Farmland That Inspired Narnia Saved From Sale
Door Jam: July 7, 2026
A 400-year-old pastureland in England said to have inspired Narnia was set to be sold by the charitable trust that owned it until a passionate campaign saved it from the auction block.
The Countryside Regeneration Trust purchased the Herefordshire meadows in 2003, as it was described as one of the most historically important farms in the U.K., according to the BBC.
The land has been farmed since 1130 and is home to many declining species such as skylark, yellowhammer, spotted flycatcher and water voles.
The farm includes a series of 16th-century stone sluice gates, one of the earliest water management systems ever recorded in England.
It sits in the Golden Valley in Herefordshire, between Hereford and the Welsh border and an area said to have inspired Lewis in coming up with the fictional Narnia.
The author said the landscape was what he imagined heaven would look like.
The Neolithic burial mound Arthur’s Stone is on the hill above the village.
Lewis was believed to have used it as a reference for the stone table, on which Aslan is sacrificed.
In May, the charity placed 247 acres of land and farm buildings for sale without any protections or restrictions. They wanted to use the money raised to “reduce operational costs and reinvest in its core nature friendly farms.” They reversed course after hearing from the community.
I was unable to find where Lewis credited the area with inspiring Narnia or compared it to heaven. If someone knows where that’s located, please share in the comments.
But even without the Lewis connections, it is certainly a beautiful piece of land with historical and natural significance.
Sources:
Not Safe But Good
C.S. Lewis quote of the week
There is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a human’s mind against the Enemy [God]. He wants men to be concerned with what they do; our business is to keep them thinking about what will happen to them.
Tumnus’ bookshelf
Books by or about Lewis or Tolkien
The Screwtape Letters, the book that first brought C.S. Lewis to global prominence, remains a book brimming with insight into humanity and our temptations.
The Screwtape Letters (ebook) by C.S. Lewis: $2.99 (80% off)
Tales Before Narnia: The Roots of Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction (ebook) edited by Douglas Anderson: $4.99 (38% off)
The Hobbit (ebook) by J.R.R. Tolkien: $2.99 (75% off)
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