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Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland

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New bookshop Books on the Hill
New bookshop Bow Books Royston
New bookshop Lions Charity Bookshop
New bookshop Lifestyle Emporium Hitchin
New bookshop Antique Collective (RGW Books) Chorleywood
Oxfam Bookshop Bishops Stortford has closed

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Antique Collective (RGW Books)/CHORLEYWOOD/31 Lower Road
The Antique Collective (RGW Books)  Open at advertised times
31 Lower Road  CHORLEYWOOD  WD3 5LQ
map
tel:  01923 282833 (shop); 07703 389912 (Ryan, book specialist)  e-mail   web   
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 4.00
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Two separate businesses, a book specialist and an antiques dealer, trading jointly here under the same name. Books take up rather more than half the shop. About a thousand high-quality books at reasonable prices. Hardback fiction of all periods and vintage children’s books. Small but desirable stock in subjects such as history, local interest and the natural world. Two trolleys are outside the shop when the weather is fine, mostly vintage Penguin paperbacks at £2 each. A few minutes’ walk from Chorleywood tube station.

My visit to this neat little shop, in an affluent village on the outermost reaches of the Metropolitan Line, was an unexpectedly good experience. The stock is relatively small, but the quality is excellent. The buyer undoubtedly has a good eye and there is no dross on the shelves here. Some quite uncommon titles are to be found and also a few real rarities, along with first editions and signed copies. The range of hardback fiction (mostly in very good or even excellent condition) is quite impressive and there is a large stock of vintage Penguin paperbacks too, priced at just £2. Also a rather good choice of children’s books from bygone periods. The pricing generally is quite competitive, which is by no means always the case at an outlet of this kind. All in all, a very pleasant shop, with nice staff. Although the selection is limited in terms of quantity, the high quality coupled with the reasonable prices could make a visit here worthwhile.   Booker T 15.02.24

Books on the Hill/ST ALBANS/1 Holywell Hill
Books on the Hill    Open at advertised times
1 Holywell Hill  ST ALBANS  AL1 1ER
map
tel:  01727 807248  e-mail   web   
Open: Thursday - Saturday 10.00 - 5:00, Sunday 11.00 - 4.00
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We are an independent family-run bookshop in the heart of St Albans, Hertfordshire. Our doors first opened on 11th November 2019.

The prices are high for fairly common books but their condition is exemplary. Unusually much of their stock is arranged by the colour of their bindings, so if you want a purple book, this is the place for you.  Gary 28.11.21
A beautiful shop, divided roughly 60/ 40 New / Secondhand. The latter are mainly collectable antiquarian rather than more modern second hand and although the building and the set-up are second to none, I found little of interest here.  Firedrake 02.12.21
Yes, lovely shop and very pleasant staff. The back room has all the second hand stock. Some shelves of fairly common old Penguins, rather overpriced, but the majority of the stock consists of many sets of shelves of elderly jacketless hardbacks, all arranged by spine colour rather than subject. Decorative but very hard to search through. I didn't see anything worth buying.  PeterM 30.08.22
About half the stock is second-hand. Still arranged by colour, the only subject categories I noticed were Fiction, History and Religion. About 4 feet of books covered everything else, apart from the better children's section covering recent issues and classics. Just about everything I saw was priced at £8, including many volumes from standard old collected editions.  Adrian 10.05.23
The second hand section is now upstairs. According to the very ETGOW lady owners, it is now categorised by subject order rather than solely by colour, and pride of place in this area, which also hosts events and refreshments, is given to Daphne du Maurier's writing desk and other du Maurier paraphernalia. The new shop downstairs is a really lovely venue and books seem both eclectic and high quality. I will return on a day when it is open. I will be sure of a warm welcome from the enthusiastic and passionate owners.  firedrake 29.07.24

Bow Books/ROYSTON/6 Angel Pavement
Bow Books   Open at advertised times
6 Angel Pavement  ROYSTON  SG8 9AS
map
tel:  01763 793279  e-mail   web  
Open: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 5.00, Saturday 9.00 - 5.00
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This bookshop opened in June this year. Small second-hand bookshop in heart of Royston. Some new books too and a children's section.

Ground floor quite small, but packed with second-hand books. Upstairs there is a rather smart room with works by local artists on the walls, some seats and a collection of Folio Society and similar books at decent prices. There are frequent book signings and other events in the shop.   Sam Boswell 14.11.23

David_s Bookshop/LETCHWORTH/12-16 Eastcheap
David's Bookshop   Open at advertised times
12-16 Eastcheap    LETCHWORTH  SG6 3DE
map
tel:  01462 684631  e-mail   web   
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.30, Sunday 10.00 - 5.00
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A new bookshop with a large general stock of secondhand and some antiquarian books.

A long established cheap shop with a good turnover and frequent sales. Very likeable staff. One of my very favourite shops for 24 years.  M.G. Conor 
I have now made three recent visits to this shop and each time I find treasures hidden away. The two floors are mainly secondhand but it is upstairs where the good stuff is to be found. Pricing on the low side. If visiting take time for a decent search.  Chris Harte 13.10.09
I've been visiting this shop regularly since 1985 (so M.G.Conor and I must have started going there almost simultaneously) and can only confirm the praise heaped on it by earlier reviewers. I always find good things there. It's also attached to an independent record shop with plenty of secondhand CDs etc. Letchworth hasn't got much to recommend it - the early garden city houses are very fine if you like that sort of thing, but David's is the jewel in the crown of the town.  David Gouldstone 30.10.09
    Friendly, long-established shop with continually renewed general stock, frequent sales, huge cheap tables outside, interesting new and remaindered book sections, attached music shop, and a real community purpose.  conormg 27.01.11
Great hour or two on a bank holiday searching through the extensive secondhand sections of this fine shop. Spent around £65 on a nice stack of books (from £1.50 to £10 each), very good prices, especially on the older, obscure books, of which there were plenty. All in all, definitely one not to miss.  M&O 05.09.12
This shop is highly recommendable. There is a vast selection of books and vinyl and prices are generally fair and consistent. We bought some interesting things on our last visit and shall certainly be going back when we are in that neck of the woods.  Nicholas Pendower 08.09.12
Plenty to enjoy on my first visit for several years. Good for military history in particular. And there is now a cafe instore.  Herne 30.11.12
I agree with the positive comments already posted. One thing I found (and is this an observation not a criticism) is that some of the stock was not shelved where I would have expected to find it so it can be worth looking off the beaten track, so to speak.  Steven Whitehead 06.03.13
This is a fantastic place. A very wide range with literary fiction being very strong. Friendly staff, late opening and a cafe make for a great experience.  Jon Wells 15.06.13
Good selection here, several quite unusual finds, and reasonably priced too. Duly added to my list of regular calls!  George Hale 12.08.14
Update as visited last week; still as good as ever. Superb s/h selection at reasonable prices. Still very much WAD.  Norman Davies 21.08.14
I don't get it? Someone help me out here. With anticipation I put 3 hours on parking, here I am back in car 20 minutes later. Found literature weak and uninspiring - for instance, a dearth of early editions / no more than a handful of orange penguins. Art was better, sure, but... V disappointed - I mean it's okayish, for a new book bookshop but won't bother again. I'm baffled. Please, someone, tell me I've missed an entire floor or something. Oh well, Felixstowe next time I feel like a jaunt.  Yossarian 04.01.15
For Yossarian (4.1.15). Did you try upstairs?  Steven 09.01.15
Mostly new books and old records, with a nice cafe in the corner. Small "strong room" downstairs with art books etc, more general stock upstairs and outside in barrows. Pleasant atmosphere, reasonable prices.  Mark V 02.04.15
Five and a half long years since my previous visit and I should be ashamed of myself for this bookshop is quite superb. Even the long tables of cheap books outside the shop were reeking of quality. First floor holdings were categorised and then sub-categorised. Brilliant. Purchased many which would have been more except for the most strange pricing of the top-of-the-range material.  Chris Harte 15.06.15
A really nice bookshop with a great cafe attached. The number and quality of secondhand books on the first floor is greater than many stand-alone secondhand bookshops. There is always the plus of the remainder and paperback fiction section on the ground floor at the back.There are several other charity shops in Letchworth and it is a nice town of a certain era.  Jon Morgan 23.10.15
Oh for the days when there was a shop such as this in every town. A busy and popular new section with an interesting and wide ranging secondhand department plus a large lucky dip barrow on the pavement outside. WWAD.  Steven 23.11.18
Some second hand is in the bright ground floor, but most of the second hand stock is upstairs, accessed by an unobtrusive door to the left of the counter, easily missed. Persevere as it may well be worth it.  Peter M 26.07.21
My first visit for a couple of years and still WWAD. The café has gone but there are plenty of other places to eat and drink in the town centre. There is a good balance of new, remaindered, old, and antiquarian books and most subjects are covered. Staff are knowledgeable and etgow and there is three hours free parking at Morison's supermarket a five minute walk away.  Steven 15.10.21
Rear of the downstairs is given over to secondhand, remaindered stock with a larger, high quality second hand section upstairs, and a superb collection of 50’s and 60’s Pan and Penguin originals. There is also a large area outside of very cheap and in some cases probably unsellable stock outside on trolleys. That road I found a really good and not too out of date book on modern France there for 95p. Prices inside were very reasonable. There really ought to be a bookshop like this in every town!  Firedrake 02.12.21
I never leave without a small box of purchases. Today's visit saw me leave after three hours but I needed another two so I could check the quite superb downstairs Art section. There have been minor changes to the shop's layout, but all for the better. A must-visit on anyone's agenda.  Chris 19.02.24

G L Green Ltd - Naval _ Maritime Books/RADLETT/18 Aldenham Avenue
G L Green Ltd - Naval & Maritime Books  Appointment necessary
18 Aldenham Avenue   RADLETT   WD7 8HX
map
tel: 01923 857077  web 
Open:  Monday - Friday 9.00 - 5.00. Appointment necessary.
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Stock can only be viewed by appointment. Approximately 2,500 books are on display and callers can look at the entire stock. We are always interested in purchasing books to further our stock.We are a Naval and Maritime specialist bookseller in new, used and Antiquarian books, ephemera and magazines buying and selling throughout the world.

I've bought from this online dealer for around a decade. Always has a good selection of maritime & naval books at reasonable prices and responds to emails promptly. One day I hope to visit them by appointment so I can give a more thorough review.  Laurence Batchelor 24.11.14

Home and Colonial Antiques and Inspiration/BERKHAMSTED/134 High Street
Home and Colonial Antiques and Inspiration   Open at advertised times
134 High Street    BERKHAMSTED  HP4 3AT
map
tel:  01442 877007  e-mail   web
Open:  Monday - Friday 10.00 - 4.30, Saturday 9.30 - 5.00, Sunday & Bank Holidays 10.00 - 4.00
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Some books scattered around the four floors of this centre but most are to be found in the basement. Stock tends to be typical antique centre with, at a guess, one book fairy using it as a base. Not WAD but worth a look if you are in town.  Steven Whitehead 19.03.13
Visited today - only book stock was in the basement, nothing elsewhere, and that was limited to 3 bookcases. Stock was pretty generalist but antiquarian, rather then "charity shop second hand". Worth popping in if you're around the area but NWAD and the prices were not particularly cheap (the prices in the rest of the shop reminded me of that Harry Enfield "I saw you coming..." sketch). Nice cafe on the top floor.  Flip M 13.07.17
Some books in the basement. Not a lot and nothing special but you never know so it is worth a look - and it won't take you long. Probably a better bet than any of the charity shops in town, with the exception of Oxfam Books and Music.  Steven 11.07.22
Closed since Christmas for refurbishment. A notice on site mentions a reopening date of “early spring”. However, the work appears to be some way from completion, with slippage in the timescale now seeming highly likely.   Booker T 30.03.24
The premises reopened on 26th April after a four-month closure for renovation. No idea how extensive the book stock now is, but there is apparently one bookseller, Richard Frost, among the two dozen retailers here, and a few of the others who deal in "collectables" may also have some books for sale.  Booker T 25.06.24

Jordans Antiques Centre/HEMELHEMPSTEAD/63 High StreetOld Town
Jordans Antiques Centre   Open at advertised times
63 High Street  Old Town    HEMEL HEMPSTEAD  HP1 3AF
map
tel:  01442 263451 
Open:  7 days 10.00 - 5.00.
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Over 2500 books in downstairs book room, general good quality stock with weekly additions. Prices from 1 - 150. There is a car park behind the buildings on the other side of the road, also a small car park opposite where parking is free for an hour.

Someone can't count! Probably 250 books no more and of poor quality, disorganised and chaotic DNWAD.  Jon Morgan 20.09.12
The shop has been closed since the beginning of May as owner recuperates after an operation. They hope to re-open later in the summer of 2024.   Sam Boswell 18.05.24

Lifestyle Emporium/HITCHIN/4-16 Churchgate
Lifestyle Emporium  Open at advertised times
4-16 Churchgate   HITCHIN  SG5 1DN
map
tel:  01462 438600  e-mail   web   
Open: Monday - Thursday 10.00 - 5.00, Friday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.00, Sunday 10.00 - 4.00
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A very large shop with stock on two floors. Antiques, bric-a-brac, old signs, vintage clothing, furniture, jewellery, vinyl records…and books.

That there are books for sale here is a secret well-kept, for there is no mention of it either on the website or on their signage. The book section is hidden away in the far corner of the upper floor. About 3,000 books in total. Mostly paperback, mostly fiction. Good selections also on popular music and the arts. Some local interest books and a sprinkling of Folio Society. Prices seem generally reasonable. Worth popping in for a browse when in Hitchin. Two other vintage/antiques shops in Churchgate - Fleetville Emporium and Vintage House - are within 20 yards and each sometimes has the odd shelf or two of books as well.   Sam Boswell 14.01.24

Lions Charity Bookshop/HEMEL HEMPSTEAD/Marlowes Shopping Centre
Lions Charity Bookshop  Open at advertised times
Marlowes Shopping Centre   HEMEL HEMPSTEAD  HP1 1DX
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tel:  07443 818377  e-mail   web  
Open: Monday-Saturday 09.00-5.00, Sundays 11.00-5.00
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A large charity bookshop

A sizeable unit within the Marlowes Shopping Centre. I would guess there are upwards of 5,000 books in total, all arranged on metallic shelving reminiscent of a public library. About average charity shop stock, but a lot of it. Most priced at £1. Lots of paperback fiction. On the non-fiction side quite strong on travel and history, especially military history and an eclectic politics section with Volumes 2 and 3 of Marx's Capital next on the shelf to Margaret Thatcher's memoirs. The shop is well-run by the staff of volunteers, with quick turnover of stock and is raising plenty of money for good causes. Worth popping in if nearby, but not worth a detour.   Sam Boswell 18.05.24

Oxfam Books _ Music/WELWYNGARDENCITY/36b Howardsgate
Oxfam Books & Music  Phone before travelling
36b Howardsgate    WELWYN GARDEN CITY  AL8 6BJ
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tel:  01707 330990  e-mail   web
Open:  N/A
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Always seems very friendly, and they do a loyalty card, buy 6 fiction paperbacks and get next free. Usual erratic Oxfam stock, but worth a look.  Peter M 26.07.21
Quite a small shop which was refusing donations from members of the public when I visited as they had 'too much stock.' It was not badly stocked and I picked up 4 books on my wish list in a crime series. Four or five other charity shops in the immediate vicinity, Parking free on street for an hour - the same is true of Harpenden and Letchworth but sadly not St Albans.  Firedrake 02.12.21
Small, pricing very variable. The thing that stands out about this shop is the staff, who always seem very very pleasant. The loyalty cards are still in operation.  PeterM 13.04.24

Oxfam Books and Music/BERKHAMSTED/232 High Street
Oxfam Books and Music  Phone before travelling
232 High Street   BERKHAMSTED   HP4 1AG
map
tel: 01442 874279  web 
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.30, Sunday 10.30 - 4.30.
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One of the better Oxfam shops that I have visited.  Steven Whitehead 27.04.11
Collectors stock can be priced at the upper end but bargains can still be found. Very good on vintage paperbacks.  Steven Whitehead 02.11.13
Splendid collection of vintage penguins and some good first editions. Definitely above the average for Oxfam.  Herne 07.10.14
A really well stocked Oxfam Bookshop, with, for once, sensible prices. In the man street with a Waitrose car park behind, a good range of HB and PB modern quality fiction, history and an excellent children's section.  Jon Morgan 05.11.15
Best selection of used books in the area - very well organised, covering most areas. Prices seemed reasonable for most things. Car parking nearby and a pleasant high street. Well worth visiting if in the area. There's also a regular Oxfam charity shop a few doors away so don't get confused if you find that one first and wonder where the books all went ...  Flip M 13.07.17
Visited on the 28th. A very good selection and realistically priced. Plenty of vintage items and a strong transport section. Above average for Oxfam.  Herne 30.10.17
On the pro side, a rapid turnover and some quality books with friendly and helpful staff. On the con, too cluttered for comfort (I would suggest that there is not really enough room for books and music given the size of the shop) and prices seem to be heading upwards. Still the best shop in town though.  Steven 15.01.18
No real change from previous comments, it remains one of the best stocked and priced Oxfam shops in the South East. There is an Emaus shop up the road which is occasionally worth a browse.  Jonathan Morgan 15.09.18
While Berkhamsted is well supplied with charity shops I reckon that there are more books in piles on the floor at Oxfam than there are on the shelves of all the other shops combined. I think it could be time for a BOGOF sale, particularly on the bog-standard paperbacks and in the children's section which would make what is a good shop even better.  Steven 23.11.18
My first visit post lockdown. It looks as though several of the many charity shops in Berkhamsted have shut and passed on their stock to Oxfam as it is now so cluttered as to qualify as a Driff Special with books on the floor and double-shelved in some categories. Staff are still cheerfully helpful and while it is worth a visit, worth a detour even, it would be greatly improved if it was possible to shift some of the dross.  Steven 06.09.21
Repeat visit. Still very cluttered and, in my opinion, the shop would be greatly improved if they lost the 'and Music' section, particularly the piles of DVDs. So far as the books go, they are keen on Graham Green and have an extensive if somewhat eclectic selection of vintage paperbacks. I always find something to read at a fair price and sometimes get lucky as a collector and while bargains are not unknown pricing seems eccentric. Most subjects are covered but strongest on fiction and there are a lot of books to look at in a relatively confined (and cluttered) space. Staff are always helpful and enthusiastic and there are plenty of places in town to get a coffee.   Steven 11.07.22
As always, worth a visit but now so crowded (books shelved four deep in some categories) that it needs more time than you might expect if you want to see everything. Still good for vintage paperbacks (many helpfully displayed on spinners) and keen on Graham Green. Staff always helpful and enthusiastic.  Steven 06.01.24
A really excellent Oxfam bookshop, one of the best I have seen. Berkhamsted is an affluent town, and this is reflected in the quality of the stock, which in every category is at least good, and in some - such as fiction, poetry and history - outstanding. Far more antiquarian/vintage books (and a sub-category entitled “Distressed but desirable”) than at most Oxfam branches; the quality of these, too, is way above average, with some very uncommon titles. Also a shelf of first editions. Pricing is rather mixed, and generally a bit higher than the Oxfam norm. Fiction, by and large, is reasonably priced: most of the paperbacks are £2.99, with some (Viragos, for example) at £3.99. But in some of the non-fiction categories, such as military history, prices are on the high side. The antiquarian/vintage pricing is somewhat erratic, mostly rather ambitious, but with some bargains. As previous reviews have pointed out, there are too many books for the size of the shop, with double banking in a few sections and piled-up recent arrivals obscuring the bottom shelf in others. This can be irksome, so be sure to allow ample time if you want to look at everything. But better too much stock than too little, and the shop is otherwise so well organised and the quality is so good that this is only a minor annoyance. The opening hours cited by TBG are correct and the volunteers here are numerous and reliable, so there is really no need to ring before visiting.  Booker T 30.03.24

Oxfam Bookshop/HARPENDEN/5 Harding Parade
Oxfam Bookshop  Open at advertised times
5 Harding Parade   HARPENDEN   AL5 4SW
map
tel: 01582 762840  web 
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00, Sunday 10.00 - 3.00.
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Nowhere near as good as on my previous visits (and the reviews seem to have disappeared) Usual charity shop fare with an amusing collectable section.  Jonathan Morgan 15.09.18
Still very small and with a largely indifferent stock. A run of about 12 British Library Golden Age crime reprints - Unfortunately I had all but one. Pricing generally reasonable and still with the amusing' collectable' cabinet. Nothing else worth visiting as regards charity shops in the town.  Firedrake 02.12.21

Oxfam Bookshop/HERTFORD/2b Maidenhead Street
Oxfam Bookshop  Phone before travelling
2b Maidenhead Street   HERTFORD   SG14 1BG
map
tel: 01992 583221  web 
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Not a bad stock esp modern fiction hardbacks and some very recent. For Oxfam quite decent prices too. Two other charity shops close by. Not a lot else in Hertford really . Nice castle and other medieval buildings but yet to recover from recession I suspect.  Jon Morgan 12.04.14
Small outlet but reasonable prices by Oxfam's standards. Cards and music seem to be winning the space war at the front of the shop.  Steven Kelly 26.01.16
A fleeting return. Normal Oxfam fare with occasional books of interest priced at £2.99. Silly prices for some books classed as rare viz Christina Hardiment's 'Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint's Trunk' for £11.00, not in very good nick. For a County Town this place is and remains a disappointment.  Jon Morgan 17.10.16
Some of the pricing makes me suspect easy access to hallucinogenic drugs in Hertford. But the occasional good book at a reasonable price and a decent selection of standard reads makes it worth a visit.  Peter M 26.07.21

Oxfam Bookshop/STALBANS/8-10 Catherine Street
Oxfam Bookshop   Phone before travelling
8-10 Catherine Street    ST ALBANS  AL3 5BX
map
tel:  01727 861589    web
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Good stock although usual Oxfam high prices.  Jon Morgan 20.09.12
Still good stock and prices seem to have moderated. Excellent selection of Holocaust material and a good variety of modern language stuff. Esp French. Bugger to park nearby tho.  Jon Morgan 12.04.14
Still there, still much the same, still a bugger to park. Many (and I mean many) multiple remainders in the modern fiction section, but not bad mod language and history. Prices acceptable for Oxfam.  Jon Morgan 05.11.15
As befits a prosperous town, the stock is of decent quality, neatly ordered and attractively shelved. Most categories are represented, though the arts section is rather thin. Vinyl, CDs, sheet music, maps, vintage postcards and ephemera also for sale. As Jon Morgan reports above, prices are reasonable for Oxfam - with some laughable exceptions.  Nicholas Sack 13.05.17
Roomy Oxfam outlet just off the main shopping street. Prices good(ish) for Oxfam. Inevitably no bargains but the range is broad and the quality is high.  Steven Kelly 10.08.17
Still a real sod to park nearby, but worth it, some good recent fiction titles purchased at reasonable (even for Oxfam ) prices. Remainders even more in evidence, more so than at any other Oxfam I have seen of late. The 'collectable' cabinet remains the high (?) point with its inflated prices Amazon or ABE usually being cited as the benchmark comparator.  Jonathan Morgan 15.09.18
There are plenty of other charity shops in the city but I reckon Oxfam has more books than all the others combined. A relatively spacious shop with room to move. All major categories covered and strong on Children's and also Vintage Penguins. As noted above, some eccentric pricing but there are bargains to be found.  Steven 06.12.18
No change from my comments of 2018. Still a good range albeit stronger on non-fiction with, shall we say, varied prices. Some definite bargains to be had along with some frankly silly amounts being asked. NWAD but worth a look if you are already in the city.  Steven 15.12.19
Rather better than my last few visits with some good stock and reasonable prices. The downside was the malodorous clientele, clearly strangers to hot water and soap. Unlike other Hertfordshire towns, on street parking is payable and the alternative is the multi-storey. Other nearby charity shops are not worth bothering with. The town market, on a Monday I think, used to have a good books stall, but I have not been for a few years.  Firedrake 02.12.21
Seems to have a brisk turnover - a donor arrived with four boxes while I was there. Staff are helpful and enthusiastic. Plenty of interest for readers with all main fiction genres covered and good sections for children and young adults. While the books selected for display in the cabinet were, in my opinion, optimistically priced, there were plenty of bargains to be found elsewhere. NQWAD but getting close.  Steven 14.07.23
Apparently a new manager and a transformation in the organisation and stock in this Oxfam Bookshop. Good history section, expanded crime fiction and general fiction. Not quite WAD but certainly worth a visit. Prices in the £2.99 and upwards range. It felt better and even the volunteers were enthusiastic and motivated.  firedrake 29.07.24

St Clare Hospice Book and Music Shop/BISHOPSSTORTFORD/10 Devoils Lane
St Clare Hospice Book and Music Shop     Open at advertised times
10 Devoils Lane    BISHOPS STORTFORD  CM23 3XH
map
tel:  01279 755990  e-mail   web
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00 (5.30 July & August), Sunday10,00 - 4.00
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Good altho not vast but ever changing stock. Good on history and fiction with a reasonable children's section. About 5 other so-so charity shops within 5 minutes walk. Car parking close by near Waitrose or in the multi-story. A Waterstone's in the high street (formerly Ottakers) - Not great. Otherwise this is Anytown UK.  Jon Morgan 03.03.12
Always WAD, a good range of titles and reasonable prices. I've yet to visit and come away empty handed.  Steven Kelly 26.01.16
Still a reasonable stock at reasonable prices, always worth a browse, but no internet signal in the shop to check my catalogue.  Jonathan Morgan 15.09.18
I have been visiting this Charity Bookshop for some time now. Always an interesting stock of modestly priced books on offer. I usually come away with something, and yesterday was no exception. At least it is open, unlike the nearby part time Oxfam!  Steve Newman 03.02.22
Reasonable pricing, though stock seemed a bit low compared with visits a few years ago. I didn't buy anything, but I did see books I would have bought if I didn't already own a copy.

You're far more likely to find a treasure here than at the nearby Oxfam, and the price won't be daft either.
  PeterM 09.07.22
A better than average charity shop, with a decent stock and low prices almost everywhere one looks. Quite good for classic novels, modern literary and mid-market fiction ("easy reading" and romances have been filtered out on to their own shelves), and also sci-fi/fantasy. Paperbacks are mostly £1.50, with some just £1. A small selection of modern fiction in hardback, at similar prices. The shelf of foreign-language novels includes, unusually, a few in Chinese (whether Mandarin or Cantonese, my untutored eyes were unable to discern). Variable prices, some rather inflated, for a couple of dozen Folio Society volumes. The drama section is small, but of reasonable quality, with prices ranging from £1 to £2. The poetry is less good. Modern children's books are mostly £1, with some at £1.50. Run-of-the-mill children's titles of an earlier vintage (mostly 1920s to 1960s), at £1.50 to £2, feature in the "collectables" section (which is pretty dull, but at least has the virtue of low prices). Also 30 unexciting children's annuals (1970s onwards), same prices. The biography section is quite good; all fairly modern, but hardly any trash, all at £2.50 or less. Books on art and music are among the non-fiction strengths (a lot of music scores too). The best of the rest? History (including military history), travel, transport, science and nature. The stock in each is not huge, but the quality is fairly good for a shop of this kind. OS maps are just £1. Five shelves of mundane titles on "mind, body and spirit" (i.e. health and religion). A small and lacklustre sports section. "Sports books just don't sell", said the staff. The gardening, craft and cookery books are standard charity shop fare, but at below-standard prices. NWAD, but not to be missed if in this rather uninspiring town, which recently lost its Oxfam Bookshop. There are now about 800 books (mostly modern paperback fiction, but at double the St Clare prices) in the general Oxfam store a short walk away in South Street - worth a quick look. The town's many other charity shops are not really worth bothering with.  Booker T 16.08.24