The Eagle and Child

Pub · Oxford

The Eagle and Child

Pub · Oxford

2

49 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, United Kingdom

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The Eagle and Child by manray3/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Eagle and Child by Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Tom Murphy VII/CC BY-SA 3.0
The Eagle and Child by chateauesque (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Jacob Lundberg/Public Domain
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The Eagle and Child by Gunnar Bach Pedersen/Public Domain
The Eagle and Child by Doc Searls/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Eagle and Child by Jaszmina Szendrey (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by tealeaves (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by manray3/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Eagle and Child by Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Jaszmina Szendrey (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Jacob Lundberg/Public Domain
The Eagle and Child by Gunnar Bach Pedersen/Public Domain
The Eagle and Child by tealeaves (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by chateauesque (Atlas Obscura User)
The Eagle and Child by Tom Murphy VII/CC BY-SA 3.0
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null
The Eagle and Child by null

Highlights

Pub with a simple menu, best known for being a watering hole for CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien.  

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49 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, United Kingdom Get directions

nicholsonspubs.co.uk

£10–20 · Menu

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49 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, United Kingdom Get directions

nicholsonspubs.co.uk

£10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

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@atlasobscura

"During the 1930s, a small, unofficial club was formed in the intellectual hub of Oxford University. Every week, a group gathered to drink a few beers and discuss the latest adventures in worlds inhabited by lions, wizards, and hobbits, which were slowly materializing from the fertile imaginations of its most famous members: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The group, called the Inklings, consisted of professors, thinkers, and writers who lived around the university town. Warren Lewis, C.S Lewis’s older brother and also a writer and an Inkling, wrote that, “Properly speaking, it was neither a club nor a literary society, though it partook of the nature of both. There were no rules, officers, agendas, or formal elections.” Beginning in the 1930s, formal meetings were organized every Thursday evening at Lewis’s university rooms and more casual lunches were held at different local pubs, most frequently The Eagle and Child. Most Mondays or Tuesdays, the group gathered in the backroom of the pub they referred to as the “The Bird and the Baby,” to discuss their own writing and other matters of the day. At this time, Lewis was crafting his Space trilogy, comprising Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength, and Tolkien was writing the Lord of the Rings series. The pub now sports pictures and prints related to these hugely popular books and a plaque records the role it played in their creation." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

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View Postcard for The Eagle and Child
@atlasobscura

"During the 1930s, a small, unofficial club was formed in the intellectual hub of Oxford University. Every week, a group gathered to drink a few beers and discuss the latest adventures in worlds inhabited by lions, wizards, and hobbits, which were slowly materializing from the fertile imaginations of its most famous members: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The group, called the Inklings, consisted of professors, thinkers, and writers who lived around the university town. Warren Lewis, C.S Lewis’s older brother and also a writer and an Inkling, wrote that, “Properly speaking, it was neither a club nor a literary society, though it partook of the nature of both. There were no rules, officers, agendas, or formal elections.” Beginning in the 1930s, formal meetings were organized every Thursday evening at Lewis’s university rooms and more casual lunches were held at different local pubs, most frequently The Eagle and Child. Most Mondays or Tuesdays, the group gathered in the backroom of the pub they referred to as the “The Bird and the Baby,” to discuss their own writing and other matters of the day. At this time, Lewis was crafting his Space trilogy, comprising Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength, and Tolkien was writing the Lord of the Rings series. The pub now sports pictures and prints related to these hugely popular books and a plaque records the role it played in their creation." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

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View Postcard for The Eagle and Child

Scott G. Hopkins

Google
The wonderful thing about the U.K. and Oxford specifically is that it is very rich in history. This wonderful pub is a great example of this history and the characters that paraded its streets and visited its establishments. If you are a C.S. Lewis fan or JRR Tolkien, this is a must visit in Oxford. The food was very good in the realm of pub fair. When in a pub…of course choose a beer - have a pint. Of note, Christmas Dinner options and I assume other holidays. Well worth considering. The ambience gets a 10 out of 10…I stretched and gave service a 4 but was probably a three. Maybe caught them at a bad time. Definitely recommend!

Kyle Driggers

Google
So great to see this place, but it is closed right now. Go across the street to Lamb and Flag to and get a pint at one of Lewis and Tolkien’s other spots with great memorabilia on the walls.

Dali Dalibor

Google
“One Pub to Rule Them All!” Ah, The Eagle and the Child! Where else can you sip an ale and feel like Gandalf might just pop in for a pint? This is the legendary spot where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis had their “Inklings” meetings. I went in hoping to absorb some genius by osmosis… and came out just tipsy enough to feel like I had! Only complaint? No wizards on staff.

Jitka

Google
It was the most authentical pub I have ever been to and I was to a lot. For me it is a special place as I'm a huge fan of both Tolkien and Lewis. I enjoyed the food, cider and ale. The staff was nice and helpful. The place has its charm. But it is really tiny, I strongly recommend to make a reservation. You can't make a reservation on Saturday.

casualmente biancoblu

Google
Small and cosy traditional pub, excellent food menu. I went there as part of my Tolkien tour in Oxford, it’s definetely a must if you are a big fan of the Professor.

Sarah Wright

Google
This pub is well known because The Inklings (Tolkien, CS Lewis, and GK Chesterton) used to meet here and workshop their writing weekly. It’s about 10 minutes walking from campus, easy. As a pub, it’s got plenty of tables, and we had no trouble being seated. This is a Nicholson’s pub, so if you like their usual fare, you’ll like the food here. They also have a special pie menu. The lentil and sweet potato pie was fantastic!

zongxian li

Google
Intended to visit The Lamb and Flag across the road but their kitchen closed at an early 830pm. Which brought us serendipitously to this local gem. A proper historical pub full of atmosphere. Decent selection of cooked food and wide selection of beers. Bar staff were extremely friendly and patient too. We were just a tad amused when they wanted to check the identification cards of us 30 year old blokes. Tavern policy I suppose

Kenneth Cox

Google
Great, authentic English pub. The food and atmosphere is top notch. It’s no wonder why The Inklings (incl CS Lewis & JRR Tolkien) made this their meeting spot.