What Oxford pub was associated with C.S. Lewis’s literary group, the Inklings?

The Oxford pub associated with C.S. Lewis’s literary group, the Inklings, was The Eagle and Child.

The pub is located on St Giles’ Street in Oxford. Lewis and other members of the Inklings often met there, particularly in a back room known as the Rabbit Room. The group discussed manuscripts, literature, mythology, theology, and works in progress.

J.R.R. Tolkien was among the most famous members associated with the Inklings, alongside Lewis, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, and others. The group was not a formal society with an official membership list; it was an informal circle of writers and scholars connected through Oxford.

The Eagle and Child is also commonly known by its nickname, the Bird and Baby. The nearby Lamb and Flag was another Oxford pub linked with literary gatherings, which explains why the two establishments are sometimes confused. The Inklings’ meetings helped create an important literary friendship network.