My personal experience of knowing an author's environment is my time in the 80's at the University of Leeds where the comp sci department had a small out-buildi

My personal experience of knowing an author's environment is my time in the 80's at the University of Leeds where the comp sci department had a small out-building where the Ph.D students had some office space. This was one of the few remaining old terrace-type buildings that had survived the modern re-development of the Uni and according to local legend was the building where JRR Tolkien had an office when he was a reader in the English dept. at Leeds. We always felt that this was where Tolkien got the inspiration for the danker bits of the Mines of Moria. I also used to visit the park area in Meanwood where some claimed Tolkien was inspired by the large holly trees as an inspiration for Hollin. I later moved to Bournemouth where Tolkien lived in retirement. His house there was totally uninspiring suburban. I'm also reminded of the old joke about a uni that had a building dedicated to authors, known locally as 'Writers Block'.