Pub "The Eagle and Child" ( Russian. Eagle and child ) - one of the oldest pubs in the city of Oxford ( England ). Also known under the nickname "Bird and Baby" ( Russian. Bird with a baby ) [1] . It is noteworthy that it hosted meetings of the Inklings literary circle ( English Inklings ), whose members were J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis . Pub Owner John's College , Oxford .
| A pub | |
| The eagle and child | |
|---|---|
| The eagle and child | |
 | |
| A country |  Great Britain |
| Location | Oxford , Gile street, 49 |
| Key dates | |
| 1650 - Pub Opening Date 2004 - St John's College Pub Date Purchased | |
Content
History
The first mention of the building where the pub is located dates back to the time of the English Revolution . During the Civil War, Oxford was the residence of the royalists , and according to some reports, the Chancellor of the Exchequer lived in the house where the pub is now located. However, these allegations diverge from other data, according to which the date of construction of The Eagle and Child Pub is 1650 , that is, after the end of the civil war .
The first mention of the name of the pub dates back to 1684 , when Richard Platt received a license to use a sign depicting a crown with an eagle and a child. According to one version, the name comes from the coat of arms of Earl of Derby - the peer of England, the first owner of the pub, on the coat of arms of which an eagle and a child were depicted. According to another, the symbols had mythical roots and referred to the legend of Zeus , who had abducted the young Ganymede in the form of an eagle.
From the 16th century until 2003, the pub belonged to University College . In 2003, it was put up for sale at a price of £ 1.2 million (along with two neighboring stores). In 2004, the pub was acquired by St. John's College for the stated price. The pub’s annual revenue at the time of purchase was £ 91,000.
Literature Link
The pub gained additional fame thanks to the members of the Inklings literary circle. Every Tuesday morning (from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), for 23 years from 1939 to 1962 , the Inklings gathered in a pub, most often in a small room with a fireplace, called the “Rabbit’s Cabinet”.
Members of the Inclings Club included John Ronald Ruel Tolkien, professor of English and literature, and his friend Clive Staples Lewis , a teacher at Magdalen College, Oxford, and the author of The Chronicles of Narnia , as well as Owen Barfield , Charles Williams , Christopher Tolkien (son of J.R. R. Tolkien), Adam Fox et al.
In the Inklings Pub, they read excerpts from their newly written works, shared their creative plans and discussed novelties, perhaps it was here that fragments from the famous Lord of the Rings were read for the first time. The members of the Inklings circle famously and at the same time affectionately called their “Bird and Baby” their favorite establishment.
Despite all the difficulties, the Inklings held meetings on a weekly basis, and each member of the circle necessarily attended meetings or sent a written apology explaining that it was impossible to attend. Exceptions occurred only during the war years, when, due to the large influx of military personnel, there was no beer left in the pub and meetings were moved to another place.
Notes
- ↑ CS Lewis Walking Tour of Oxford Center (Link not available) . Date of treatment April 18, 2012. Archived February 6, 2012.
Literature
- Brind, RK (2005), A guide to the CS Lewis Tour in Oxford , London: Janus , < https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fpukZFQa6moC > . Retrieved January 5, 2010.
- Carpenter, H (1979), The Inklings: CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Charles Williams, and their friends , Ballantyne
- Duriez, C (2003), Tolkien and CS Lewis: the gift of friendship , Mahwah, NJ: Hidden Spring , < https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gvfl1RMKW-YC > . Retrieved January 5, 2010.
- Edwards, BL (2007), CS Lewis: an examined life , Westport, CT: Praeger , < https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uDvxsQhGgIkC > . Retrieved January 5, 2010.