The Stocktower
The village of Stock has long stood as the easternmost settlement of the Shire; east of the Eastfarthing. To some it is the first sign of home, and to others it is the last. A short distance from the Brandywine Bridge, otherwise called the Bridge of Stonebows, the village overlooks the Brandywine River, otherwise called the Baranduin. On a clear spring morning, one might be able to spy the Brandy Hall, excavated within the Brandy Hill of Bucklebury in the country of Buckland, founded upon the eastern bank of the river over six hundred years ago.
To the south of the village stands the ancient Stocktower, a name it has acquired in recent centuries. What name it was given by its builders is now as forgotten as they have become over the passage of time. At noon, Stock is often eclipsed by the great shadow cast by the tower. All who look upon the stonework would immediately understand its purpose: a watchtower, built to keep a silent vigil over the Brandywine Bridge and the river that flows beneath.
Although there is no definitive date of its construction, it is likely that it was erected around two thousand years ago. Still it stands; a true testament to Westernesse craftsmanship. At the Brandywine River, the border between the Kingdom of Arthedain and Cardolan was marked. The strife between the sons of Eärendur, the last King of Arnor before its division, did not escalate to the point of civil war. This is not, however, to say that tensions between the three splinter realms did not remain high. Each son, and their descendants, each desired the crown of a united Arnor. The Brandywine Bridge of Stonebows was the only crossing on the river, and was thus considered to be of vital strategic importance. The same bridge that Marcho and Blanco would one day cross could quite as easily accommodate an army. This, Amlaith, first King of Arthedain and eldest son of Eärendur, recognised.
A great watchtower, the Stocktower, was erected in such a position that the sentries posted atop it had a clear view of the Brandywine Bridge and River, as well as the hostile lands beyond its banks. If Cardolan, or any other foe, attempted to march an army across the bridge without leave of the King, a beacon might have been lit atop of the watchtower. The signal would then be relayed north to the Norbury of the Kings, who would answer by sending its own soldiers to meet the invasion. All who looked upon the tower would recognise the strength and pride of the Northern Kingdom. To the south-west of the Brandy Hall today, a ruin can be found standing against the Stocktower across the river. Arthedain may have feared an attack from Cardolan, but the latter realm had defensive needs of its own. Even now, centuries after the fall of both kingdoms, the two ruins continue their vigil of the river.
The Stocktower has endured the passage of time, although parts of it have crumbled away over the centuries. It is thought to have been damaged following the Fall of Norbury, when the armies of Angmar ravaged the landscape of Arthedain following the exile of the Last King. Even so, it remains a stalwart structure even today. Standing at such a height that it can be seen from miles away, it is a firm reminder of the might and majesty of the lost Northern Kingdom. As with all structures of the Westernesse, the Stocktower is adorned with stars – thought to be the symbol of the ancient ship-kings, from whom the Kings of Arnor claimed descent.
