Tour C.S. Lewis’s Home

The Kilns

The Kilns, Headington, Oxford, OX3 8JD, UK

 

Tour the Kilns

Tours of the home are conducted by appointment only. Tours can be scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with some restrictions for holidays and private functions. Filming is not permitted during the tours.

Admission fees for the tour are £15 per adult, £12 per student or senior (60+), and £10 per child. Cash is the only payment method accepted.

Starting 1 September 2024, tour rates will be £20 per adult, £15 per student or senior (60+), and £10 per child. 

Special admissions fees for larger groups (groups of 15 or more) are also available upon request (we request several weeks’ advance reservations for large groups).

Tour Reservations

To increase the chances that we will have available tours on your preferred date, please make your request at least two weeks in advance. See below about how to request your tour and about our policies on confirmations and cancellations.

To Request A Tour

Email thekilns@cslewis.org to request a tour. Our Tour Coordinator will work with you to identify potential dates and times for your visit. We regret that we are usually unable to schedule tours on short notice. Please contact us at least two weeks prior to your visit to allow time for scheduling.

Please be aware that the C.S. Lewis Study Centre is a residential home for scholars (see our scholars in residence page here).

Due to the needs of those living at The Kilns, we have a limited amount of tour times that can be scheduled each week, and we generally reserve tours around the needs of the resident scholars.

While some parties understandably wish to make plans far in advance, we have a limited number of tour guides available and thus are usually only able to fully confirm tour reservations about two weeks in advance. 

Cancellations

Please note that while we make every effort to hold tours as scheduled and reserved, there may be rare occasions where we may need to cancel a tour for unexpected reasons. If so, we will contact you by email as soon as a change is made.

If you need to cancel your tour for any reason, please contact us as far in advance as possible by email to our Tour Coordinator.

Kilns Etiquette

In the interest of ensuring a quality study experience for all in residence at The Kilns, visitors are respectfully asked to observe the fact that The Kilns is not a museum.

Rather, it is the Foundation’s intention to honor the memory of C.S. Lewis by encouraging its continued use as a quiet place of study, fellowship and creative scholarly work, much in the manner that characterized Lewis’ own period of residency there. Filming during tours is not allowed at The Kilns.

Because the home functions primarily as a personal residence, much as it did in Lewis’ time, there are occasions when it simply may prove impractical, or even impossible, to receive outside visitors.

On such occasions, please be assured that we deeply regret any disappointment that may result. To minimize this possibility, we strongly encourage all interested parties to make every effort to arrange for the desired visit and tour at least two weeks in advance.

Kilns Seminars and Residencies

In addition to tours of the Kilns, the C.S. Lewis Foundation also hosts C.S. Lewis Summer Seminars at the Kilns as well as opportunities for long term Scholars-in-Residence. You can learn more clicking on the links below.

The Kilns address is The Kilns, Headington, Oxford, OX3 8JD, UK

Visit Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church is situated a short distance from The Kilns in the area known as Headington Quarry. This is where C S Lewis worshipped for over 30 years and is buried in the churchyard. Features inside the church, built in 1849 and designed by the celebrated architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, include the Narnia Window and the pew where the Lewis brothers used to sit. The church tends to be open during daylight hours but groups wanting an accompanied visit should contact the church verger Adrian Wood in advance on adyoxford@outlook.com