The Barrow-downs or Tyrn Gorthad were a series of treeless hills east of the Shire, behind the Old Forest, and south-west of the village of Bree. They were called the Barrow-downs, because many of the hills were crowned with barrows (burial mounds). Standing stones stood on some of the green mounds. The Barrow-downs were a treeless country that was covered with grass and turf.
In the late First Age the ancestors of the Edain built many of the barrows in the Barrow-downs before they migrated west to Beleriand.
In the Second Age many Men that were descended from the ancestors of the Edain, primarily from the Folk of Beor and partly from the Folk of Hador lived near Lake Evendim, in the North Downs, in the Weather Hills and in the land between. It is not known if they lived as far south as the Barrow-downs at that time. During the Dark Years Men who were related to the Dunlendings had migrated from the valleys of the White Mountains to the empty lands as far north as the Barrow-downs.
When Elendil escaped to Middle-earth from the Downfall of Númenor and established the Realms in Exile in S.A. 3320 the Barrow-downs became a part of the kingdom of Arnor. The Barrow-downs were revered by the Dúnedain of Arnor, because many of the barrows had been built by their forefathers in the First Age, and they buried their lords and Kings there.
After the division of the kingdom of Arnor into the kingdoms of Arthedain, Rhudaur and Cardolan in T.A. 861 the Barrow-downs became a part of the kingdom of Cardolan.
In T.A. 1409, a large army from the kingdom of Angmar invaded the kingdom of Cardolan. The Dúnedain of Cardolan were defeated and Cardolan was ravaged, but a part of the Dúnedain of Cardolan defended the Barrow-downs or fled into the safety of the Old Forest. The forces of Angmar were eventually defeated by Elves from Lindon, Rivendell and Lothlórien and subdued for a while.
Around T.A. 1636 the Great Plague spread to Cardolan from the South-west and most of the population of Cardolan died. The Witch-king sent evil spirits from Angmar and Rhudaur to the Barrow-downs, which inhabited the deserted barrows. It is possible that the terror of the Barrow-wights prevented any attempt to resettle the Barrow-downs.
Around September 24 T.A. 3018 the Black Riders entered Cardolan. Their chief, the Witch-king, moved to Andrath, visited the Barrow-downs, roused the Barrow-wights to be on the watch in order to trap the Ring-bearer and left on September 27.
On 28 September T.A. 3018 Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry were trapped in the downs by a wight, probably in the same mound which contained the grave of the last prince of Cardolan (it is likely that Merry saw his last memories in his dreams, because he mentioned the "men of Carn Dûm"). They were rescued by Tom Bombadil, who amassed the barrow’s mighty hoard and gave them four special swords. Tom took a brooch set with blue stones for Goldberry and said that it was long ago worn by a fair woman on her shoulder and that he and Goldberry would not forget her. It is possible that the brooch had belonged to the wife of or a woman from the family of the last prince of Cardolan, because it was in the barrow that contained his grave.
Artwork
Barrow Wight
Paul Raymond Gregory
Bojuka Bog 1
Calder Moore
Fog on the Barrow Downs
Paul Raymond Gregory
Fog on the Barrow-Downs
Marco Gorlei