Oxford is a city rich in literary history. After spending a year there, I had the chance to fully dive into its literary culture. Some of the most famous writers have come from this charming university town. Walking along the cobbled streets, you can almost sense how the city was decades ago when great authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis found their inspiration and wrote their masterpieces here.
One of the best things to do in Oxford is simply to stroll through the town, passing by its magnificent buildings and old pubs where many authors once enjoyed a pint while dreaming up their beloved novels. As you walk up High Street, you’ll find a small side street that leads into the University’s core. Emerging from the alley’s shadow, you’ll see the impressive Bodleian Library. This iconic, dome-shaped building has been a staple of Oxford University for centuries and is one of the world’s oldest public libraries.
Arriving at the next intersection, lovers of literature will be transported to Thomas Hardy’s famous novel, Jude the Obscure. Hardy’s fictional town, Christminster, is based on Oxford. At the junction of Broad Street and Parks Road stands the Martyr’s Cross, the meeting point for Jude and Sue Brideshead in the novel.
Next, we head to one of Oxford’s busiest streets, St. Giles. By going west on Broad Street and navigating a few winding alleyways, we find ourselves on St. Giles, heading to the famous Eagle and Child pub. This historic site was frequented by J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. From around 1933 to 1963, Tolkien and Lewis, along with other authors, would meet in Lewis’ rooms at Magdalen College to discuss and read aloud their unfinished work. This group, known as the Inklings, had a standing lunch date on Tuesdays at the Eagle and Child, nicknamed the Baby and the Bird. They met in the pub’s back room, called the Rabbit Room.
During my year in Oxford, I had the opportunity to dine in this very room. A group of friends and I celebrated our friend’s birthday there, honoring his dreams of becoming a famous writer. The first thing you notice upon entering the pub is how small and cozy it feels. The narrow hallway leading to the main room barely fits one person at a time. Small rooms with tiny tables line the hallway, creating a snug atmosphere. Walking from the hallway into the main room feels like emerging from a dark cave into a new world. Continuing straight ahead, you’ll reach the Rabbit Room, a quaint dining area that accommodates about five people. My friends and I sat at the very table the Inklings once used, celebrating our friend Aaron’s twenty-first birthday. It was truly a magical experience.
There are many more literary-related sites in Oxford, but the last one I want to mention is the prestigious Exeter College, known for its brilliant students. Fans of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series might recognize it, as the story partially takes place in a fictional college called Jordan, which is based on Exeter College. It is definitely worth a visit.
Oxford is full of winding alleyways and hidden gems waiting to be discovered. If you’re a fan of literature and want to walk in the footsteps of some of the greatest authors in history, Oxford is the place to be. You never know what you might stumble upon as you explore this remarkable city.
