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Lake-town or Esgaroth (N."Reed-settlement"), originally known as Viduwada, was built upon great platforms above the Long Lake (S: Annen) and was connected to land by a single wooden bridge.
The Men of Lake-town elected a Master every other year, but trade was the true ruler of Esgaroth. Most of the trade routes in the region passed through Esgaroth, and the Northmen who lived there were surprisingly cosmopolitan.

  • Type: Market town 
  • Inhabitants: 90% Northman, 10% Mixed Mannish 
  • Population: 910 (mid-Third Age) - 5.000 (late Third Age)
  • Origin: Founded as independent town on the site of a seasonal trading station, c. TA 1240 
  • Purpose: A market for most goods passing through northern Rhovanion; a regional focal point for rural Northmen in the region.

Various artists' interpretations of Lake-town
Lake-town
Lake-town
A Vision of Lake-town
Lake-town

Lake-town

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Lake-town

by Alan Lee

A Vision of Lake-town

by Jon Hodgson

Lake-town

after Tolkien's own drawing

Lake-town
Lake-town
A Vision of Lake-town
Lake-town

Places of Note[]

  • Arathmor Suits
  • Armoury
  • Bank of Esgaroth
  • Bard's house
  • Barracks
  • Barrel Quay
  • Bay Town
  • Bell-street
  • Bell-Tower
  • Boatbuilder's quay
  • Bowmen's Guild-Hall
  • Burnwater House
  • Business disrict
  • Canals
  • Castellum
  • Cattel-Market
  • Celebration square
  • central path
  • the Channel
  • Clothier's district
  • Councilor's square
  • Council Hall
  • Council Hall Quarter
  • Craft's Guild
  • Curmudgeon's Home
  • the Courtyard
  • Dale square
  • the Docks
  • Dragon-Inn (later Dragon-bone Inn)
  • Dwarven Embassy
  • Eastbay
  • East Pier
  • Eastquays
  • Elven Embassy
  • the fiery Flagon
  • Firstsettler's buildings
  • Fisherfolk's Quarter/Fishmonger's Market
  • Fisherman's Dock
  • Fisherman's row
  • the Fishing-town/Fisher's village
  • Gallows
  • Gambling Hall
  • Garrison Road
  • Gate Archway
  • Gate street
  • Girion Place
  • Girloth Loading Company
  • Glasser Quarter
  • Great Bridge
  • The Great Hall
  • Great Houses
  • Great tunnel
  • Great Wharf
  • Guard's Baracks
  • Guardhall
  • Guildhall
  • Hall of Healing/The Hospital
  • Harbour
  • Harbour street
  • Harbour Town
  • Jail Tower
  • Karath Manor
  • Large Warehouse
  • lofty Guesthall
  • The long Bridge
  • Lake-Cathedral
  • Lake's Deep
  • Library
  • Loading
  • Long street
  • Market Hall
  • Market Pool or Market-waters
  • The Master's Manor
  • Merchant's District
  • Merchant's Guild
  • Merchant's Lane
  • New Market
  • North Pier
  • Place of Girion
  • Town's Museum
  • Northern Market
  • North Quays
  • The Ódgairtún Inn
  • Old Lake-town ("Viduvada") ruins
  • Old Market
  • Old Pillings
  • Old Town/Bridgeguard
  • Poor man's alley
  • Prisons
  • the Quays
  • Raven road
  • rock promotory
  • shore gangway
  • Smelly Warehouse
  • Southern Bay Town
  • South Pier
  • South Quays
  • The Oily Sprat
  • Stables
  • Taurdain Quarters
  • Townhall
  • Trade-commission headquarters
  • Trade Quarter
  • Trader's Hall
  • Training Yard
  • Trout-Guildhall
  • Warehouse District
  • West Pier
  • West Quays
  • Westside
  • Wharf Row
  • Windlasses
  • Wooden Labyrinth

Characters[]

Prior to TA 1640: Ansleik Vodagia

TA 1640-50: Alliso Askastain Beadarof Bikio Breagla Brunehaut Dudannis Earm Earthwyn Eodoric Eroder Felureik Flaina Freaga Gisala Gowyna Grimmbalth Grimmabarda Gudrinc Gúma Gunthiharya Haribairtha Helporeik of Alcisbaurg Hilmanna the lame Holting Kuniawod Linth Maethelgar Marhliuga Marhlos Nanthico Odovacar Raendoric Randa Rauthair one-leg Shagelda Tal Erlasunu Théaláf Urdrath of Nûrad Vogir Vulf Waggeorn Westmilce Wodgavia Wopian

TA 2770-2941: Bard Bowman Girnir Harbard Helga Ingrid Una Mikla

TA 2941: Ádhri Aegir Stout Alfrid Lickspittle Aribiort Astrid Bain of Dale Begga of Esgaroth Bórstón Bard Bowman Bragi Brethil the Old Búrin Goldfinger Doran Elik Elstan Eivan Feldur Hook Fleinn Fram the Watchman Gisla of Esgaroth Halad Haulage Hilda-Blanca Hilman the Easterling Hiuki Strá Iarl Loorman Kaluza Katun Kornvin Lind of Esgaroth Malloc Marlof Nanna Nawi Ne-ula Nemis Numa Olga Ondain Orrdan Orfúsi Othur Calmar Porsi Rand Rant of Esgaroth Rennar Rolfur Ross of Esgaroth Sigrid Bardsdottir Soury Tilda Bardsdottir Ulfur Wada of Esgaroth Warin Wón

TA 2950: Alma Amdori Andrag the Wolf Astrid Biyndi Brethil the Old Caldon the Scholar Dorian of Esgaroth Eidyrr Fleinn Gellir Gisla of Esgaroth Hialparik Hilman the Easterling Lind of Esgaroth Liodbrand Marlof Nanna Odgeymi Rant of Esgaroth Rikli Rolfur Taleiga the Seeress Tunga Turumarth Wefing

TA 3019: Alarr Authi Gemcutter Dagrun Eigar Erland of Esgaroth Fasti Frekur Hata Hoskuld Hugin Isgird Kolfith Liodbrand Loskarl Maeriel Mervarth Olgat Orgrand Ottar Rannvig Rikolf the Elder Rikolf Skerri Skótmun Stafhild Sutviv Thewar Varthrek Vilman Wefing

Guilds or Edhfreirs[]

  • Bakermen
  • Barrelmakers
  • Boatbuilders
  • Clothworkers
  • Fishermen
  • Housebuilders
  • Ironshapers
  • Leatherworkers
  • Meat-Mongers
  • Potters
  • Townbuilders
  • Tubfixers
  • Weavers
  • Woodcrafters


Notes[]

Lake-town and Esgaroth refer to actually at least three very different towns. The Esgaroth we know from "The Hobbit" was most likely built after the destruction of Dale TA 2770. It existed for probably c. 170 years. After being destroyed by Smaug in TA 2941 a new Lake-town was built. A third Lake-town had existed before 2770 and most likely dated back to the times of old Dale TA 2590-2770. In MERP we are introduced to a hypothetical even older Lake-town ("Widuwaed") predating even Dale. There is some reason to acknowledge such earlier Lake-towns due to the presence of the Longbeards at Erebor at least since the Second Age and the establishment of Vidugavia's kingdom in the 13th century TA.

References[]

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