As the home of a world-renowned university, Oxford is famous for being a hub for readers, writers, and thinkers. It’s little wonder that the city has fostered some of the biggest names in literature and has inspired many acclaimed works of fiction. From J.R.R. Tolkien and Philip Pullman to C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll, Oxford has long been a stomping ground for literary greats, with traces left for visitors to explore.
Lewis Carroll
Carroll’s most famous work, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, originated while he was a lecturer at Christ Church College on St Aldate’s Street. While teaching mathematics, Lewis Carroll (real name Charles Dodgson) befriended the college dean and his family. One day, while out on a boat on the River Isis, Carroll spun a tale for Alice, the dean’s daughter, about a girl named Alice embarking on adventures down a rabbit hole—thus began his fantastical journey. You can even go punting on the very same river today.
Several other Oxford locations have connections to Alice. In the Cathedral Garden of Christ Church College, find a little door said to have inspired Alice’s door to Wonderland. Inside the college, look for the brass andirons shaped like two ladies with long necks, which are thought to have influenced Carroll’s depiction of Alice’s neck stretching after eating a mushroom. At the Museum of Natural History, you can see the world’s most complete remains of a dodo, reminiscent of the one Alice encounters in Wonderland. For memorabilia, visit Alice’s Shop on St Aldate’s, located in the building where the real-life Alice purchased her sweets.
J.R.R. Tolkien
The fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien held numerous roles at Oxford University. He was a fellow and professor of Anglo-Saxon studies at Pembroke College before becoming a professor of English Language and Literature at Merton College. You can visit both institutions today—be sure to look for an old hexagonal stone table in Merton College’s gardens, where Tolkien often penned his story ideas.
Many artifacts and places in Oxford reportedly influenced Tolkien’s writings. The Ashmolean Museum houses a collection of Posie rings, made of solid gold with inscriptions, which inspired the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings. The collections at The Bodleian Library, filled with ancient legends and mythical texts, sparked plot ideas, and its iconic section, the Radcliffe Camera, was fictionalized as the Temple of Armenelos in The Silmarillion.
You can also visit Wolvercote Cemetery, the resting place of Tolkien and his wife Edith, located north of the city center along Banbury Road. Their grave features a modest stone engraved with the names Lúthien and Beren, referencing the elf maiden who sacrifices her immortality for the mortal warrior, Beren, in Tolkien’s tales.
C.S. Lewis
Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were members of a literary group called the Inklings, which regularly gathered for drinks and discussions at The Eagle and Child, a pub dating back to the mid-17th century. Today, a handwritten note to the landlord remains pinned above the fireplace, signed by members of the Inklings, stating: ‘The undersigned, having just partaken of your ham, have drunk your health.’
C.S. Lewis served as a fellow and tutor in English Literature at Magdalen College for 29 years. A tour of the college allows access to the cloisters, where you’ll find carvings of animals on the pillars, believed to have inspired the scene in Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where Aslan resurrects frozen animals. You can also visit the chapel where Lewis attended services.
If you’re looking for more connections to The Chronicles of Narnia, opposite the entrance to the University Church of St Mary the Virgin on St Mary’s Passage, keep an eye out for an ornate door etched with intricate carvings, with a central symbol resembling the face of a wise lion. This is the ‘Narnia Door,’ which inspired Lewis’s wardrobe door that the Pevensie children traverse into the magical realm.
Philip Pullman
Unlike Lewis, Tolkien, and Carroll, Pullman explicitly uses Oxford as the backdrop for many of his narratives. Pullman studied English at Exeter College and has remained in the city ever since. In 1986, he returned to Oxford University to take a teaching position at Westminster College while writing fiction, publishing the acclaimed His Dark Materials trilogy between 1995 and 2000.
The Covered Market features prominently as a haunt for Lyra and her friends in the first book of the trilogy, Northern Lights. A minute’s walk away lies Exeter College, which inspired the setting for Lyra’s home, Jordan College. A visit might reveal the attic window that Lyra climbs out of. Additionally, special Philip Pullman tours occur monthly, showcasing even more iconic sights from the novels.
Visitors who followed Lyra and Will’s quests to the conclusion of the series will appreciate the significance of Oxford’s Botanic Garden. Fans should definitely visit the bench at the back of the gardens, inscribed with ‘Lyra + Will,’ as its role in The Amber Spyglass, the trilogy’s conclusion, is profoundly meaningful.
Harry Potter
While neither J.K. Rowling nor her iconic character Harry Potter has a direct link to Oxford, the city indeed featured in many film adaptations of the best-selling series. There are several key locations that devoted fans should explore.
The Bodleian Library played a pivotal role in the film franchise. Its Duke Humfrey’s Library served as Hogwarts Library in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Enrolling in a full library tour grants access to grand corridors lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves of aged books and manuscripts.
Moreover, a Bodleian tour offers a glimpse into the Divinity School, featured in the first four films. This room appeared as Hogwarts Infirmary, the location where Professor McGonagall teaches Ron to dance, and countless other critical scenes throughout the series.
The courtyard of New College, with its twisted trees and ancient stones, features in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The cloisters were utilized as Hogwarts’ outdoor walkways, and witnessing their grandeur in person reveals why they were chosen as a filming location. A self-guided tour around the college is available for a small fee.
The staircase that Harry first ascends to reach Hogwarts is actually the Bodley Tower staircase in Christ Church College. The college’s cloisters were also depicted in scenes where Hermione discusses Harry’s family history and his future as a Quidditch seeker.
Finally, while not used for filming, the dining hall at Christ Church College inspired the Great Hall. With its bare walls, long dark tables, portraits of past masters, and church-like windows, the resemblances are striking. A Christ Church tour provides access to both significant sites.
