CS Lewis Square

Born in east Belfast on November 29, 1898, Clive Staples Lewis was an author, scholar and professor of English at both Oxford and Cambridge. During his lifetime, CS Lewis wrote around 40 books, but he was best known for his seven-book children’s fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Known to his family and friends as “Jack”, Lewis was sent to school in England but returned frequently to Ireland for holidays. He also spent several months at Campbell College in east Belfast and was inspired throughout his life by the landscapes of his homeland.

CS Lewis authored around 40 books and was a prolific writer with both scholarly texts and novels. Some of his more notable works include The Screwtape Letters, The Allegory of Love and The Space Trilogy, but he is best known for the seven books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia. Written between 1949 and 1954, the series has enchanted millions of readers around the world and has inspired numerous film and TV adaptations over the years.

CS Lewis Square is in east Belfast because CS Lewis was born and raised there, spending his childhood in a home filled with books, stories and imagination. His family home, called “Little Lea”, was once described by Lewis as “a product of long corridors, empty sunlit rooms, upstairs indoor silences and attics explored in solitude”. Following the death of his mother when he was just nine years old, Lewis was sent to boarding school in England, but he returned frequently to Belfast for holidays and later spent a brief period at college there.

CS Lewis Square is a public plaza featuring seven The Chronicles of Narnia-inspired bronze sculptures by Irish artist Maurice Harron – Mr Tumnus, Maugrim, the White Witch, Mr and Mrs Beaver, the Stone Table, the Robin and Aslan. You can take a CS Lewis Tour here and visit the EastSide Visitor Centre, where you can pick up a map that guides you to the sculptures. The square is free to visit and is fully illuminated at night; it also hosts regular events throughout the year.

There are seven statues in CS Lewis Square, all inspired by Narnia: Mr Tumnus, Maugrim, The White Witch, Mr & Mrs Beaver, the Stone Table, the Robin and, most magnificent of all, Aslan. It’s an impressive display of public art and is located at the intersection of the Connswater and Comber Greenways.

There is parking available at Connswater Retail Park, a short walk away from the EastSide Visitor Centre. However, it’s easy to get to the square by public transport on the Glider G1 from Belfast city centre, and as well as several buses (see Translink for details). There is a Belfast Bikes docking station at EastSide Visitor Centre and you can cycle here along the Connswater Community Greenway from the Titanic Quarter in around 20 minutes.