Clive Staples Lewis

On 22nd November 2013, the fiftieth anniversary of his death in 1963, a memorial stone was unveiled to writer, scholar and poet C.S. Lewis in Poets' Corner Westminster Abbey. The greenish marble stone was designed by Wayne Hart and is in the central part of the area at the base of a pillar. A conference was also held at St Margaret's Westminster as part of the memorial project. The inscription, which comes from an address by Lewis entitled 'Is theology poetry?', gives his name and dates in the centre:

C.S.Lewis
1898-1963

 and around this:

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen,
not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else

He was born in Belfast on 29th November 1898 a son of Albert and Florence. He was educated in England with his brother Warren. During the Great War he was wounded at the battle of Arras. He was a Fellow and Tutor of English Literature at Oxford university and later Chair of Medieval and Renaissance literature at Cambridge. Today he is perhaps best known for his seven Chronicles of Narnia. He also wrote science fiction and was a friend of J.R.R. Tolkien. During the Second World War he gave many radio broadcasts, later published as Mere Christianity, together with other books based on his talks. In 1956 he married Mrs Joy Gresham, who died a few years later. The drama 'Shadowlands' portrayed this part of his life. He was buried at Holy Trinity Church, Headington, Oxford.

Further reading

"Surprised by Joy" autobiography, 1955

"C.S. Lewis, A Life" by Prof. A. McGrath

"C.S. Lewis at Poets' Corner" edited by Michael Ward & Peter S.Williams, 2016 [includes Symposium lectures at St Margaret's, address at memorial service and other reflections]

"Letters of C.S. Lewis" edited by W.H. Lewis, 1966

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

www.cslewis.com

Order of service from Memorial Service - 22nd November 2013

Born

29th November 1898

Died

22nd November 1963

Memorial

22nd November 2013

Occupation

Writer; poet; novelist

Location

South Transept; Poets' Corner

Memorial Type

Stone

Material Type

Marble

Clive Staples Lewis
C.S. Lewis by Walter Stoneman

© National Portrait Gallery, London [Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0]

Clive Staples Lewis
C.S. Lewis memorial stone

This image can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library

Image © 2024 Dean and Chapter of Westminster