The Benson Medal was founded in 1916 by A.C. Benson, scholar, author and Fellow of the Society, ‘in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres’. The medal honours a whole career rather than a single work. The medal has been awarded several times to writers in other languages, and is occasionally awarded those who are not writers, but who have done conspicuous service to literature.

Recipients include: Anita Desai, Maureen Duffy, Lytton Strachey, George Santayana, Edmund Blunden, J.R.R. Tolkien, Philip Larkin, Nadine Gordimer and Christopher Fry.

2011 recipients
Diana Athill

Francis King 

2010 recipients

Al Alvarez

2009 recipients

Mark Le Fanu

Kay Dunbar

2008 recipients

John Saumarez Smith

Douglas Matthews

2007 recipients

Nadine Gordimer

2006 recipients

Ronald Blythe — poet, novelist, essayist and critic, author of the classic Akenfield, which has been continually in print since its publication in 1969.

Joan Winterkorn — Manuscript expert, who, in her long career with Bernard Quaritch, has perhaps done more than any other individual to help keep the manuscripts of British writers in this country.

2005 recipients

Edward Upward — Novelist and short-story writer, author of The Railway Accident, friend and mentor of Auden, Isherwood and Spender, and the last link with that 1930s generation.