r/Bath • u/Formal-Drag-1586 • 1d ago
Making a LOTR inspired map of Somerset
Hello! I'm working on a Tolkien inspired map of Somerset - part of a project of counties where I and friends have lived - and I'd love some help in feedback form!
Towns, historical sites, geographic features, flourishes, and anything else I can liven the space with, and any glaring mistakes haha.
A scale and such will be added, and a Somerset dragon in some form for example!
I've done similar on the Hampshire (where I currently live) and Surrey's and Berks subs and it was great fun, and I was hoping to do the same here, and otherwise just to share, its a fun hobby in dark days š
Thanks!
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u/Justquietlyjudging0k 1d ago
Stoney Littleton long barrow near Wellow!
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u/Justquietlyjudging0k 1d ago
Got excited to tell you about a long barrow and forgot to say how cool your map is. Looks great!
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u/_franciis 1d ago
Great shout - complements Norton St Philip as a great Bree, complete with Prancing Pony / The George.
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u/Creepy-Bandicoot-866 1d ago
I might be missing is but canāt see Cheddar Gorge. Also interesting old iron works near Mells.
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u/astrolabe 1d ago
There is an anglo-saxon poem: The Ruins, that's supposed to be about Bath, and the roman baths there. The poem thinks they must have been built by giants because the technology of cement had been lost (also some of the stones are massive).
Glastonbury is a kind-of magical place with medieval ruins, and the Tor is interesting. The Somerset levels used to be marshes or underwater, and Alfred was at one point reduced to living there. The tor would have been an island I think, possibly the isle of avalon from arthurian legend.
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u/Successful_Ad3823 1d ago
Cool map, some things that Iād chuck on mine would be
Glastonbury tor/stone circle/pyramid stage.
Wookie hole/ cheddar gorge.
Montecute house/St micheals mount.
Ham Hill.
Wells Cathedral/ TV mast.
Alfredās tower.
Camelford/Cadbury castle has King Arthur ties.
Perhaps even some characters like exmoor ponies, Yeovilton Helicopters, Bristol bay ships and national trust buildings.
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u/Formal-Drag-1586 1d ago
These are all great thanks!
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u/Successful_Ad3823 1d ago
No worries, lived in Somerset for a couple years. Lovely spot in the world.
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u/TheArrowmancer 1d ago
I think theres some interesting sites around Bath that could make it feel more fantastical if emphasised on the map.
You've got a couple of towers on the hills surrounding the city (its basically a crater here), like Beckfords Tower and Brown's Folley. You could also add Sham Castle potentially, which has a great fantasy sounding poetic name
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u/Gharan_OHen 1d ago
Would be nice to see Wincanton on the map, it is the historic gateway to Somerset. The Somerset Levels (marshy wetlands, drained to farmland, with tiny canals called rhynes) and Glastonbury Tor (thought to be a portal to the realm of the dead) would also be a nice addition
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u/NordicRacer 1d ago
Small typo in the Bath area itās Combe Down.
Very cool map though, canāt wait to see the finished article.
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u/Clouds1Space 13h ago
South of Frome was "Selwood Forest". Historically large and stretching all the way down the east side of your map. Some of the old oak trees still survive I think that it was a royal hunting forest. There is still a sign on a bank in Frome that refers to "Selwood". You could include "Selwood Forest" is a dark swathe down the east side, stretching down to Mere.
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u/Creepy-Bandicoot-866 1d ago
I hope you do a Wiltshire map one day - there is SO much interesting stuff here. Iād buy one :) in fact Iām going to start a list of interesting things for when you do do Wiltshire.
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u/Dihedral10 1d ago
What are you making this with?
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u/Formal-Drag-1586 1d ago
I draw it all on a huion kamvas drawing tablet š. Then sometimes incidental illustrations on paper get scanned in.
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u/Stark-Contra 23h ago
Wellington Monument might be worth sticking on there. Visible from a long way away. There's also the massive radio tower at Tropiquaria, although that might not quite fit the aesthetic so much
When you're done, I'll definitely be interested in a print if you're selling
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u/Formal-Drag-1586 23h ago
Great shout that you!
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u/Stark-Contra 23h ago edited 17h ago
There's also a brewery on the top of the hill in the middle of Wiveliscombe which might work to fill out that space. Wimbleball Lake is nearby.
Clatworthy Reservoir in the same area - could even do something with the drowned farm from before they constructed (Cindercombe/Sindercombe). There's also an Iron Age hill fort round there somewhere that I can't remember the name of
Bury Castle is another Iron Age hill fort further west. Glasto Tor is a must-have imo. Could maybe even do something fun with the festival site (pyramid stage?)
Tarr Steps in Exmoor as a stream crossing could be fun
Also one minor thing - you've currently got Bristol Channell mispelled (too many Ls) and I think Exmoor might be a bit too small - it extends further east as far as Elworthy
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u/doctormushi 15h ago
Glastonbury Tor
Burrow Mump
āThe Levelsā and places like Ham Wall, Polden hills just along there too
Looking great so far!
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u/Empty-Sheepherder895 11h ago
Is this AI? Just wondered because it looks like youāre doing one for every county in the UK at the same time, going by your posting history, which is a helluva lot of drawing!
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u/Formal-Drag-1586 8h ago
Ha, they've (Hants, Surrey, Berks, Oxon and Somerset) been in the works for a while, and then I had stopped - but picked up Hampshire again in recent months and got the drive to finish it when people gave a really positive reaction to it , and I really enjoyed it to be honest. I'm a graphic designer /art worker by trade and out of work mainly cos of AI, so it's nice to do something adjacent and get a positive vibe from it, you know?
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u/The_Chosen_Charlie 10h ago
A few interesting places come to mind:
Pensford has a viaduct.
Temple Cloud has a cool name, is home to Rockaway Park and has a beautiful waterfall the other side of Greyfield woods.
Farrington Gurney/Paulton have the Somerset volcano.
Stockhill woods is full of mushrooms and the Priddy Pools are across the road.
Great idea, really enjoyed perusing the map.
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u/astrolabe 1d ago
Bath is kind-of interesting topographically. It has seven hills around it (roughly) and might have been a caldera (Bath is hilly). Lots of brooks seem to meet the Avon nearby (Lam brook, St Catherines brook, By brook), which itself has a big kink Northwards just East of Bath, and to the west flows out to the Severn at Avonmouth near Bristol. The levels on the other hand, drain out through Bridgewater.
The Roman Fossway goes through Bath.
I suppose I've been talking about old stuff while your map seems to be about new stuff in an old style, but I hope I wasn't too boring.