C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien : Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire's literary connections seem forever tied in with magic. From Tolkien's vivid descriptions of Middle Earth to Lewis Carroll's eccentric adventures in Wonderland, these timeless adventures all draw their inspiration from the very real beauty of Oxfordshire. And while we can't promise adventures down rabbit holes and magic potions, we're sure that the enchanting landscape you encounter on a literary tour of the region should be enough to make your very own legendary adventure.

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Author Highlights

Oxfordshire's literary milestones cover enough slow river rides, delightful pubs and beautiful natural environments to make even the most reluctant reader grin like the Cheshire cat.

• Find cottages in Oxfordshire
• There are hundreds of cottages throughout Oxfordshire
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• Choose from over 40,000 audiobooks. Ideal for that long car journey to a cottage holiday. Transferrable to many SatNav units, MP3 players including the iPod, and mobile phones. www.audible.co.uk/cottages4u

Top spots: where did the authors find inspiration?

• The Eagle and Child pub, Oxford
  A lovely pub where CS Lewis and Tolkien would gather to trade stories.
  visit location in our maps >>
• Headington Cemetery
  Resting place of CS Lewis.
  visit location in our maps >>
• River Isis
  A picnic upon which inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland.
  visit location in our maps >>
• Inspector Morse Tour, Oxford
  Follow in the footsteps of the region's favourite detective.
  visit location in our maps >>
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• Plane Tree House : Woodstock
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• Sleeps 6-8
• Dating from the 17th century this spacious house is fully equipped and well furnished.
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• Worton Park - The Old Rectory
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• Sleeps 10-12
• The Old Rectory, a detached listed building is situated at Worton.
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• Westover Cottage : Abingdon
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• Sleeps 4
• A cosy, beamed 200-year-old cottage, with a delightful west facing garden.
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• Quince Cottage : Long Compton
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• Sleeps 4
• Quince Cottage is a typical Cotswolds labourer's cottage, over 200 years old.
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  Play Sample
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  A BBC Radio 4 full cast dramatisation of the second adventure in C. S. Lewis' classic Narnia series. When Lucy comes across the old wardrobe standing alone in the spare room, she thinks she has found a good place for hide and seek. But then she tumbles headlong into a magical world of fauns, dwarves, and giants, of animals that talk and horses that fly: the land of Narnia
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• Oxfordshire (AA 50 Walks Series)
  Walking is one of Britain's favourite leisure activities, and this guide features a variety of mapped walks to suit all abilities. The book features all the practical detail you need, accompanied by fascinating background reading on the history and wildlife of Oxford shire, as well as other local points of interest. All walks are annotated with places to visit along the way, including tea rooms and pubs, with extra details on their character and the food on offer.
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• Oxfordshire Pevsner Architectural Guides
  Oxford's unique collection of university and college buildings both old and new form a major part of this book. The city itself with its medieval walls and castle and ancient churches is also fully described. Among the county's distinguished houses are Vanbrugh's Blenheim and Kent's Rousham Park, each in magnificently landscaped grounds, while village churches range from notable Norman examples such as Iffley to G.E. Street's inventive Victorian creations such as St Simon & St Jude at Shipton-under-Wychwood.
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• Oxford
  'Few cities,' Jan Morris observes, 'have been much more loved, loathed, and celebrated.' This book has become a classic account of the character, history, mores, buildings, climate, and people of one of Britain's most fascinating cities. 'A book of outstanding excellence, with a sweep of knowledge and a distinction of style such as I have never before encountered in a work of this sort.
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• The Hobbit: 70th Anniversary Edition
  This book is the predecessor to Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, and though that trilogy can be thoroughly enjoyed without first reading The Hobbit, much that happens in the later novels is foreshadowed here. A word of caution, however: as Bilbo discovers early on, travel and adventure are addictive things; embark on this journey to the Lonely Mountain with Tolkien's reluctant hero, and you might not be able to stop there.
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• The Complete Chronicles of Narnia
  The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, is one of the very few sets of books that should be read three times: in childhood, early adulthood, and late in life. In brief, four children travel repeatedly to a world in which they are far more than mere children and everything is far more than it seems. Richly told, populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized in detail of world and pacing of plot, and profoundly allegorical, the story is infused throughout with the timeless issues of good and evil, faith and hope. This boxed set edition includes all seven volumes.
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