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Take a Tour of This ‘Hobbit House’ Tucked Away Into the Pennsylvania Countryside

Dec. 12, 2012 10:45pm Jason Howerton

Take a Tour of This Hobbit House in Chester County Pennsylvania

Shown is an exterior view of the Hobbit House Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Architect Peter Archer has designed a Hobbit House containing a world-class collection of J.R.R. Tolkien manuscripts and memorabilia. Credit: AP

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. (AP) — Worlds away from the Shire, a stone cottage tucked into the Pennsylvania countryside would make Bilbo Baggins feel like he was back home with his Hobbit friends in Middle-earth.

Nestled in a part of Chester County dotted with picturesque barns and rolling fields surprisingly close to Philadelphia, this Hobbit house belongs to a lifelong fan of author J.R.R. Tolkien who wanted a worthy — and private — repository for the rare books and Tolkien-inspired memorabilia he has collected in 30 years of travel in the U.S. and abroad.

The 600-square foot building is a short walk from his main house, on a flat stone path and through an English-style garden.

Take this short photo tour:

Shown is an exterior view of the Hobbit House Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Credit: AP

Shown is an Interior view of the Hobbit House Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Credit: AP

Shown is a collection of J.R.R. Tolkien books at the Hobbit House Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Credit: AP

Shown are collectibles at the Hobbit House Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Credit: AP

Architect Peter Archer closes the front door of the Hobbit House during and interview with the Associated Press Tuesday, Dec. 11, Credit: AP

Shown is an Interior view of the Hobbit House Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Credit: AP

Architect Peter Archer enters the Hobbit House during and interview with the Associated Press Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Chester County, near Philadelphia. Credit: AP

Credit: AP

“We wanted a single structure, a relaxing place that was diminutive in scale, for the owner to come and hang out and just be in solitude with his collection,” said architect Peter Archer, speaking on the owner’s behalf.

Hundreds of houses inspired by Tolkien’s books have been built in the U.S. and abroad. But Archer said, “This isn’t something that you can recreate on a suburban cul-de-sac; it was made for this specific location and it wouldn’t work anywhere else.”

Archer worked with a team of craftsmen to create the fantastical abode. They used stones taken from a long-collapsed section of an 18th-century low wall running through the center of the 16-acre property. Built up against a stone retaining wall of the same vintage, the Hobbit house looks like an original feature of the property.

“We weren’t going to do a Hollywood interpretation. We wanted it to be timeless,” Archer said. “It was built in 2004 but looking at it, you could think it was from 1904, or 1604.”

The 54-inch diameter Spanish cedar door — naturally with a knob right in the center just as Tolkien described — opens with a single hand-forged iron hinge. Several craftsmen said they couldn’t hang the 150-pound door on one hinge but a Maryland blacksmith “succeeded on the first try,” Archer said.

A Delaware cabinet-maker built the mahogany windows, including the large arched “butterfly window” — its Art Nouveau-ish flourishes inspired by Tolkien’s own drawings. The name comes from the window’s appearance when open, with the two halves pushed outward from a center hinge. The roof is covered with clay tiles handmade in France.

Inside the small dwelling are curved arches and rafters of Douglas fir, a fireplace finished in stucco and accented with thin slices of clay tile, and plenty of shelves and ledges for the owner’s library and displays of Hobbit figurines, Gandalf’s staff, hooded capes, chess sets, chalices — and of course, The One Ring. The rustic structure cleverly hides its thoroughly modern heating, cooling, electrical and security systems.

And while a country drive to see the cottage after catching the newly released Peter Jackson film “The Hobbit,” might be a nice outing, don’t expect to find it.

Concerned that his rural tranquility could turn into an unwanted tourist attraction, the owner has taken steps to ensure it remains under the radar. He does not want the location of the site revealed, and used a pseudonym the rare time he gave an interview, on-camera last year.

Archer, who declined to divulge what it cost to build the Hobbit house, said his team is currently working on a similar project in Tasmania.

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Comments (50)

LisaC49
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:40pm
I wonder if they do give tours! We’re right across the state from it and my hubby was mentioning that it would be nice to take a trip to check it out!

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3-Blue
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:22pm
The timber beams and arches are magnificent! How much work were they!? And where did they find such clear Doug Fir, one wonders. That’s old growth. They must’ve steam bent the arches to get such a huge radius. I’d like to see THAT boiler. Doesn’t look laminated… Great work, if you can find it!!! I’d like to build a steel sailboat with similar arched deck beams…..

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bandit49
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:12pm
That is just plain cool! I loved The Hobbit, and all Tolkien’s stories.

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- LisaC49
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:33pm
  LOVE it! If I was single, that house would be perfect. But — no bedroom, bathroom or kitchen? It would be more like a library. However, I still would love to have a little “getaway” like this!
  
  Report this comment
AmericaMustBeFree
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:08pm
Love the concept, hate the little doors! I would want it deeper in the woods where I could escape the Orc’s that are coming!!

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melving
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:03pm
Weirdo

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- AntonW
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 5:47pm
  “Weirdo” said the souless husk of a human.
  
  Shame on you.
  
  Report this comment
- country_hick
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 10:03pm
  Oh, it is so much more normal to have a 4,000 square foot made with all right angles, painted all white inside, with dust covers on the furniture… I’d take one of these no problem except built with doors and head room for human size. Oh, and the Gaffer to do the grounds work…
  
  Report this comment
schroeder123
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 11:49am
Cool House.. I want one, only Bigger

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Thornyrose13
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 8:47am
If I had the money and land, definitely something I would look at to build. Though mine would be human sized, I will have to make a note to include a couple of “little folk” bedrooms that could double as part of my library. Just plain fun.

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ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 7:27am
Where are the Protests ? There has to be people out there that find this House extremely offensive, right ? I mean a person can’t even call a Snowman a Snowman anymore. It’s a SnowPERSON. The friggin World has gone off the real Cliff.
It’s not for everyone, but i like this House.

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- tajloc
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 8:18am
  Can’t be a snow PERSON … it must be a perDAUGHTER.
  gottcha
  
  Report this comment
- Taquoshi
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 3:56pm
  First let me say that I think it is absolutely wonderful.
  
  Now, if you feel you absolutely have to have protestors, I’ll list a number of reasons why people can protest and everyone can choose their own.
  
  Okay, is it ADA compliant?
  
  Using the stone from a old stone wall for construction can be considered illegal in some parts of the country.
  
  Is the building to code?
  
  Have all the zoning regulations been met?
  
  I could go on, but you get the drift.
  
  Report this comment
ares338
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 7:07am
Waste of time and money. I would rather have a beer house!

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- DissenterKnight
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 10:59am
  What about a merging of the two? Say a hobbit inne?
  
  Report this comment
- Norm D. Plume
  Posted on December 15, 2012 at 1:40am
  You are obviously not familiar with the habits of hobbits.
  
  On the other hand, I want to build Heorot for myself.
  
  Report this comment
chucksue351
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 7:06am
sorry but it is not Agenda 21 compliant

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- LisaC49
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:37pm
  Ha-ha-ha-ha…the gov’t can stick Agenda 21 up their *unmentionables*!
  
  Report this comment
Magyar
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 6:57am
It looks like the prefect playhouse for any child! Way Cool!

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DougHuffman
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 5:59am
I noticed the asphalt shingles fail. Thatching is better, better looking, higher insulating value, better use of local resources, better carbon sequestration, less expensive ad infinitum.

Locally, phragmites is native and aggressive, prime for cropping for thatching. Traditionally is is the premium material.

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- DZ-015
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 6:58am
  The shingles are French tiles according to the story. They are a lot less labor intensive than thatching.
  
  Report this comment
- DougHuffman
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 8:07am
  “Less labor intensive” means lazy way slipshod construction. Thatching lasts hundreds of years with laborious care.
  
  Report this comment
- MIBUGNU2
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 10:27am
  @DougHuffman
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 8:07am
  “Less labor intensive” means lazy way slipshod construction. Thatching lasts hundreds of years with laborious care.
  
  Thatching would be Super Cool, but it might be because of Fire Code’s ????
  
  Report this comment
- 3-Blue
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:07pm
  “Carbon sequestration”? LoL…. Utter poppycock. Sounds like someone has been drinking the global warming poison.
  
  Report this comment
- DougHuffman
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 5:35pm
  All of your thatching questions answered here and with lots of pictures.
  
  http://www.thatching.com/
  
  Report this comment
SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 5:55am
I want one!

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- Ayla_me
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 6:47am
  When I die and go to heaven, this is similar to what I want as my “mansion”, lol. (I bet it desn’t have a bathroom in it though, lol.)
  
  Report this comment
MMSands
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 4:54am
That is some of the most beautiful countryside in the world. That house undoubtedly fits in with the surrounding landscape perfectly.

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- ONLY4UANDME
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 7:03am
  I agree except what is the building behind it? It looks like a house from a subdivision.
  
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- ONLY4UANDME
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 10:03am
  Come to think of it. It looks like a writers man cave. Where’s the kitchen and bedroom pics? I think its his getaway built in his back yard.
  
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Starkadder
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 2:30am
I’m not sure if it would have destroyed the effect but I think I would have had it made in “hobbit” style but grownup sized.

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- DZ-015
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 7:04am
  The guy is not a hobbit living in the house, but only visits his collection, Gandalf style. It’s great!
  
  Report this comment
PaxInVeritate
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 1:26am
Wonder what it looks like during the verdant bloom of spring?

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samnjoeysgrama
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:40am
OK, first thought: How did they get past building code?
Second thought: Wow, that must have been expensive to build! Every thing ultra custom.
Third thought: I either really like it or I am totally creeped out by it, still deciding.

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The-Monk
Posted on December 13, 2012 at 12:26am
How nice!

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3-Blue
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:39pm
What a wonderful place to sit and reread the Hobbit and the trilogy. I’ve probably read them 20 times over the last 30 years. Long live Middle Earth!

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LeadNotFollow
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:29pm
Wow! This house is great.

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MikeJoyous11
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:26pm
It looks utterly fantastic! I wish I could go there and see it and maybe stay there a while!
Mike

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- MIBUGNU2
  Posted on December 13, 2012 at 11:30am
  Looks like the place to just kick back, relax and dream..
  Love to have a place like this…WOW !!!!!!!!
  
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Duddio
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:26pm
I’ll take two, please.

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right-wing-waco
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:24pm
Kool looking house. I would like to have a missile silo for a house.

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M13
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:21pm
Wait a second, that’s not a hobbit house that’s Al Gore’s dog house. Because we all know that Al and his dogs like living large.

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Seagal45
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 11:16pm
It’s so cute! I love it.

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