A new LEGO® The Lord of the Rings set is never late, nor is it early; it arrives precisely when it’s meant to. That’s certainly the case with the latest Icons set to be inspired by the Lord of the Rings films. The last and only time a LEGO set visited Hobbiton was back in 2012, with set 79003: An Unexpected Gathering, which was based on the Hobbit trilogy. With the Lord of the Rings sets making a return in 2023, we have been treated to large-scale models inspired by Rivendell and Barad-Dûr; now it’s time for a return to Bag End with The Shire. Settled down with a second breakfast and see what the latest Lord of the Rings set has to offer.
Product Details
Set Name: The Lord of the Rings: The Shire | Set Number: 10354 | Pieces: 2017 | Theme: Icons
Number of Bags: Bags x 15 + loose elements | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Minifigures: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie, Samwise & Gandalf the Grey
RRP: £229.99/$269.99/269.99€/399.99AUD/349.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & LEGO retailers from April 2nd (Insiders), April 5th (General)
Middle-Earth is an interesting place, which was first brought to life on the big screen in 2001 with The Fellowship of the Ring. After recounting the creation of the Rings of Power, the first place we visit is The Shire. This quint country village is home to the Hobbits. As we join the Shire folk, they are preparing to celebrate the eleventy-first birthday of Bilbo Baggins. His home, Bag End, is featured in both the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, but the set is based on its appearance in the first film.
The set is split into various sections, hence why it’s called The Shire, but the focus of the set is Bag End, home to Bilbo Baggins. To truly capture this magical location, Bag End is crafted from three sections, which are then connected. This not only makes it a little easier to build, but also helps give the set a unique angle, which would have been more difficult to achieve with one single build.
Although the set offers both the exterior and interior of Bag End, it’s the outside area which is the most fun to build. Hobbits live in homes built into hills, so that means they are natural structures. Creating rounded detail isn’t the easiest thing to achieve with blocky elements, but the layering of bricks and plates, plus how Bag End is split into three sections, really manages to replicate Bag End perfectly.
The exterior of Bag End is filled with neat little details. The best of which is the wooden fence created by a series of boomerang elements. There’s also various flora dotted around Bilbo’s garden and home. These include green Wolverine claws, which double as clumps of grass. The new flower element for Sunflowers and various other plant pieces to bring a splash of colour to the set. Sitting proudly on top of Bag End is a small tree. I’ve seen some valid criticism of the trees in the set. This one isn’t too bad, it could have been a lot more lush, but it’s merely a small part of the overall set.
Compared to the exterior of the set, the inner section is a lot smaller, but it still manages to pack in a few fun details and interesting functions. The center part of Bag End features the hallway. Although this is the biggest area of the interior is the least detailed. It features a chest of Bilbo’s goodies from his past adventures and a colourful rug, created by two printed plates. To the right of the Hallway is the Sitting Room, which features a small table, but this section also features one of the set’s working functions. In the fireplace is a charred envelope, turning a knob on the side of the set causes it to flip over to reveal the One Ring. Over the opposite side of Bag End is a small Study, where Bilbo sits to work on recounting his adventures in the book he is leaving for Frodo. Surprisingly, a kitchen wasn’t included, especially as Hobbits are famed for their love of food.
On the subject of sitting, as the Hobbits use the fixed short legs, they can’t be seated in the same way as a standard minifigure can. So the buildable legs make a return from previous LOTR sets. This replaces the legs with a pair of headlight bricks and a 1×1 plate. This is used for both Bilbo and Frodo. Gandalf has a similar change to allow him to be seated. This swaps his robe for an angular plate and a 2×2 slope plate.
As mentioned, the set doesn’t just feature Bag End but also part of the surrounding area of the Shire. These sections are what tie the set to Bilbo’s Birthday celebrations. The biggest of these is a tree. This is where the criticism of the set’s trees is valid. The tree itself is fine, but the foliage is far too sparse. Of course, in the film it’s a massive tree and recreating it fully would result in a structure which could be a set on its own. But I’m not a fan of the leafy parts of the tree. But it’s not merely a tree, this part of the set is used for a perch to display the fiery red dragon firework and the Happy Birthday banner. I’m not sure if the banner has been printed upside down. The holes where the ball pegs are pushed through are the opposite way up compared to the imagery. However, it seems to sit OK. It’s also where you’ll find the set’s second working function. A stack of barrels is mounted on a turntable, and by turning a splat gear it causes it to rotate and make Bilbo disappear as if he had just put on the One Ring.
In addition to the lackluster tree, the other smaller sections add to the scenery of the Shire. One section includes a Birthday cake sitting on a table, and a tent, which uses a unique material piece to recreate its canopy. The other section may seem a little random, but it’s the launch pad for the red dragon firework.
Another aspect of the set has also previously been featured in a past LEGO set. When we first visit the Shire, we greet the arrival of Gandalf the Grey. He arrives on a horse and cart. This is a simple build with a horse figure pulling a basic cart. It features a couple of fireworks, but could have included a couple more or at least something to stand them in as they aren’t very visible when placed in the back of the cart. It’s also a little awkward placing Gandalf and Frodo on the cart, even with the elements used to allow them to be seated.
The set features 9 characters they including Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie, Samwise & Gandalf the Grey. Most of the characters have previously been featured in sets, but these minifigures are unique as they feature the Hobbits in the ‘home’ outfits instead of the clothes they wear on their trip to Mount Doom. Gandalf is almost same as the version featured in Rivendell set but also offers the choice of a hat or hair and a new face print. Bilbo has only been featured in his older years once before, this new version is unique, thanks to the different outfit he’s wearing, a new set of expressions and a different coloured hairpiece. Frodo is wearing the outfit featured in the scene in which Gandalf gives him the One Ring.
It wouldn’t be the Shire without a few more Hobbits. Frodo’s chums Merry, Pippin and Samwise are also included. Samwise has a surprisingly stern-looking expression. Thankfully, Pippin and Merry are a little more jovial. Their alternate faces can be paired with a different hair piece, a dark blueish grey variant of the NINJAGO Kai hair piece to show them after they have set off Gandalf’s fireworks. Their soot-filled faces are a fun way to show the mischievous side of the Hobbits.
Finally, a trio of characters making their minifigure debut. Rosie is the future wife of Samwise, who is briefly featured in the opening moments of The Fellowship of the Ring before returning at the end of the trilogy. There is a slight issue with the print detail on the torso, with the skin being faded as it’s printed on a blue torso, which washes the colour out a little. The other two Hobbits are a real deep-cut, and there is no other set in which they could appear. The Proudfoots are first seen as Gandalf arrives in the Shire. A rather grumpy-looking chap can be seen sweeping his garden before being joined by his wife. Farmer Proudfoot soon changes his frown upside down once Gandalf sets off a few fireworks to delight the local kids. Both minifigures have great expressions which capture their disdain and delight equally.
Technically, this new set could be a ‘remake’ of two previous sets. The aforementioned ‘An Unexpected Gathering’ and set 9469: Gandalf’s Arrival, which was released in 2012. Below are both of those original sets, so you can see how the upcoming set compares.
Admittedly, the set isn’t as spectacular as the previous Icons sets inspired by The Lord of the Rings but just that doesn’t mean it’s a lesser set. It’s a welcome return to where both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit adventures begin. The original set holds a special place for me as the 2013 set was the first ever LEGO set I purchased from LEGO.com. The updated version is just as wonderful and manages to offer a delightful build experience and detailed take on the home of the Bag End Bagginses. There’s no getting around the fact that it’s another expensive set, it could have left out some of the scenery pieces to lower the price point. It could have just focused on Bag End. Even as it is, the set feels a little overpriced. But it is an interesting set and probably one of my favourite of the new LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings models. There’s speculation this could be the last of large-scale LOTR sets, but I hope that’s not the case, as there are plenty of other places from Middle-Earth to explore in brick form. The LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: The Shire set will be released on April 2nd for Insiders members, and during launch week, there will be an opportunity to get an exclusive GWP set.
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The LEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz.com for review purposes. The thoughts expressed in this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or New Line. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion.
28th March 2025
Very nicely written and useful review Adam. Great accompanying photos.
Personally I am conflicted as to whether to add this set to my collection. I want to like [all of] it. I want to be able to justify the £230 price tag. But I’m struggling to do so.
It seems (from comments elsewhere) that I may not be alone with these mixed feelings, with some disappointment after so much expectation for this set and now hesitation due to the high price tag.
Whilst there are some nice new touches and elements with this set, other portions are underwhelming, such as Gandalf’s cart, (in comparison to the original), the lacklustre tree (horrendous in my opinion) and generally the additional builds not helping to justify the £230 price tag, but having the opposite effect. Ultimately I feel that it is this high purchase price that makes it so difficult to forgive or ignore this set’s shortfalls.
28th March 2025
Thank you and I agree on the price. It should have been the “Lord of the Rings: Bag End” instead of the Shire. The additional bits are nice but ultimately offer nothing but an increased price point and the ability to call the set “The Shire”. The larger tree isn’t the best it could have been unfortunately, I like that Hobbiton has finally been revisited but it’s arrival has certainly been overshadowed by the price. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment