J.R.R. Tolkien co-founded the Inklings with C.S. Lewis.
The Inklings were an informal Oxford literary discussion group active mainly from the 1930s until the early 1950s. Lewis and Tolkien were central members, and the group met at venues including Lewis’s rooms at Magdalen College and the Eagle and Child pub, commonly called the Bird and Baby.
Members read drafts aloud and discussed works in progress, theology, language, myth, and literary craft. Tolkien was developing parts of The Lord of the Rings during the period, while Lewis shared fiction, criticism, and Christian writing. Charles Williams and Owen Barfield were also important participants.
The group was not a formal society with a fixed membership list or official founding ceremony. “Co-founded” is therefore a convenient description of Lewis and Tolkien’s central role rather than a claim about a documented charter. The Inklings’ influence is best understood through their sustained friendship and criticism, not as a publishing organization.