Visiting the Kilns: Touring C.S. Lewis's Oxford Cottage & Literary Legacy

How to Get to The Kilns in Oxford

In order to get to The Kilns, you’ll likely drive through the historic city of Oxford, where C.S. Lewis spent much of his time. It’s kind of fun because the story of his life begins even before you get there. You can click this link for the exact address.

The Kilns is tucked away in a quaint neighborhood, you would never expect this unsuspecting cottage to be a treasure trove of memories. As I walked through the white picket gate and onto the property, I found myself in a lovely little garden with wildflowers peaking up at random throughout the grass. Wisteria vines climbed the brick walls to create a dazzling display of purple and green. However, what we would learn as we toured inside the house is where the true magic was.

What Makes C.S. Lewis's Home So Special?

The inside of the cottage isn’t flashy or bold. Rather, it has a classic, warm, and inviting charm. It feels lived in, which is exactly what this Oxford literary landmark was. The tour includes Lewis’s study, living room, kitchen, upstairs writing desk, and a few bedrooms. Each room holds artifacts from Lewis’s life, which aid in the stories being told by the tour guide.

As a child, I absolutely loved the Narnia books. I grew up watching them with cousins at nearly every sleepover. The magic the story captured was something that has stayed with me as I got older. Which is another element that struck me so deeply…the concept of growing up. It’s something I struggled to accept, so I felt emotional when the series mentioned growing up and losing your childhood beliefs and magic, like Susan does as she leaves her belief in Narnia. So, to be able to visit a place where the creator of Narnia spent so much of his time was a very cool experience.

The History and Restoration of The Kilns

Unbeknownst to me, Lewis lived with many family members and loved ones at this residence. The Kilns was originally built in 1922 and purchased by Lewis and his brother, Warnie, in 1930. It is called “The Kilns” because it was built on the site of a former brickworks, and the property even had two remaining funnel-shaped kilns on it.

The two brothers lived here along with a former professor’s mother named Mrs. Janie Moore. Over time, others lived at The Kilns as well, such as Lewis’s future wife. It was a lively home filled with people, laughter, ideas, debate, and conversation.

One lesser-known fact about the Kilns is that the house fell into disrepair before being restored. C.S. Lewis died in 1963, his brother Warnie lived in the house until his own death in 1973. When both were gone, the house just became another house in suburban Oxford. It passed through multiple owners and mainly served as a place for students to lodge as they were working on their education at Oxford University.

It wasn’t until the 90s that the growing awareness of Lewis's legacy prompted interest in saving The Kilns. Scholars, fans, and preservationists came together to change its meaning to the world. In 1993, the C.S. Lewis Foundation (a U.S.-based nonprofit) purchased the home and began a careful restoration, aimed at returning it to how it would have looked during Lewis’s lifetime. Today, the Kilns museum and residential study center. Scholars, writers, and students live and work there as part of the foundation’s mission to preserve Lewis’s legacy.

My Takeaway: C.S. Lewis’s Writing Space

It’s easy to romanticize the writing space of a famous author, but The Kilns reminds us that amazing things often come from otherwise ordinary surroundings.

Whether you’re a lifelong Narnia fan, literature lover, or simply love unique travel off the tourist path, The Kilns is worth the journey. Have you ever visited a place that brought a book to life? Let me know in the comments!