Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland
News:
The Old Abbey Bookshop has closed
New listing Bridge Books Dromore
New shop Oxfam Books Holywood
New listing Concern Worldwide Bookshop Holywood
New listing Ards Evangelical Bookshop Newtownards
New listing Beulah Bookshop Newcastle
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Ards Evangelical Bookshop/NEWTOWNARDS/Crimond House, 48 Frances Street
Ards Evangelical Bookshop
Crimond House, 48 Frances Street NEWTOWNARDS BT23 7DN
map
tel:
028 9181 7530 e-mail web 
Open: Monday - Wednesday, Friday - Saturday 10.00 - 4.30
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Large Christian bookshop, established in 1967, in the town centre. Independently owned. Extensive stock of second-hand and new books.
A very large shop, extending over 6,000 square feet. A huge stock of new books, and also more than 2,000 second-hand books for sale. The latter include large selections on church history, various aspects of (Protestant) theology, biographies of preachers, Bible commentaries and Christian living. There is currently a sale, with 10% off all books, although prices are very reasonable in any case. Newtownards is 11 miles east of Belfast, at the northern tip of Strangford Lough, on the Ards Peninsula. It is easily reached by bus from Belfast (services 5, 5f, 7, 10, 505) and Bangor (6). The shop is only a five-minute walk from Newtownards bus station. Booker T 24.01.25
Beulah Bookshop/NEWCASTLE/25 Central Promenade
Beulah Bookshop
25 Central Promenade NEWCASTLE BT33 0AA
map
tel:
028 4372 2629 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10.00 - 5.30. Closed on Thursdays
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Independent Christian bookshop, established in 1977, with an extensive second-hand section.
Beulah Bookshop, in the centre of Newcastle, has more than 3,500 second-hand books relating to the Protestant faith, in particular Presbyterianism. Church history, Bible commentaries, sermons, prayers, devotional treatises, biographies of preachers, the personal accounts of believers and Christian literature all feature strongly. Protestant theology of a fervent nature is in the ascendant here, although there are usually a few books on other branches of Christianity. Newcastle is a small seaside resort in the south of Co. Down, at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountains. There are frequent bus services from Belfast (routes 237 and 520) and less frequent buses from Lisburn (26b; Monday-Friday only). The shop is about half a mile from Newcastle bus station. Booker T 25.01.25
Bookends Secondhand Bookshop/BANGOR/Railway Terrace
Bookends Secondhand Bookshop
Railway Terrace Dufferin Avenue BANGOR BT20 3AB
map
tel:
02891 229783 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00.
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General secondhand stock with some antiquarian and collectable books.
On the hill down from the railway station, this medium sized bookshop is clean, bright and well laid out with an interesting selection of general books. Along with Stacks and Green's, it is one of the best bookshops in Northern Ireland and could teach many of the central Belfast shops a thing or two about layout, presentation and what is suitable for a family audience. Jeremy Briggs
A pleasant bookshop with a varied general stock. Very strong on Northern Irish local history. Most titles categorised which made browsing easy. Free street parking which always helps. Chris Harte 19.10.16
Very large one room bookshop racked out in aisles with shelving reaching to the stratosphere. Lots of modestly priced Folio Society. Plenty of academic history and local and Irish books. I suspect if my interests had been different, I would have been raving about those sections instead. All one could want from a bookshop. Literally under the railway station. Gary 02.08.22
Bridge Books/DROMORE/3 Bridge Street
Bridge Books
3 Bridge Street DROMORE BT25 1AN
map
tel:
028 9269 9899 e-mail web
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00
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Independent bookshop, established in 1995, selling new and second-hand books.
A small shop, but one that punches above its weight and has been nominated for various awards over the years, most recently as an island of Ireland "independent bookshop of the year" finalist in the 2024 British Book Awards. This is a testament to the energy and discernment of the owner, Lesley, who seems to have created a wonderful shop. She is also rather amusing on social media: "Lesley is on hand with expertise and a smile*. (*Smile may not apply if she's had her hair coloured that day and isn't happy with the result)." "I've had no breakfast... and I'm dressed like a 90s kids TV presenter... [amply borne out by the accompanying photo]... It is not a good Friday." The shop mainly sells new books but also has quite a sizeable second-hand section, primarily fiction, but some non-fiction also. Other attractions in Dromore include a rare set of stocks in the market place and a well-preserved Norman motte and bailey. What's not to like?! Booker T 24.03.24
Concern Worldwide Bookshop/HOLYWOOD/22 Church Road
Concern Worldwide Bookshop
22 Church Road HOLYWOOD BT18 9BU
map
tel:
028 90 426984 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 4.30, Sunday 11.00 - 4.00
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Charity bookshop, opened in 2017. Wide range of good-quality books.
Humanitarian aid agency Concern Worldwide operates eight shops in Northern Ireland, but its Holywood outlet is one of only two bookshops (the other is in Derry/Londonderry). There is quite an extensive stock here and the quality is well above average. Holywood is a very affluent town and this is evident in the type of donations this shop receives. Since the bookshop opened in 2017, it has raised more than £250,000. There is an excellent choice of novels, both modern and classic; a 'three for the price of two' promotion currently applies for most of the fiction. A decent selection of drama and poetry, as well as foreign-language novels. Very good for children's books. Far above the norm for non-fiction too, with history and Irish interest featuring strongly. The 'antiquarian and collectable' books are of a higher calibre than at most such outlets. Holywood (which also has an above-average Oxfam bookshop, on the next road to this one) is five miles from Belfast, on the Belfast-Bangor rail line. The shop is only about a quarter of a mile from Holywood railway station. Booker T 08.01.25
Mount Stewart House, Garden and Temple of the Winds/NEWTOWNARDS/Portaferry Road
Mount Stewart House, Garden and Temple of the Winds
Portaferry Road NEWTOWNARDS BT22 2AD
map
tel:
028 42788387 e-mail web
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Secondhand charity bookshop located in the retail area of reception. All proceeds from this shop go directly to the property. Stock includes religion, biographies, art, travel, geography, paperback novels and children's books. Requests for specific books will be given attention by the staff of volunteers.
Oxfam Books/HOLYWOOD/117/127 High Street
Oxfam Books
117/127 High Street HOLYWOOD BT18 9LG
map
tel:
028 90 428286 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00
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Second-hand bookshop, opened in July 2024. Large stock of fiction and non-fiction.
A newly opened Oxfam high-street bookshop is a rare occurrence these days, as the current trend is for the charity to reduce the number of such outlets. This opening is not quite what it might seem, however. These premises had been the site of Holywood's general Oxfam shop since 1979. But Oxfam recently opened one of its vast new superstores in the town (one of only three in the UK; the others are at Oxford and Manchester). The Holywood superstore on Church Road, occupying 7,000 sq ft, is the smallest of the three, but is still eight times the size of a typical Oxfam shop. However, rather than taking the books to the new outlet, Oxfam decided to retain the High Street shop and convert it into a dedicated bookshop. Holywood is an exceptionally affluent town, which is what lies behind the highly atypical decision, as the shop attracts substantial donations of good-quality books and also has a strong customer base. Booker T 16.09.24
Saintfield Antiques and Fine Books/BALLYGOWAN/Vestry Hall
Saintfield Antiques and Fine Books
Vestry Hall Vestry Road BALLYGOWAN BT23 6HQ
map
tel:
028 9752 8428 web
Open: Thursday - Saturday 11.30 - 5.00.
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Small stock including Ireland, travel, exploration, literature and illustrated books.
Stacks Secondhand Bookshop/DUNDONALD/67 Comber Road
Stacks Secondhand Bookshop
67 Comber Road DUNDONALD BT16 2AE
map
tel:
028 9048 6880
Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 6.00.
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Very large general secondhand stock including academic and scholarly books.
Jim Tollerton really knows his extensive stock and if he does not have it in stock he will look out for a desired item and keep it by for you when it turns up. He is dedicated to shifting stock and prices accordingly. If something is not moving the price will come down. Good bargains to be had. Special offers and a table outside, in good weather, laden with very cheap and sometimes very spectacular bargains. Aidan O'loan
Near the Ulster Hospital, Stacks is a bright, busy, medium sized bookshop with some second hand CDs, videos and DVDs. A friendly shop with a good general selection and an interesting military section, it is worth taking the children along to let them have a rummage through the boxes of cheap kids books. Jeremy Briggs
A better bookshop than given by first impressions. Search and ye shall find. Every title I purchased was on a top shelf which had to be accessed by a ladder. Even so, my wife found three books of her interests which she considers to be extremely scarce. Parking available outside the shop. Chris Harte 19.10.16
This is a bookshop in the Belfast suburbs just beyond Stormont. The first impression is of lots of paperback fiction stacked horizontally. On closer examination there is a lot of paperback non-fiction including academic books and local studies and a very good, mostly Protestant, modern theology section. However, this was the one NI bookshop we visited where we bought nothing. Gary 02.08.22
