PREVIOUSLY unseen material about a love story by Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien will feature in a major new exhibition.

The Bodleian Library houses the largest collection of original Tolkien manuscripts in the world and from June 1 until October 28 'Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth' will explore the power of the author’s literary imagination.

The Oxford University library has previously unseen material about Beren and Lúthien, lead characters in the story about a mortal man and an elf maiden.

The tale appears in several of Tolkien’s works, in the posthumously published novel The Silmarillion (1977) and more fully in the recent Beren and Lúthien (2017), both edited by the author’s son and literary executor, Christopher Tolkien.

Catherine McIlwaine, Tolkien Archivist at the Bodleian Libraries and curator of the upcoming exhibition, said: “The aim of this exhibition is to take visitors beyond what they may already know about the work of this extraordinary author – his talent as an artist, linguist and creator of the many different characters who lived in Middle-earth. The story of Beren and Lúthien resonates with us today more than ever because it speaks of the possibility that love can transcend the differences that sometimes separate us.”

The mythical romance sees mortal Beren and elf Lúthien embark on a quest together and fall in love.

Following the final battle Lúthien revives the mortally-wounded Beren by renouncing her own immortality.

Original manuscripts and illustrations related to this little-explored story, including Tolkien’s illustrations of heraldry for both Beren and Lúthien, will go on display from Friday, June 1 at the Weston Library.

The exhibition will explore the breadth of Tolkien’s literary imagination, ranging from his creation of Middle-Earth to his life and work as an artist, poet, medievalist and scholar of languages.

Items never previously displayed include the Second Silmarillion map on which Beren and Lúthien are mentioned.

The exhibition will feature manuscripts, artwork, maps, letters and artefacts from the Bodleian’s extensive Tolkien Archive, the Tolkien Collection at Marquette University in the United States and from private collections.

The Tolkien Archive has been kept at the Bodleian since 1979.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a new book book, Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth to be published by Bodleian Library Publishing on June 1.

Manuscripts of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings will also go on show.

Tolkien, a university professor who was a member of literary group The Inklings, died in 1973 and is buried at Wolvercote Cemetery.

Entry to Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth is by ticket only.

These can be reserved online at tolkien.bodleian.ox.ac.uk