Places in Middle-earth
Hill of Himring
Type: Mountains, Hills, Promontories
Region: Beleriand & North
Meaning: Ever-cold
Other Names
Himling (HoME, later discarded)
After the Sinking of Beleriand, the hill of Himring became the isle of Himling.
Location: The tallest of the Hills of Maedhros, between the Pass of Aglon on the west and Maglor's Gap on the east; the stronghold of Maedhros; the source of the rivers Celon and Little Gelion.
Description:
East of Dorthonion the marches of Beleriand were most open to attack, and only hills of no great height guarded the vale of Gelion from the north. In that region, upon the March of Maedhros and in the lands behind, dwelt the sons of Fëanor.... The chief citadel of Maedhros was upon the Hill of Himring, the Ever-cold; and that was wide-shouldered, bare of trees, and flat upon its summit, surrounded by many lesser hills. Between Himring and Dorthonion there was... the Pass of Aglon....
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms
[They] intended... to pass through Dimbar, and along the north marches of Doriath, seeking the swiftest road to Himring, where Maedhros their brother dwelt; and still they might hope with speed to traverse it, since it lay close to Doriath's borders, shunning Nan Dungortheb and the distant menace of the Mountains of Terror.
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 19, Of Beren and Lúthien
Maedhros did deeds of surpassing valour, and the Orcs fled before his face.... Thus the great fortress upon the Hill of Himring could not be taken, and many of the most valiant that remained, both of the people of Dorthonion and of the east marches, rallied there to Maedhros; and for a while he closed once more the Pass of Aglon, so that the Orcs could not enter Beleriand by that road. But they... passed through Maglor's Gap, and destroyed all the land between the arms of Gelion.
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 18, Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin
Gelion... rose in two sources and had at first two branches; Little Gelion that came from the Hill of Himring, and Greater Gelion that came from Mount Rerir.
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms
[The] land of Himlad [lay] southward between the River Aros that rose in Dorthonion and his tributary Celon that came from Himring.
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms
Christopher Tolkien here describes the isle of Himling that he placed north of Forlindon on the map of Eriador:
I have shown the little island of Himling off the far north-western coast, which appears on one of my father's sketch-maps and on my own first draft. Himling was the earlier form of Himring..., and though the fact is nowhere referred to it is clear that Himring's top rose above the waters that covered drowned Beleriand.
Unfinished Tales, Introduction
Etymology
him 'cool' in Himlad (and Himring?).
The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names
ring 'cold, chill' in Ringil, Ringwil, Himring; also in the river Ringló in Gondor, and in Ringarë, Quenya name of the last month of the year (The Lord of the Rings Appendix D).
The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names
Contributors:
Lyllyn 5Sep03
Elena Tiriel 15Dec09
