The Kilns – C.S. Lewis’s Oxford Home
Step into the Oxford home where C.S. Lewis wrote the Narnia books and discover the quiet house that shaped a literary legend.
The Kilns, also known as C.S. Lewis House, is the Oxford home where the author wrote all of his Narnia books and other classics. Set in a quiet residential area of Headington, this 1920s house was built on a former brickworks site and features a garden lake formed from a flooded clay pit. Now operated as the C.S. Lewis Study Centre, it offers guided tours that explore Lewis’s life, work, and the inspirations behind his stories, including the real-life figures who became characters in Narnia.
A brief summary to The Kilns (C S Lewis House)
- Lewis Cl, Oxford, Headington, OX3 8JD, GB
- Visit website
- Duration: 1 to 2 hours
- Mid ranged
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Mixed
- Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
Local tips
- Tours are by appointment only; contact the C.S. Lewis Foundation at least two weeks in advance to secure a spot, especially for weekends or group visits.
- Bring cash for admission, as it is the only payment method accepted at The Kilns.
- Combine your visit with a walk to the nearby CS Lewis Nature Reserve and Holy Trinity Church, where Lewis is buried, for a fuller experience of his Oxford world.
- Respect the house’s role as a study centre; keep voices low, avoid flash photography, and follow the guide’s instructions to preserve the quiet atmosphere.
For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you
- Restrooms
- Drink Options
- Seating Areas
- Information Boards
Getting There
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Bus
From central Oxford, take a local bus towards Headington; the journey takes about 20–25 minutes depending on traffic. Alight near the residential area and walk a short distance to Lewis Close, where The Kilns is located.
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Taxi
A taxi from central Oxford to The Kilns takes around 15–20 minutes and costs roughly 10–15 GBP, depending on time of day and traffic conditions.
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Private Tour
Several Oxford-based private tour operators include The Kilns as part of a literary or historical tour of the city, typically lasting half a day with a guide and transport included.
The Kilns (C S Lewis House) location weather suitability
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Any Weather
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Mild Temperatures
Discover more about The Kilns (C S Lewis House)
A Writer’s Sanctuary in Oxford
Nestled in the leafy suburb of Headington, The Kilns stands as a quiet monument to one of the 20th century’s most influential writers. Built in 1922 on the site of a former brickworks, this unassuming house became the cherished home of C.S. Lewis from 1930 until his death in 1963. Here, in a modest but deeply personal space, Lewis wrote all seven Chronicles of Narnia, along with his Christian apologetics, literary criticism, and other works. The house itself, with its distinctive red-brick exterior and surrounding garden, is not a grand estate but a lived-in home, reflecting the simple, studious life Lewis led. Its very walls seem to hold the echoes of his typewriter and the quiet conversations that shaped some of the most beloved stories in English literature.Home, Family and the Making of Narnia
The Kilns was more than just a writer’s retreat; it was a family home shared with Lewis’s brother Warren, and with Janie Moore and her daughter Maureen Dunbar. Janie Moore, the mother of Lewis’s close friend Paddy Moore who died in the First World War, became a maternal figure in Lewis’s life, and the household at The Kilns provided the emotional stability that allowed his creativity to flourish. It was in this domestic setting that the Narnia stories took shape, often read aloud to friends and visitors. The garden lake, a flooded clay pit from the old brickworks, is said to have inspired the landscapes of Narnia, while the family’s gardener, Fred Paxford, is widely believed to have been the model for the loyal, down-to-earth Marsh-wiggle Puddleglum in The Silver Chair.A House That Lives and Thinks
Today, The Kilns is owned and run by the C.S. Lewis Foundation as the C.S. Lewis Study Centre. Rather than being turned into a conventional museum, it continues to serve as a place of study and reflection, hosting scholars-in-residence who live and work in the house much as Lewis and his circle once did. Guided tours, available by appointment, take visitors through the rooms where Lewis wrote, showing his study, living spaces, and personal effects, all preserved with care. The atmosphere is one of quiet reverence, a place where literature, faith, and intellectual life remain very much alive. The house’s blue plaque and its role in literary history make it a pilgrimage site for fans of Narnia and Lewis’s broader work.Surroundings and the Writer’s World
The Kilns sits in a peaceful residential street, now called Lewis Close, south of Kiln Lane in Headington. The surrounding area includes the CS Lewis Nature Reserve, a small but evocative green space that reflects the natural world Lewis loved and often walked through. A short distance away lies Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry, where Lewis worshipped for over thirty years and where he and his brother Warren are buried. The church’s Narnia Window and the pew once used by the Lewis brothers add another layer to the experience of visiting this part of Oxford. Together, The Kilns, the nature reserve, and the church form a quiet but powerful literary and spiritual landscape that captures the essence of Lewis’s life and legacy.Iconic landmarks you can’t miss
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For the vibe & atmosphere seeker
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For the design and aesthetic lover
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For the architecture buff
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For the view chaser and sunset hunter
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For the social media creator & influencer
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For the eco-conscious traveler
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For the kind of experience you’re after
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For how adventurous you want the journey to be
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Location Audience
- Family Friendly
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- Couple Friendly
- Solo Female Friendly
- Vegetarian Friendly
- Vegan Friendly
