The fictional homeland Tolkien identified with England is the Shire. In Middle-earth, the Shire is a peaceful region inhabited mainly by Hobbits and known for its farms, villages, lanes, and cultivated countryside.
The Shire appears at the beginning and end of The Lord of the Rings and is Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’s home. Its ordinary routines provide a deliberate contrast with the wars, ancient kingdoms, and supernatural dangers beyond its borders.
Tolkien described the Shire as a region with connections to the English countryside, especially the rural landscapes and traditions he knew. It is not a direct map of one single English place, although locations such as Sarehole near Birmingham and the Worcestershire countryside influenced his imagery.
The Shire is sometimes confused with Hobbiton, which is one settlement within it. Hobbiton contains Bag End and the Green Dragon, while the Shire is the larger homeland encompassing many communities and areas.