FOR one day only a rare map of Middle-earth will be on display for Tolkien fans to enjoy at an Oxford Library.

The map on show today is annotated by author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit JRR Tolkien and depicts the ideas behind the fantasy world he created for these novels.

It will be shown at the Bodleian's Weston Library from 9.30am to 5pm near the exhibition galleries.

Visitors will be able to view the rare piece of Tolkien ephemera which had been unseen for decades before it was recently found in October.

At the time to map was created, The Lord of the Rings had never been illustrated so Tolkien was keen to ensure the fantasy world was accurately depicted.

The rare map shows copious amounts of notes and markings in green ink or pencil including a note equating "Hobbiton is assumed to be approx at the latitude of Oxford".

The piece has joined the Bodliean's Tolkien archive after it was offered up for sale from Blackwell's Rare Books in Oxford last October.

It originally had belonged to Pauline Baynes, the acclaimed illustrator who was the only artist approved by Tolkien to illustrate his works during his lifetime.

It was the working document used by both in 1969 when Ms Baynes was commissioned to produce a poster map of Middle-earth.