Tharbad

Tharbad is the only named crossing of the Greyflood, and it stands at the point where the road from Gondor and Rohan up to Bree and the Shire meets the river. On the map it is well south of the Shire, on the boundary between the empty lands of Minhiriath to the west and Enedwaith to the east. Anyone travelling overland between the two kingdoms had to pass through it.

While both kingdoms were strong the town was a working river port, with a bridge, causeways and forts kept up jointly, and ships could come that far up the Gwathló. Both kingdoms kept a garrison there while they were able, since whoever held the crossing controlled the traffic between north and south. The Great Plague of TA 1636 gutted the population of Eriador and Tharbad never really recovered. It was finally abandoned after the floods of the Fell Winter in TA 2912 destroyed the bridge and drowned the low ground.

What remains is a hazard rather than a place. Boromir, riding north to Rivendell in TA 3018, lost his horse fording the Greyflood at Tharbad and covered the rest of the distance on foot, which tells you the state of the crossing at the end of the Third Age.

Events at this place

1. TA 1636 · Appendices

   The Great Plague

   The plague swept north through Eriador and emptied much of the land, leaving Tharbad half-deserted.

2. TA 2912 · Appendices

   The bridge is destroyed

   Great floods in the wake of the Fell Winter ruined the causeways and bridge, and Tharbad was finally deserted.

3. TA 3018, September 15 · The Lord of the Rings

   Boromir loses his horse

   On his hundred and ten day journey to Rivendell, Boromir was forced to ford the Greyflood at the ruined crossing and continued north on foot.

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