Oxford

Oxford is a prestigious university in England where Tolkien went to college and eventually worked as a professor.

Oxford is well known for its upper class students, including aristocrats. In Tolkien's day, there wasn't much of a caste system and scholarship students such as himself were treated almost equal to the wealthier students. After Tolkien met with some fellow Catholic students, he began to feel more at home at Oxford than any place since Sarehole when he was a child.

Oxford proved to be a great joy for Tolkien, especially when it came to the study of languages. The experience was heightened when Tolkien met Joseph Wright, a philologist who would be a great inspiration. It was Wright, in part, who encouraged Tolkien to follow in his footsteps and take up the same career.

The T.C.B.S. continued to thrive while Tolkien was at Oxford...