Which university appointed C.S. Lewis to its medieval and Renaissance English chair in 1954?

The University of Cambridge appointed C.S. Lewis to its medieval and Renaissance English chair in 1954.

Lewis became the first holder of the Cambridge chair of Medieval and Renaissance English in 1954. The appointment marked a major change after almost three decades teaching at Oxford’s Magdalen College. He continued to live near Oxford for much of this period, commuting to Cambridge for his academic duties.

His Cambridge position recognized his expertise in older English literature, especially medieval and Renaissance texts. His scholarly interests included allegory, medieval literary traditions, and the works of writers such as John Milton.

Readers sometimes assume that Lewis held his most important university post at Oxford because his Oxford years were longer and more closely associated with the Inklings. In fact, the Cambridge chair was a distinct and prestigious late-career appointment. He held it until his retirement in 1963, the year of his death.