Where did C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien commonly meet with the Inklings?

C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien commonly met with the Inklings at The Eagle and Child.

The Eagle and Child is a historic pub on St Giles’ Street in Oxford. Members of the Inklings, an informal literary group, often gathered there on Tuesday mornings during the academic term. The group included writers and scholars who shared drafts, discussed books, and argued about literary quality and ideas.

Lewis and Tolkien were among the group’s best-known members. Tolkien read portions of The Lord of the Rings to fellow Inklings, while Lewis shared sections of works including The Great Divorce and other writings. Their friendship had begun earlier, and both influenced one another’s intellectual and creative lives.

The pub was also known by the nickname “The Bird and Baby.” The Inklings met in other places too, including rooms at Magdalen College, so the Eagle and Child was a regular meeting place rather than the group’s only venue.