It was in his forties that the bachelor don sat down to write a story about four evacuee children who stumble upon a magical world called Narnia through a wardrobe in the country home of an elderly professor. The first story in what became the seven Chronicles of Narnia was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, published in 1950. Lewis’s initial inspiration for the story were mental pictures he had first seen in his teens of a faun in a snowy wood with an umbrella and some packages and a witch on a sledge. The immediate prompt for him to write the story was probably the arrival at his Oxford home, The Kilns, of a group of evacuee schoolchildren in 1939.
Notebook with draft of the opening of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
An early draft of the opening of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, with different names for the children. In the published version, Peter becomes the oldest child and Lucy is introduced as the youngest.
The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS Eng. Misc. c.1109
Lucy Barfield at the age of 12
Lewis dedicated The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to Lucy Barfield, daughter of his close friend Owen Barfield.
Permission to reproduce given by Owen Barfield
Lewis’s edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Lewis’s annotation of his copy of the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight includes illustrations, like this one of Bertilak’s castle with the architectural features and their technical terms indicated.
The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, Arch. H e.55
Map of Narnia sketched by C.S. Lewis
Lewis gave this map to Pauline Baynes at a meeting with his publisher on 1 January 1951. Baynes used the sketch to draw a series of maps of Narnia and its adjoining lands that appeared on the endpapers of the individual books.
The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS Eng. Lett. c.220/1, fol. 160
Map of Narnia by Pauline Baynes (1972)
This map of Narnia and the surrounding countries was produced by Pauline Baynes as a separate poster for Puffin Books in 1972
Permission to reproduce given by the estate of Walter Hooper
First editions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and his Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, and The Last Battle, published by Geoffrey Bles. The 7 books in the series were published, one per year, between 1950-6.
Magdalen College Library, Magd. LEWI-C
Pen-and-ink drawing by Pauline Baynes of “Puddleglum”
Pen-and-ink drawing by Pauline Baynes of Puddleglum the Marsh-Wiggle.
The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS Eng. Lett. c.220/4, fol. 7
Pen-and-ink drawing by Pauline Baynes of Jill and Eustace with the Giants of Harfang
Original artwork by Pauline Baynes for The Silver Chair.
Permission to reproduce given by the estate of Walter Hooper
Pen-and-ink drawing by Pauline Baynes of Prince Rillian slaying the serpent
Original artwork by Pauline Baynes for The Silver Chair.
Permission to reproduce given by the estate of Walter Hooper
Letter from C.S. Lewis to fifth graders in Maryland
The publication of the Narnia stories prompted numerous letters from children. In this letter to a class of fifth grade students in Rockville, Maryland, Lewis explains the difference between an allegory and what he termed a ‘supposal’.
Magdalen College Archives, Acc. 2023/124
Narnia Stamps
In 1998 the Royal Mail issued a set of Magical Worlds stamps, including one depicting characters from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Permission to reproduce given by Dr Michael Ward