Bag End or Bag-End was a smial in Hobbiton, the residence of the Baggins Family and later the Gardner Family.
Layout
The entrance to Bag End was a perfectly round green door featuring a brass knob in the center. The entryway was a tube-shaped hall with paneled walls and a tiled floor, furnished with carpeting, polished chairs, and an abundance of pegs for the hats and coats of many visitors. The tunnel continued into the hill with side doors that were also round. All of the rooms were on the same level – bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, multiple pantries, wardrobes, kitchens, and dining rooms. The best rooms were those on the left side of the passage for they had deep-set round windows with a view of the garden and meadows beyond down to The Water.
Bag End was built into Hobbiton Hill by Bungo Baggins, where he went to live with his new wife, Belladonna Took. The hole was largely financed by her. The earth removed was shot over the edge of the sudden fall in the hillside onto the ground; this lane would thenceforth be known as "Bagshot Row". The hole was inherited by Bungo's son Bilbo.
Bilbo employed Holman Greenhand, Hamfast Gamgee, to tend to its gardens. During Bilbo's disapparance, he was presumed dead, when he returned in T.A. 2942 just in time to see his estate being auctioned by Messrs Grubb, Grubb and Burrowes. During that time Holman and Ham tried to protect the garden from the crowd. The Sackville-Bagginses hoped that Bag End would be theirs (and Lobelia allegedly snatched some silver spoons).
In S.R. 1389 Bilbo adopted orphan Frodo as his heir (disappointing the Sackville-Bagginses who coveted it for years), with whom they shared same birthday. Together they gave famous combined birthday parties in Bag End. While preparing for his famous party, Bag End was closed, with only Gandalf and some Dwarves of Erebor working there.
Bag End in turn was left to Frodo, in S.R. 1401 along with all the chief treasures, books, pictures and furniture. The next day of the party and Bilbo's disappearance, many hobbits crowded Bag End to inquire what happened and to collect farewell gifts. This caused the rumor that Bilbo's household was given out for free and many came for loot; they tried to loot overlooked small items, make swaps or deals, even mixed or removed labels from presents that Bilbo prepared. Three young hobbits even knocked holes in the walls of one of the cellars, and Sancho Proudfoot dug in the larger pantry, looking for Bilbo's mysterious treasure. Frodo attempted to block the entrance with barrows and handcarts and had Merry Brandybuck to keep an eye.
When he too left The Shire, he sold it to Lobelia by June T.A. 3018. Frodo had bought a house at Crickhollow and his friends helped him empty and pack his household, and celebrated with them his last birthday party in Hobbiton. The title would pass to Lobelia on 24 September, but she arrived one day early with her son Lotho to inspect the remaining items. Leaving Bag End, Frodo left the keys with his chief gardener Gaffer Gamgee. It was used by Lotho as he declared himself Chief Shirriff. Sharkey also adopted the hole as his base, digging up Bagshot Row and erecting many houses in its stead. After the Battle of Bywater, it was largely restored to normal, and Frodo took up residence in the hole again.
After Frodo Baggins left Middle-earth, he gave Bag End to Samwise Gamgee, whose family, the Gardners, would live in it for many years.
Artwork
Bilbo's Eleventy First Birthday
Paul Raymond Gregory
Dwarves at Bag End
John Howe
Gandalf Arrives at Bag End
John Howe
Gandalf at Bag End
John Howe
Good Morning
Donato Giancola
One Morning Long Ago
Ted Nasmith
One Ring
Donato Giancola
Shadows of the Past
Donato Giancola