C. S. Lewis
Lewis and fellow novelist J. R. R. Tolkien were close friends. They both served on the English faculty at Oxford University, and were active in the informal Oxford literary group known as the Inklings. According to Lewis's memoir "Surprised by Joy", he was baptised in the Church of Ireland, but fell away from his faith during adolescence. Lewis returned to Anglicanism at the age of 32, owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, and he became an "ordinary layman of the Church of England". Lewis's faith profoundly affected his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim.
Puzzlewood
J. R. R. Tolkien was a frequent visitor to the Forest of Dean. Puzzlewood was the inspiration for the forests of Middle-earth in "The Lord of the Rings", such as the Old Forest, Mirkwood, Fangorn or Lothlórien. Tolkien may also have been inspired by the less well known scowles on the grounds of Lydney Park. When "The Lord of the Rings" was named Britain's favourite book in the "Big Read", Puzzlewood was used by Ray Mears to champion Tolkien's work.