Last Bridge

The Last Bridge was an ancient stone bridge that carried the East Road over the River Hoarwell (Mitheithel), about a hundred miles east of Weathertop and roughly the same distance west of Rivendell. Its three arches crossed the rushing river at the bottom of a deep valley and to the east the land rose again into the wooded hills of the Trollshaws. It was the only practicable crossing point south of the river's sources in the Ettenmoors.
== History ==
How ancient the bridge was is unknown. It may have been as old as the East-West Road, which possibly dated to the First Age, or it may have been built or improved by the Númenóreans. In the Third Age the bridge was within the bounds of the realm of Arnor and then Rhudaur, and probably these two realms kept up the maintenance of this strategic structure.
In T.A. 2941 Thorin and Company passed over the bridge on their way to the Lonely Mountain. After the crossing one of the ponies bolted back into the river and its load of food was lost. This loss of provisions and the dwarves' inability to ignite a fire in the wind and rain led to the encounter of Bilbo Baggins and his companions with the unfriendly trio of trolls.
On 11 October T.A. 3018 three Black Riders were guarding the bridge against Aragorn and the hobbits on their journey to Rivendell. Their plan was foiled by Glorfindel, who drove them away and left his token, a green beryl, on the Bridge. Two days later Aragorn found the beryl, took it as a sign that the bridge was safe, and led the hobbits over it.