Myths and Legends on stamps

C.S. Lewis

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first book of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Royal Mail issued a new set of eight stamps. These designs have inspired a new display in our Archive called ‘Fantastical Realms on Stamps’. 

The eight stamps, issued in May 2025, were illustrated by Keith Robinson and designed by Supple Studio. These depict the seven books including two stamps which focus on The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. A further four stamps, which make up the Miniature Sheet, use illustrations by Pauline Baynes (1922-2008). Baynes provided the original illustrations for the first editions of the books. 

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J.R.R Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings stamp issue from 2004 celebrated the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, whose novels The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are considered some of the most famous fantasy books in the world. Several artists submitted designs for the stamps, but instead the original drawings by Tolkien were chosen for the issued stamps. 

Lord of the Rings Presentation Pack, 2004. (E7077)

C.S. Lewis was a friend of Tolkien, having met at Oxford University. They discussed their novels and exchanged ideas, many of which can be found in their books. For example, Treebeard, a talking-tree Ent creature from Lord of the Rings, was inspired by Lewis’s solemn way of talking in a deep voice. Tolkien once remarked to Lewis that a lamppost in a fantasy world was a poor idea. In response, Lewis made the lamppost a key element in the world of Narnia, discovered by one of the main characters Lucy Pevensie in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. 

J.R.R. Tolkien and many other fantasy authors were inspired by myths and legends from Celtic mythology and culture. One of Tolkien’s main inspirations was Beowulf, a poem in Old English which follows the hero Beowulf fighting monsters and defeating dragons.  

A recent stamp issue Myths & Legends from March 2025, shows Beowulf fighting the monster Grendel. Many other myths from the British Isles are also represented in this stamp issue. 

Myths & Legends First Day Cover, 2025. (E17864)

The Legend of King Arthur

Among the many legends that inspired fantasy authors, the story of King Arthur is one of the most popular. King Arthur is thought to have been an early king of Britain. The medieval bestseller, The History of the Kings of Britain, by Geoffrey of Monmouth, written in the 1100s, made Arthur one of the most famous kings in literature. Much like the Celtic myths centuries ago, and the fantasy books today, the legend of King Arthur follows heroes and villains in great battles and fighting terrible monsters. 

The legend of King Arthur has featured in two sets of stamps: Arthurian Legends in 1985, illustrated by Yvonne Gilbert, and The Legend of King Arthur from 2021, illustrated by James Joyce and designed by Godfrey Design. 

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The Postal Museum cares for the thousands of submitted stamp designs. For the 1985 Arthurian Legend stamp issue, as well as the chosen artist, designs by David Gentleman and Barbara Brown were also submitted to Royal Mail. The five stamp sketches by Barbara Brown show the highly detailed work achievable at stamp size. 

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Yvonne Gilbert, whose design would be chosen for the 1985 Arthurian Legend stamp issue, produced larger size artwork. Yvonne Gilbert’s designs focused on powerful images, playing with light and shadow.  

Third essays by Harrison approved by Her Majesty The Queen, illustrations by Yvonne Gilbert for the Arthurian Legend stamp issue, 1984. (POST 150/QEII/184/24)

The beautiful artworks produced for the Arthurian Legend stamp issue show the diverse designs and artists that contribute to the creation of new stamps. 

Come visit the Archive to discover more stamps about myths, legends and how they inspired fantasy books! We are open Wednesday to Friday, and the second Saturday of the month, from 10:00 to 16:30.