Oxford hosted most of J.R.R. Tolkien’s university teaching career.
Tolkien held several academic posts at the University of Oxford. He became Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College in 1925 and later served as Merton Professor of English Language and Literature at Merton College from 1945 until his retirement in 1959.
Oxford was not merely Tolkien’s workplace. He lived and worked there for decades, developed friendships with fellow writers, and participated in literary groups including the Inklings. His academic work in Old and Middle English, medieval literature, and historical linguistics strongly informed the languages, names, and textual traditions of Middle-earth.
Cambridge can be a tempting answer because Tolkien was associated with major British universities and studied at Oxford’s Exeter College. However, his principal academic career was based at Oxford. He also taught briefly at the University of Leeds before returning to Oxford in 1925.