Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland
News:
New Oxfam Bookshop in Nantwich
New bookshop Amblongus Books in Chester
Roger Treglown has moved to Cumbria, see that page.
Knutsford Antiques Centre has closed
New listing St Rocco's Books and Media Lymm
New listing The Book Exchange Macclesfield
St Rocco's Books and Media Lymm has moved into their general shop
Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary
Status unknown, update requested
We do our best to make sure these details are correct and up-to-date. However we recommend that you contact bookshops before making a special journey.
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Abacus Books/ALTRINCHAM/24 Regent Road
Abacus Books
24 Regent Road ALTRINCHAM WA14 1RP
map
tel:
0161 928 5108 web
Open: Thursday - Saturday 10.30 - 4.30.
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Large general stock and arts, crafts and local history.
Although we tried very hard, we could find absolutely nothing of interest in this bookshop. While we where there a chap came in with a few books to sell and was told "we aren't buying at the moment" - which in book-speak means we aren't selling anything either. This is like a rest home for old books, and be assured, they won't be disturbed. Rosie Gamgee 21.11.13
The other comment is a little unfair; there is quite a lot to see here, though admittedly the small paperback fiction section has books that look like they've been here years, and the small sci-fi section is down near the floor behind the door, so you get in the way of anyone coming in. Elsewhere though are many hardbacks covering lots of subjects, a hardback literature and literary biography section that's worth a look. But yes, those paperbacks do need a bit revitalizing! Archy 14.07.16
Ridiculous prices on stock that had obviously been there for years. One of the few shops I have visited wheee I was not able to make a single purchase Archive61 04.10.21
Glad I ignored the previous comment, and paid a visit. Pleasantly surprised, to find a great selection of books, at reasonable prices. I came back with a good haul of art and illustration books - many in as new condition.
They seem to specialise in art, crafts and local history titles, with also a good selection of natural history. Most other interests also catered for I think. Nice to see a secondhand bookshop that welcomes families and kids. Bibliophile 06.02.22
Alsager Book Emporium /ALSAGER/Hassall Road Methodist Church
Alsager Book Emporium
Hassall Road Methodist Church ALSAGER ST7 2HE
map
tel:
01270 625444 web
Open: occasional Saturdays
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We have around 40,000 donated secondhand books on a variety of subjects. Proceeds to Englesea Brook Chapel & Museum.
Whatever you are looking for, this amazing bookshop probably has it. Half the space is given over to Christian books but there are also hundreds of biographies, books on trains, self help and health, history, poetry, humour, topography, art, and lo-o-a-d-s of fiction both classic and modern in paperback. This is the only bookshop I know with a working organ! Coffee/tea and biscuits are offered to refresh you as you browse. Oh and if that wasn't enough, the prices are set to sell with most fiction paperbacks at 50p and large hardback glossy art books at £2. Brilliant! Rosie Gamgee 10.03.18
Open on Fridays only at present from 10am until 2pm, though I believe they’re looking for volunteers to re-open on Saturdays again. It’s definitely worth visiting if you’re in the area. Martin R 28.07.21
Open on Saturdays, when they can. The profane books probably outnumber the sacred ones these days. Just outside at the back are tables with all manner of fiction/non-fiction in crates with a supply of carrier bags and a request to "Fill a bag for £2". In addition, storage areas were also being opened up but the stock within had not been sorted or priced up yet. Cheap but a lot better than the usual charity shop fodder. Came for a quick look but stayed an hour and came away with two bulging bags. Pity about the restricted opening times but it does rely on volunteers. Stive 10.10.21
Amblongus Books/CHESTER/19 Upper Northgate Street
Amblongus Books
19 Upper Northgate Street CHESTER CH1 4EE
map
tel:
01244 726360 e-mail 
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 9 - 5.30
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Specialising in the visual arts; art, architecture, photography and design. Also books on nature, cookery, poetry, classic fiction and a number of general subjects. A small selection of children's books, and toys to occupy younger children while parents browse. 50p shelves and some free books always available.
Book Exchange/MACCLESFIELD/Unit 22, Indoor Market, Grosvenor Shopping Centre
The Book Exchange
Unit 22, Indoor Market, Grosvenor Shopping Centre MACCLESFIELD SK11 6AR
map
tel:
07460 786651 e-mail web
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 9.30 - 4.00
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Long-established second-hand book unit in the indoor market. Varied stock, mostly paperback novels, but also non-fiction.
A better stock than is usually found at such outlets. Although mass-market paperback fiction is here in abundance, there is a higher proportion of non-fiction than one might expect. Quite a good selection of books on military history, local history and sport. My only visit was a couple of years ago, when I was surprised by the quality of some of what was available here. The enthusiastic owner, Alan, has been selling books at this market for more than 20 years. Worth a look if you are visiting the town. Booker T 19.03.24
Bookingham Palace/CHESTER/98 Northgate
Bookingham Palace
98 Northgate CHESTER CH1 2HT
map
tel:
07983 266136
Open: Monday - Saturday 08.00 - 5.00
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Sharing space with Vinyl Richie, this establishment has recently moved from the market to its own premises towards the top end of Northgate and a short walk across the road from Amblongus. The books could do with some some sorting but heartening to see another bookshop making a go of it in Chester. Mostly modern and classic fiction but a fair smattering of non-fiction around the shop. You might need to root around a little to find what you want.
Cavern Books/NANTWICH/Unit 1, Dagfields Craft and Antiques Centre, Crewe Road
Cavern Books
Unit 1, Dagfields Craft and Antiques Centre, Crewe Road NANTWICH CW5 7LG
map
tel:
01270 841594, mob: 0771 2046873 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Friday 11.30 - 5.00, Saturday - Sunday 10.00 - 5.00
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General secondhand books, and particularly railways, military and crime, postcards and ephemera. Also LPs & CDs. There are also numerous book shelves all around the massive buildings.
Brilliant, a really great variety of stock, something for everyone, and very reasonable prices. All books were neatly displayed, not one tatty spine or crumpled cover. Owner and the woman working in the shop were friendly, and most welcoming. Not an easy place to get to, but well worth the effort. The Wanderer 14.10.09
Excellent books and service. Amazing stock. Thanks for the First Edition Bond. We will be back. Wirralshrew 27.07.11
Well worth a visit, lots of stock in different subjects. Paul 05.11.11
Still there and still great, with fair prices and condition of books ranging from good to "oh wow, I am having that". The Wanderer 09.06.12
Definitely worth finding this place. Some quality books in here. And a very nice place as well with all the other shops. Gareth 12.07.12
The best second hand bookshop in the area. Reasonable prices, organised stock and an owner who knows his stuff. Always worth a visit. Rosie Gamgee 10.11.12
Probably the best selection of secondhand railway books in the country. Stocks always seem to be moving and so worth regular visits. Rik 16.02.13
This is an interesting and well run bookshop, with a cheery and helpful owner, but, as with a lot of places I visit, I did wonder whether a fair proportion of the stock was not really the sort thing that would sell under any circumstances. Outside in the arcade there were tables of paperbacks and popular coffee-table books that were suffering from the damp atmosphere, but the inside of the shop was well laid out and contained a good, general stock, particularly strong on transport and the countryside. There appeared to be a very good selection of old postcards, but the music section was somewhat muddled and inconsistently priced, and there were some areas of tired stock that needed a bit of attention. Depending on your speciality, it is probably worth a visit, but don't be disheartened if you have difficulty in finding it its well signposted but is quite a trek down country lanes and is a fair distance from Nantwich itself. Nicholas Pendower 12.02.14
This is one of the best antique centre bookshops I have been into for very many a day. A wonderful selection of subjects and huge holdings. I mentioned my collecting 'wants' to the most pleasant owner and he kept coming up trumps for me. Alas, I was dragged away by my wife after two hours but I will most certainly be back. Chris Harte 23.03.15
Not that hard to find - the antiques centre is well signposted. A veritable Aladdin's Cave once inside - something for everyone. Well signposted sections but I did find some strays in each section which did make browsing a bit hit and miss at times. Some stuff did seem a bit overpriced to me for what they were but still plenty at very reasonable prices too. Picked up 3 books for 11 quid and had a quid knocked off without asking. Very impressive shop and will definitely return. Flip M 18.12.15
Just over 18 months later and a return visit. All my previous comments still hold, although the silly pricing annoyed me more this time. More stock on the floor than I remember, shelves all full, some double stacked (incl stuff I saw in 2015, still at the same price). Still got a few quid off at checkout without asking but their stock would shift a lot quicker if the prices were keener (and they'd have more shelf space too perhaps). Flip M 10.08.17
I usually manage to come away from here with a good selection of books. Well worth a visit Archive61 04.10.21
Worth looking at if you are in the area. A lot of paperbacks in cases outside.Plenty of stock, mostly well arranged, in the shop but we did come across some mis-shelved. We thought the prices in some cases rather ambitious, books that we had paid a few pounds for elsewhere were marked up at £30 to £50. They also have a large stock of vinyl and cd's. David 24.10.21
It is always a pleasure to visit such superbly stocked premises. Both my wife and I took four hours to study the stock in depth and many treasures were found. The lady on duty (whose knowledge of books was quite stunning) has been trying to organise the categories to give more prominence to the titles. Harry, the owner, does slightly over-price his books but then offers a discount on purchases! My annual study of the shelves results my bank balance being sorely tested. Chris Harte 20.02.22
I really don't know where Harry gets his stock from. Nine months since my last visit and so many shelves refreshed. Rare titles galore. I spent too much. Chris 13.11.22
Copnal Books/CREWE/18 Meredith Street
Copnal Books
18 Meredith Street CREWE CW1 2PW
map
tel:
01270 580470 e-mail web
Open: Friday - Saturday 9.30 - 4.00
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Second-hand bookshop established in 1984, with more than 15,000 books on two floors. Specialities include theology and local history.
Only open two days a week, so hard to plan a visit. When I first visited I bought a pile of books. I visited again about a year later and didn’t look to have refreshed the stock Archive61 04.10.21
JPs Box of Books/RUNCORN/The Box
JPs Box of Books
The Box Runcorn Shopping City RUNCORN WA7 2EU
map
tel:
07780 097595 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00.
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A large selection of secondhand and antiquarian books - military, history, art, travel, sport, novels, biographies, children, show biz and film, transport, poetry, all at very competitive prices. This is a new business, café and free parking, we also have a selection of work by local artists.
Great little book shop with a various collection of books all good prices well worth a visit Angrwin 23.04.24
Oxfam Bookshop/ALTRINCHAM/86 George Street
Oxfam Bookshop
86 George Street ALTRINCHAM WA14 1RF
map
tel:
0161 9281877 web
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Excellent shop. Very reasonably priced books, mostly in very good to as new condition. Varied stock; small 'classics' and 'collectables'; fair sized crime section; some CDs and DVDs. Records too, though these are a little overpriced in my view. Archy 13.09.11
Great shop with a better than average selection of jazz records as well as the usual pop/rock in addition to the varied selection of books. Jazz 29.10.12
Oxfam bookshop rather than a charity shop that sells books among other stuff. Good selection of fiction, classics, crime, smaller selection of SF. Just round the corner from Abacus, so two bookshops can be visited in one trip. Some vinyl and DVDs too, but essentially a bookshop. Small, but worth a visit. No knick knacks! Archy 10.06.22
Oxfam Bookshop/KNUTSFORD/31 Princess Street
Oxfam Bookshop
31 Princess Street KNUTSFORD WA16 6BW
map
tel:
01565 650741 web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00, Sunday 12.00 - 4.00.
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Small stock, overpriced, like all too many of the Oxfam shops nowadays. The Wanderer. 09.01.09
Poor small stock and even by Oxfam standards badly overpriced. Norman Davies 01.10.10
Oxfam Bookshop/NANTWICH/21 Pepper Street
Oxfam Bookshop
21 Pepper Street NANTWICH CW5 5AB
map
tel:
01270 628569 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.00
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We hadn't visited this bookshop for about a year but have always bought a few books each time. Only found one on this occasion and the shelves were a little sparse in places. However it is well laid out, condition and prices good and is well worth visiting if in the area. Price wise better than a lot of Oxfam shops. There is a large car park a few minutes away, free after 3.00 pm. Nantwich is also blessed(?) with many other charity shops. David 24.10.21
Oxfam Shop /MACCLESFIELD/74 Mill Street
Oxfam Shop
74 Mill Street MACCLESFIELD SK11 6NH
map
tel:
01625 429939 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00.
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Some hundreds of books on display, fiction and non-fiction of all types.
Deserves a listing in your guide. Half of the shop is books, well lit, neat and clearly arranged. Includes a collectables section, and is obviously the baby of the shop manager or someone on the regular staff who loves books. S+S 30.01.17
Oxfam/ALDERLEY EDGE/23 London Road
Oxfam
23 London Road ALDERLEY EDGE SK9 7JT
map
tel:
01625 583 162 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.30, Sunday 11.00 - 4.00.
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Good selection of General secondhand books. Children's corner with table and chairs, and also sell music, cards and stationery.
This is not a bookshop. Yes, it has slightly more books (overpriced and not very interesting) than your average Oxfam shop, but it also sells bric-a-brac and clothes. The very loud pop music is enough to make you turn tail anyway! Nicholas Pendower 12.02.14
No longer just books - now also general secondhand goods & Oxfam own brand. Books perhaps 40% of shelf space. John Tomlinson 18.08.15
Oxfam/CHESTER/31/33 Frodsham Street
Oxfam
31/33 Frodsham Street CHESTER CH1 3JJ
map
tel:
01244 319861 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 09.00 - 5.00, Sunday 11.00 - 4.00
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Double roomed premises split down the middle - room on the right houses books and is the size of a small Oxfam bookshop. Usual mix of books.
A smaller Oxfam bookshop. I've suffered from bibliomania all my life but escaped empty-handed, which is a rare event. Didn't see anything of interest. PLF 18.04.24
Stothert Old Books/CHESTER/Rock House FarmRock LaneBurwardsley
Stothert Old Books
Rock House Farm Rock Lane Burwardsley CHESTER CH3 9PL
map
tel:
01829 772505 e-mail
Open: Saturday & Sunday 11.00 - 4.00, other times by appointment.
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A wide selection of antiquarian and collectable books on most subjects. A long-established book dealer in the Chester area.
Highly recommended, well-selected general stock in a sort of barn. My own interest, natural history, is well catered for. acanthophyllum 09.01.15
The old shop in Chester had some superb holdings and the good thing is that standards have not dropped. Alan now has a converted barn full of high quality material and it was a pleasure to relax while checking for my subjects. A visit is recommended. Chris Harte 23.03.15
Ihe website and phone number for Stothert Old Books are no longer live and I believe they are no longer trading, but cannot verify. Phil Tyler 19.04.22
