Brandywine Bridge Battle of Five Armies & The Third Age of Middle-Earth The current year for our Middle-Earth campaign is set during the year of 2946 of the Third Age. Inspired By J.R.R. Tolkien

The Brandywine Bridge, originally known as the Bridge of Stonebows, was a significant ancient structure crossing the Brandywine River in Middle-earth. Built by the Dúnedain of the North Kingdom of Arnor long before the arrival of the Hobbits, it was a durable, well-engineered stone bridge designed to carry the Great East Road across the wide river. For the Hobbits of the nearby Shire, the bridge was a vital landmark and the primary eastern entrance to their land. Early in their history in Eriador, the Hobbits took on the duty of maintaining this bridge as "bridge-wardens" in service to the distant King at Fornost, a role they faithfully performed for centuries, ensuring the main route from the East remained passable and protected.

The bridge held strategic and symbolic importance during the events of The Lord of the Rings. When the Hobbits of the Fellowship journeyed eastward, they crossed this bridge, which marked their formal exit from the safe boundaries of the Shire and their entry into the increasingly dangerous Wild. While the hobbits themselves crossed without issue, the presence of the Black Riders in Eriador made the bridge a point of concern. The Nazgûl, however, generally avoided the main road and the potentially busy crossing, favoring the unguarded Sarn Ford further south to enter the Shire. This choice underscored the bridge's role as a guarded, historical landmark that, by design, channeled traffic and security at a single, recognizable point in the landscape.