use of one of the seven Palantiri. But with many of the Palantiri being missing, the purpose of the tower is a corruption of its original form. Just as Perrott’s Folly can no longer be used as a lookout for a deer park, Orthanc can no longer be used to communicate with distant locations.

Severn Trent Waterworks are owned by the Severn Trent Water Corporation. The buildings were designed by John Henry Chamberlain and William Martin in the 1860's. Despite the geographical proximity the waterworks are not connected to the reservoir, which was intended for the canal system. It is widely supposed that the chimney of the waterworks, which used to be coal-powered, was the inspiration for the belching black smoke and pollution of Orthanc, though Parrot’s Folly is the tower more associated with the tower of Isengard.

The Severn Trent Water Works Tower rises alongside the tower known as Perrot’s Folly in Edgbaston, Birmingham. According to Robert Blackham, the tower may have served as the inspiration for Barad-dûr, although Tolkien never gave any direct or conclusive proof of such. I do understand, after visiting, however, where Blackham’s supposition comes from.

The view of the two towers that rise above Waterworks Road in Edgbaston--The Severn Trent Tower and another tower called Perrot’s would have been a daily presence in the life of the young Tolkien, and I could see that they might take on a dark connotation after the death of Tolkien's mother, Mabel. While that is also an observation born of wild speculation, the intriguing view of the two towers rising above the surrounding shops undeniably draws the eye and the imagination. It certainly did for me.

The two towers lie just down the road from the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, and, as such, would have been common sights for Tolkien both preceding and following his mother’s death. Tolkien’s life centered around the Oratory for many years during his youth, and, as such, he must have had many opportunities to view what the locals called “the two towers.” His would have spanned many emotional states and important events during the time he lived near them, and I find it easy to believe that Severn Trent in particular, with its then smog-ridden chimney, could have made a strong impression on the darker days of Tolkien's early life.

Upon returning to England from Rome after becoming a priest, Cardinal John Henry Newman desired to follow the example of St. Phillip Neri and the Oratorians. Thus, with the authorization of Pope Pius IX, he established the Birmingham Oratory. The Congregation of the Oratory is unique in the Catholic Church in that it does not require its priests and other members to take vows. Rather, they seek to live in simple obedience while serving their community. Given that no one is bound to the Oratory or a particular way of life beyond simple obedience, it provides a particularly open forum for discussion and exploration of beliefs.

The Birmingham Oratory is one of the most important places in Tolkien’s childhood. After moving to Edgbaston, Mabel Tolkien chose the Oratory for its proximity to their home. There they met Father Francis Xavier Morgan, whom Mabel would later name guardian of Ronald and Hilary. Upon Mabel’s death, Ronald and Hilary went into the care of Father Francis and the Oratory. It is because of Father Francis’s care that the boys were able to stay together, and continue to receive education at King Edward’s school.

The Birmingham Oratory is a place of special significance. It has a long, rich history, of which Tolkien is just a small part. From the teachings of St. Phillip Neri, to Cardinal John Henry Newman’s return to Birmingham, to the legacy of Father Francis, the Oratory is a place filled with moments and people of great importance. It is quite difficult to stand there and consider all that this single place represents.

Of most importance to me, however, was its role in raising Tolkien from the time of his mother’s death. The Oratory, and more specifically Father Francis, provided for and shaped the latter half of Tolkien’s childhood. It was a source of stability for him during a time when not much else was reliable. It provided monetary and emotional support for Tolkien, but most importantly it displayed for him a particular way of life. For the Oratorians, faith, education, and community were of utmost importance. These three things were at the core of their everyday lives, and Tolkien learned them well. That he took them to heart is evident throughout his life. His faith was not something he took lightly. His education never ceased. And his involvement with his peers was integral to his success. While the Oratory may not be linked to any particular point of inspiration, it provided the unseen core around which the rest of Tolkien’s life was built.

The Plough and Harrow is a hotel just a block away from the Oratory. Ronald and Edith stayed here shortly after they got married, and although some people claim the couple honeymooned here, it is much more likely that they were in the area to visit family. It was built in 1704 and is still in operation today as both a hotel and an afternoon tea house.