Why exactly is Rivendell called The Last Homely House?

[Ithrynluin]

From A Short Rest:

They asked him where he was making for, and he answered: "You are come to the very edge of the Wild, as some of you may know. Hidden somewhere ahead of us is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the Last Homely House. I sent a message by my friends, and we are expected."

Why exactly is Rivendell called so? Because it was the only place in whole Middle Earth that was hospitable and welcoming to many races (Elves, Men, Dwarves, Hobbits)? Is there any other place in ME that could be given such a name also?

Morning passed, afternoon came; but in all the silent waste there was no sign of any dwelling. They were growing anxious, for they now saw that the house might be hidden almost anywhere between them and the mountains. They came on unexpected valleys, narrow with deep sides, that opened suddenly at their feet, and they looked down surprised to see trees below them and running water at the bottom. There were gullies that they could almost leap over; but very deep with waterfalls in them. There were dark ravines that one could neither jump nor climb into. There were bogs, some of them green pleasant places to look at with flowers growing bright and tall; but a pony that walked there with a pack on its back would never have come out again.

The house? Did Rivendell consist of only one house? This may mean that they were looking for Elrond's house in particular, but if there were many houses Rivendell shouldn't have been that hard to spot in the first place!
If there was only one house, however big (capable of housing many people), how could Rivendell defend itself when it was attacked (e.g. when it was besieged in the Second Age)? Sure there were High Elves at Rivendell, and it was in a pretty secret location and had good natural defenses (see the above quote: gullies, ravines, bogs...) - but how could it resist a large army for long?

 

[BlackCaptain]

Yes, Tolkien did mean for Rivendell to consist of only one large house, the house of Elrond. In it lived many elves, and there were many rooms and stuff. Im guessing it's called the last homely house because it is the last place you can stop to rest before attempting to reach the East side of the Misty Mountains by using the pass that the company did, i cant remember the name right now...

http://www.warofthering.net/gallery/jrrtolkien/tolkienmain/imagepages/image159.shtml

That is a link to a page that has Tolkien's artwork. That picture is what he wanted Rivendell to be, unless he changed his mind after he wrote the Hobbit. As you can see, there is only one house

As for your question of how they could defend themselves, im just guessing that they had some outside help...

 

[Mirabella]

"Hidden somewhere ahead of us is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the Last Homely House."

I have always interpreted this to mean Elrond's house is in the valley of Rivendell...only a part and not the whole.

"Is there any other place in ME that could be given such a name also?"

I think the Prancing Pony, as described in the book would fit such a bill.

There must have been other dwellings in Rivendell. I remember reading in the appendices of ROTK about Glorfindel leading "a host from Rivendell" to the aid Eanur in Eriador. A host to me suggests many Elves...too many for one house.

I also remember a reference to "the power that protects this valley"...maybe Elrond says something like this after the events at the Ford? I don't have my books right now to look up the exact quote. Could this power possibly be Ulmo?

 

[FrankSinatra]

Yes

I think the name 'Rivendell' relates to the valley between the mountains.

The house is merely in the valley.

Gandalf says 'Evil things do not come into that valley'.

(Not a quote...so forgive me)

 

[Melko Belcha]

I believe that Rivendell is the name of the valley and The Last Homely House is the name of Elrond's house. There was probably many houses throughout the valley and maybe even in the hills behind.

 

[BlackCaptain]

Did anyone look at that site i posted? As you can see, there is only ONE house. And i'll give you all one guess as to who drew that picture....



TOLKIEN


That is what tolkien wanted Rivendell to look like, and as you can see, there is only ONE house. The Last Homely House

 

[Melko Belcha]

I am very familiar eith that picture I have in JRR Tolkien, Artisit and Illustrater and you have to remeber that picture was done when he was writing the Hobbit. Once he started LOTR his vision on Rivendell enlarged.

I still agree with the picture but for one you do not see the whole valley in it, and it was a wooded valley so it had alot of space to hide small dwellings.

I see Elrond's house as the center of the Eleven refuge.

 

[Turin]

I always thought of Elronds house as the last house in the valley. I'm prolly wrong.