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Our independent fantasy bookshop lore

Posted on May 21 2025

Our independent fantasy bookshop lore.

You've probably seen that our bookshop is shaped like an open book... but did you know that we're next to the actual lamppost that inspired C.S. Lewis to write the Chronicles of Narnia? No? Well saddle up, because that's only the start of it!

Where is the narnia lamppost?

The Narnia lamppost is situated in the grounds of St Andrew's Church, Bebington, Wirral... which happens to be right next door to our independent fantasy bookshop! Can you think of a better place for us? Hopefully we have Mr Tumnus popping out with a cup of tea and not the White Witch shaking her turkish delight tin...

We pass it almost daily as a family, and my little boy always double checks for signs of the faun. I have told him that the lamppost only works when it's nighttime and snowing.

It turns out that the reason C.S. Lewis happened to be looking at said Bebingtonian lamppost was because he was great pals with a local aristocrat, Roger Lancelyn Green - a fellow fantasy author. The Lancelyn Green family live down the road from the bookshop in Poulton Hall, and have done for over 900 years.

It was Roger himself who persuaded Lewis to publish The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe and then later wrote his biography after his death in 1963.

This year is the 75th anniversary of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe and we have some exciting things planned in the bookshop - as well as some beautiful special editions coming in!

So what's this about Hecate House?

St Andrew's Church has inspired many authors, more recently Lucy Jane Wood (who is originally from 'round these parts). If you have read her beautiful cosy fantasy Rewitched, you will know the peculiar entrance to the coven's headquarters at Hecate House. This entrance was again inspired by the churchyard!

Lucy even acknowledges Bebington Library in her book, which is nestled cosily behind our bookshop.

The Oxford Inklings

C.S. Lewis and Roger Lancelyn Green had another famous friend - none other than J.R.R. Tolkien.

After meeting at oxford, the three of them spent a lot of time together discussing writing and were part of the Oxford Inklings - a group of literary enthusiasts that encouraged fantasy writing. In fact, it's believed that The Lord of The Rings was one of the first pieces of work presented for discussion.

"Properly speaking," wrote Warren Lewis, "the Inklings was neither a club nor a literary society, though it partook of the nature of both. There were no rules, officers, agendas, or formal elections."

The Inklings gained notoriety for their famous members, and is often referred to in pop culture. I even recently noticed the internet's resident librarian himself, Jack Edwards, has set up a rather secretive Instagram account that may or may not be some sort of book club (going by other people's decoding) named Inklings!

Needless to say, these stories have fuelled a fire in me! I'm doing some deep digging to find out more about the history of our little bookshop, as well as more local fantasy lore. It feels incredibly special to be taking over this beloved space and restoring it to it's former glory, albeit this time as an independent fantasy bookshop. It feels like it was meant to be.

If you know more about our bookshop's history, our local fantasy roots or anything else of note - please reach out! We'd love nothing more than to hear all about it.

• The Paper and Word Team •