Probably the Three Cups most famous guest was J.R.R. Tolkein.
Tolkien and his younger brother Hilary used to stay here every summer with their guardian Father Francis Morgan, a Catholic Priest, between 1905 & 1910. During this period there is even a pencil sketch by Tolkien entitled ‘Lyme Regis Harbour from the Drawing Room of the Cups Hotel’ which he produced as a 14 year old in 1906. Tolkien then regularly returned to Lyme in the 1920’s & 1930’s with his young family and his now aging guardian. This was during Tolkien’s most formative years relating to his most popular books THE HOBBIT and LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy which contain many allusions and images relation to Lyme and its surroundings.