Buckland

Buckland was first discovered by Gorhendad Oldbuck, a Hobbit of the Shire, while crossing the River Brandywine from the East Farthing. The land was populated by hobbits around TA 2340 after the construction of Brandy Hall in Buck Hill. Gorhenhad, who belonged to the family of Meriadoc Brandybuck, was appointed the first Master of Buckland. He later called himself Brandybuck, which became the family name of the Hobbits of this country. Buckland, the eastern province of Brandywine, was handed over to the Hobbits by King Elessar only at the beginning of the Fourth Age. It was the childhood home of Frodo Baggins and was visited by him on his journey to Rivendell in T.A. 3018. Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Peregrin Took used the Bucklebury Ferry to cross the Brandywine River and reach their new house in Crickhollow. [2] The Bucklanders were regularly threatened by the evil trees of the Old Forest. They were even invaded by the white wolves when Brandywine froze in the winter of T.A. 2911.​

Buckland was referred to as the Eastmarch of the Shire. The most famous village of Buckland was Bucklebury, located close to Buck Hill. BrandyHall, the home of the Chief of Buckland, was built here. Many other new villages like Newbury, Crickhollow, and Standelf, sprawled to accommodate the growing population. The Marish region situated between Stock and Rushey considered itself a part of Buckland because of the efficient leadership of the Masters of Buckland. Buckland boasted of a vast wall called the High Hay, which stretched twenty miles along its eastern borders. This hedge was built to ward off any evil of the Old Forest threatening the land. In the northern borders lay the Hay Gate, and the village Haysend was located in the southern end of Buckland. Buckland's two important landmarks were Brandywine Bridge ( a bridge built across the Brandywine River) and Bucklebury ferry (a raft-ferry). They were used to cross the Brandywine river from the Shire to Buckland.​

Buckland, situated on the eastern shores of the Brandywine, was not part of the Shire when the surrounding regions were handed by King Argeleb II of Arthedain to the Hobbits. King Elessar granted Buckland to the Shire during the early Fourth Age. Buckland was a small independent country, occupied mainly by the members of the Brandybuck family. It was not unlike any other Hobbit family homelands. It was rather more urbane than the rest of the Shire.​

The Bucklanders were prudent and less naive than other Hobbits of the Shire. They were more adventurous and enjoyed rowing, an activity disliked by Shire-hobbits. The Bucklanders were of Stoor ancestry and were comfortable with rivers and boats. They were the only Hobbit community to wear shoes. Regularly threatened by the evil trees of the Old Forest, they were brave and had an unusual habit of keeping their doors locked at night. They used an alarm signal popularly called the Horn-call of Buckland to alert the land inhabitants about invaders. The Bucklanders inherited the features of the Stoorish language.​