<PAGE>   1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 1999
                                                            File No. 333-_____
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                              --------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      Under

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             THE TIMBERLAND COMPANY

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                         <C>
                    Delaware                                                                02-0312554
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)                  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
</TABLE>

                                200 Domain Drive
                          Stratham, New Hampshire 03885
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
                            -------------------------

                        1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                        (as amended through May 20, 1999)

                            -------------------------
                            (Full title of the plans)

                                JEFFREY B. SWARTZ
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             The Timberland Company
                                200 Domain Drive
                          Stratham, New Hampshire 03885
                                 (603) 772-9500
 (Name and address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
  code, of agent for service)
                               ------------------

                  Please send copies of all communications to:
                              HEMMIE CHANG, ESQUIRE
                                  Ropes & Gray
                             One International Place
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                 (617) 951-7000

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------ -------------------------- ---------------------
Title of securities to    Amount to be     Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum           Amount of
be registered             registered       offering price per       aggregate offering price   registration fee
                                           share
------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------ -------------------------- ---------------------
<S>                           <C>                 <C>                         <C>                   <C>
Class A Common Stock,         100,000             $75.94(1)                   $7,594,000            $2,111.13
par value $0.01

------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------ -------------------------- ---------------------
</TABLE>

(1) Estimated  solely for purposes of calculating the  registration fee pursuant
to Rule  457(h) on the basis of the  average  of the high and low  prices of The
Timberland  Company Class A Common Stock,  par value $0.01,  reported on the New
York Stock Exchange Composite Transactions tape on August 9, 1999.


<PAGE>   2





                      REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES

         The  Timberland   Company  (the  "Company"  or   "Registrant")   hereby
incorporates  by  reference  the  contents  of  the  Registrant's   Registration
Statement on Form S-8, File number 33-60459, and the Registrant's filing on Form
10-Q,  file number  1-09548.  The purpose of this  Registration  Statement is to
register an additional  100,000 shares of the Company's Class A Common stock for
issuance under the Company's 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit

4.        Copy of the Timberland Company's 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
          as amended to date.

5.        Opinion of Ropes & Gray.
23.1.     Consent of Deloitte & Touche.
23.2.     Consent of Ropes & Gray (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5
          to this registration statement).

24.       Power of Attorney  (included  in Part II of this
          registration   statement   under   the   caption
          "Signatures").



<PAGE>   3


ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.

         (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

         (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by Section  10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
effective date of the Registration  Statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate,  represent  a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

         (iii) To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in the  Registration  Statement or any
material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

         provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above shall
not  apply  if the  information  required  to be  included  in a  post-effective
amendment by those  paragraphs  is contained in periodic  reports  filed with or
furnished to the Securities and Exchange  Commission by the Registrant  pursuant
to Section 13 or Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that are  incorporated  by
reference in this Registration Statement.

         (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         (b) The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and  where  applicable,  each  filing  of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration  Statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  registration  statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and  controlling
persons of the Registrant  pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,
the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the  opinion of the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission such  indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities  Act of 1933 and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than the
payment by the registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer,
or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will, unless
in the  opinion  of its  counsel  the matter  has been  settled  by  controlling
precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether
such  indemnification  by it is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in  the
Securities  Act of 1934 and will be governed by the final  adjudication  of such
issue.


<PAGE>   4





                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Stratham, State of New Hampshire on this 10th day of
August, 1999.



                                               By:  /s/ Jeffrey B. Swartz
                                                    -----------------------
                                                    Jeffrey B. Swartz
                                                    Chief Executive Officer


          Each person whose  signature  appears below  constitutes  and appoints
Sidney W.  Swartz,  Jeffrey B.  Swartz and  Dennis W.  Hagele,  and each of them
individually,  his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of
substitution  and  resubstitution,  for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments)  to this  registration  statement  on Form  S-8 to be  filed  by The
Timberland Company,  and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto,  and other
documents in connection therewith,  with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents full power and authority to be
done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might
or  could  do  in  person,   hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes,  may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  this
registration  statement  on Form S-8 has  been  signed  below  by the  following
persons in the capacities shown on the date indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Signature                               Title                                                Date



<S>                                     <C>                                                  <C>
 /s/ Sidney W. Swartz                   Chairman of the Board                                August 10, 1999
---------------------
Sidney W. Swartz



 /s/ Jeffrey B. Swartz                  President and Chief Executive Officer                August 10, 1999
----------------------                  (Principal Executive Officer)
Jeffrey B. Swartz



 /s/ Geoffrey J. Hibner                 Senior Vice President-Finance and                    August 10, 1999
-----------------------                 Administration and Chief Financial
 Geoffrey J. Hibner                     Officer (Principal Financial Officer)



 /s/ Dennis W. Hagele                   Vice President-Finance and Corporate                 August 10, 1999
-----------------------                 Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
Dennis W. Hagele





<PAGE>   5



 /s/ Robert M. Agate                   Director                                              August 10, 1999
--------------------
Robert M. Agate



--------------------                   Director
John F. Brennan



 /s/ Ian W. Diery                      Director                                              August 10, 1999
---------------------
Ian W. Diery



 /s/ John A. Fitzsimmons               Director                                              August 10, 1999
------------------------
John A. Fitzsimmons



 /s/ Indra K Nooyi                     Director                                              August 10, 1999
---------------------
Indra K. Nooyi



---------------------                  Director
Abraham Zaleznik


</TABLE>




<PAGE>   6








                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
Number                          Title of Exhibit
------                          ----------------
4.        The Timberland Company 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
5.        Opinion of Ropes & Gray.
23.1.     Consent of Deloitte & Touche.
23.2.     Consent of Ropes & Gray (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5
          to this registration statement).

24.       Power   of   Attorney   (included   in  Part  II  of  this
          registration statement under the caption "Signatures").
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "THE TIMBERLAND COMPANY", "secsgml_size_bytes": 12712}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "TIMBERLAND CO", "cik": "0000814361", "assigned-sic": "3140", "irs-number": "020312554", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-84959", "film-number": "99684288"}, "business-address": {"street1": "200 DOMAIN DR", "city": "STRATHAM", "state": "NH", "zip": "03885", "phone": "6037729500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "200 DOMAIN DR", "city": "STRATHAM", "state": "NH", "zip": "03885"}}
1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 1999
                                                            File No. 333-_____
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                              --------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      Under

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             THE TIMBERLAND COMPANY

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware                                                                02-0312554
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)                  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
200 Domain Drive
                          Stratham, New Hampshire 03885
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
                            -------------------------

                        1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                        (as amended through May 20, 1999)

                            -------------------------
                            (Full title of the plans)

                                JEFFREY B. SWARTZ
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             The Timberland Company
                                200 Domain Drive
                          Stratham, New Hampshire 03885
                                 (603) 772-9500
 (Name and address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
  code, of agent for service)
                               ------------------

                  Please send copies of all communications to:
                              HEMMIE CHANG, ESQUIRE
                                  Ropes & Gray
                             One International Place
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                 (617) 951-7000

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------ -------------------------- ---------------------
Title of securities to    Amount to be     Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum           Amount of
be registered             registered       offering price per       aggregate offering price   registration fee
                                           share
------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------ -------------------------- ---------------------
Class A Common Stock,         100,000             $75.94(1)                   $7,594,000            $2,111.13
par value $0.01

------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------ -------------------------- ---------------------
(1) Estimated  solely for purposes of calculating the  registration fee pursuant
to Rule  457(h) on the basis of the  average  of the high and low  prices of The
Timberland  Company Class A Common Stock,  par value $0.01,  reported on the New
York Stock Exchange Composite Transactions tape on August 9, 1999.
2

                      REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES

         The  Timberland   Company  (the  "Company"  or   "Registrant")   hereby
incorporates  by  reference  the  contents  of  the  Registrant's   Registration
Statement on Form S-8, File number 33-60459, and the Registrant's filing on Form
10-Q,  file number  1-09548.  The purpose of this  Registration  Statement is to
register an additional  100,000 shares of the Company's Class A Common stock for
issuance under the Company's 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit

4.        Copy of the Timberland Company's 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
          as amended to date.

5.        Opinion of Ropes & Gray.
23.1.     Consent of Deloitte & Touche.
23.2.     Consent of Ropes & Gray (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5
          to this registration statement).

24.       Power of Attorney  (included  in Part II of this
          registration   statement   under   the   caption
          "Signatures").
3

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.

         (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

         (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by Section  10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
effective date of the Registration  Statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate,  represent  a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

         (iii) To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in the  Registration  Statement or any
material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

         provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above shall
not  apply  if the  information  required  to be  included  in a  post-effective
amendment by those  paragraphs  is contained in periodic  reports  filed with or
furnished to the Securities and Exchange  Commission by the Registrant  pursuant
to Section 13 or Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that are  incorporated  by
reference in this Registration Statement.

         (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         (b) The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and  where  applicable,  each  filing  of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration  Statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  registration  statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and  controlling
persons of the Registrant  pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,
the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the  opinion of the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission such  indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities  Act of 1933 and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than the
payment by the registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer,
or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will, unless
in the  opinion  of its  counsel  the matter  has been  settled  by  controlling
precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether
such  indemnification  by it is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in  the
Securities  Act of 1934 and will be governed by the final  adjudication  of such
issue.
4

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Stratham, State of New Hampshire on this 10th day of
August, 1999.

                                               By:  /s/ Jeffrey B. Swartz
                                                    -----------------------
                                                    Jeffrey B. Swartz
                                                    Chief Executive Officer

          Each person whose  signature  appears below  constitutes  and appoints
Sidney W.  Swartz,  Jeffrey B.  Swartz and  Dennis W.  Hagele,  and each of them
individually,  his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of
substitution  and  resubstitution,  for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments)  to this  registration  statement  on Form  S-8 to be  filed  by The
Timberland Company,  and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto,  and other
documents in connection therewith,  with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents full power and authority to be
done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might
or  could  do  in  person,   hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes,  may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  this
registration  statement  on Form S-8 has  been  signed  below  by the  following
persons in the capacities shown on the date indicated.
Signature                               Title                                                Date
/s/ Sidney W. Swartz                   Chairman of the Board                                August 10, 1999
---------------------
Sidney W. Swartz

 /s/ Jeffrey B. Swartz                  President and Chief Executive Officer                August 10, 1999
----------------------                  (Principal Executive Officer)
Jeffrey B. Swartz

 /s/ Geoffrey J. Hibner                 Senior Vice President-Finance and                    August 10, 1999
-----------------------                 Administration and Chief Financial
 Geoffrey J. Hibner                     Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

 /s/ Dennis W. Hagele                   Vice President-Finance and Corporate                 August 10, 1999
-----------------------                 Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
Dennis W. Hagele
5

 /s/ Robert M. Agate                   Director                                              August 10, 1999
--------------------
Robert M. Agate

--------------------                   Director
John F. Brennan

 /s/ Ian W. Diery                      Director                                              August 10, 1999
---------------------
Ian W. Diery

 /s/ John A. Fitzsimmons               Director                                              August 10, 1999
------------------------
John A. Fitzsimmons

 /s/ Indra K Nooyi                     Director                                              August 10, 1999
---------------------
Indra K. Nooyi

---------------------                  Director
Abraham Zaleznik
6

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number                          Title of Exhibit
------                          ----------------
4.        The Timberland Company 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
5.        Opinion of Ropes & Gray.
23.1.     Consent of Deloitte & Touche.
23.2.     Consent of Ropes & Gray (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5
          to this registration statement).

24.       Power   of   Attorney   (included   in  Part  II  of  this
          registration statement under the caption "Signatures").