The Eagle & Child on St Giles' is one of Oxford's more famous pubs. It was the haunt of CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein and the Inklings literary group, and more recently Colin Dexter, the creator of Inspector Morse, has made this one of his favourite watering holes. This has made it a stop on the literary tourists' trail, although thankfully the pub itself is too small for visitors to linger for long!

The pub is set on the west side of St Giles, opposite St John's College. The bar is small and oak-panelled, with two small "snugs" off the main bar itself. It was in these that the Inklings used to meet to hear extracts of the works that members of the group were writing, and some of the best fiction of the 20ht century was first heard in these surroundings.

Beyond the bar, the pub continues in a row of tables - a tight fit to get past when the place is full! - to a no-smoking conservatory at the back. Beers on draught include several real ales, and prices are average for Oxford. Food is varied and well-cooked, and portions are hearty.

Overall, the small size of the pub means that it is often not possible to get a seat, or even a safe place to stand - but for those that can, it's well worth a visit, especially as a cosy, welcoming refuge from the cold winter nights of Oxford.