Discovering the Oxford where C.S. Lewis, the writer of over 30 books, including the “Chronicles of Narnia” series, found faith, inspiration and a life-changing friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien.
Controversial plans to build homes next to the site that inspired CS Lewis to create the magical kingdom of Narnia sparked a row that has gone on for almost five years in Oxford and caused an outcry nationally and internationally. Now the application to build nine flats with 22 parking spaces and an access road alongside the CS Lewis Nature Reserve in Risinghurst has been withdrawn. But campaigners only cautiously welcomed news that charitable trust the Wychwood Foundation had dropped proposals, which had been recommended for refusal, shortly before the city council’s east area planning committee meeting. Leading opponent Cara Langford, who grew up in Risinghurst, collected almost 6,000 signatories for one petition and through an associate in the US nearly 2,000 for another.