Bookshops in South East/West Sussex

Billingshurst Lions Bookshop/BILLINGSHURST/Unit 4 Laura House

Billingshurst Lions Bookshop Open at advertised times

Unit 4 Laura House Jengers Mead (off High Street) BILLINGSHURST RH14 9NZ

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Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 4.00.

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Stock mainly hardback and paperback fiction in decent condition and reasonable prices. Also a small selection of excellent home-made fruit cakes (date and walnut, Dundee etc.)! Martin Stallion

Don't sell cakes any more, but have a few jigsaws. Reasonably priced doesnt do justice - these books are really quite cheap - around 60p for a good quality paperback novel! Paul 18.06.12

I used to live in this village in the mid seventies and superficially (and quite spookily) little has changed. This shop in in a seventies' parade where about a third of the shops are charity shops. At first i was disheartened by the albeit superbly organised pulp fiction / chick lit /romance but spotted some really decent paperback modern fiction. In the back room there are modern hardback fiction in really good condition priced for a pound or less. I came away with a bag load. Worth a visit if in the area. Ample, cheap pay and display parking. Jon Morgan 24.09.16

Have visited 3 times, once left empty handed but twice with a bag full, obviously depends on what they've had donated recently. Well laid out, lots of fiction, cookery, gardening, children's but some interesting topography and military. Very reasonable prices, new h/b fiction £1.50, p/b 80p. Beware the car park attendant waiting by the car checking his watch! H B 28.11.19

Always worth a visit, paperbacks £1, hardbacks £2. Choice depends on what has been donated but this time we found some interesting military titles. HB 25.03.25

Bluebell Railway Bookshop/EAST GRINSTEAD/Railway Approach

Bluebell Railway Bookshop Phone before travelling

Railway Approach EAST GRINSTEAD RH19 1EB

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tel: 01825 720800 e-mail web Add a comment

An extensive stock of second-hand railway books. The bookshop is free to visit and is usually open whenever the trains are running (see website).

Presumably only available if the railway is open. It was closed this Saturday morning so couldn't see if there is a bookshop. PeterM 09.06.24

The Bluebell Railway has four stations in Sussex. Three of these - including here at East Grinstead - have second-hand bookshops with a good stock of railway-related books. The proceeds go towards the upkeep of the railway. The bookshops should always be open when the trains are running (check the timetables on the Bluebell Railway website). However, as the shops are run by volunteers, there may be occasional unplanned closures. The weekend is probably the best time to be reasonably sure that all the shops on the line will be open. Access to the bookshops and stations is free of charge, although obviously a fare is payable if you wish to ride on the trains. The Bluebell Railway station at East Grinstead is adjacent to the town's station on the National Rail network. Booker T 18.05.25

Book Den/BURGESS HILL/Church Walk

The Book Den Open at advertised times

Church Walk BURGESS HILL RH15 9AS

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Open: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 4.00, Saturday 9.00 - 4.30.

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Donated secondhand books & records. Run by the Burgess Hill District Lions Club.

Some interesting finds here and realistically priced. Worth a detour. Parking nearby. The Drifter 22.08.13

Bookshop/EASTGRINSTEAD/Tudor House 22 High Street

The Bookshop Open at advertised times

Tudor House 22 High Street EAST GRINSTEAD RH19 3AW

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tel: 01342 322669 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.30, Sunday 10.00 - 4.00

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Mainly new books, but a small second-hand stock on the first floor.

An expanding secondhand stock on the rambling upper floor. Worth a look for transport and topography. Nicholas Sack 03.07.14

Four years on from my previous visit, the stock has been consolidated in three rather cramped rooms. Worth a shufty for military history and transport. Prices are a tad high and occasionally absurd: 30 quid for a local history book listed online at eight. The place is tired and dusty: desperately needs a tidy-up. Nicholas Sack 09.08.18

Pleasant old fashioned shop selling new books. Upstairs there are two small rooms of second hand books, very cramped. Lots of newish paperback fiction, little in any other section with the exception of history. NWAD. PeterM 09.06.24

This shop, in a characterful old building on East Grinstead's pleasant High Street, ticks a lot of boxes as a retailer of new books, but not all that many for its second-hand stock. As the previous reviewer states, the second-hand books are confined to a couple of small rooms upstairs. The stock is rather dreary and the prices (especially for the better books) are almost uniformly on the high side, in many cases unwarrantedly so. The fiction is mainly in paperback and is largely run-of-the-mill. Novels ranging from romances/mass-market to literary fiction are in boxes on a table, with prices around the £4 mark. Also a fair-sized stock of crime fiction/thrillers, including some older titles (paperbacks mostly £4-£5), as well as seven shelves of historical fiction (similar prices, but a few at up to £12) and a dozen of sci-fi (£3-£4). Not many hardbacks, and some of these are very steeply priced.

The non-fiction is slightly better, but contains little out of the ordinary, and the prices are high. The two largest sections are military and history. The 400 military books include a few infrequently encountered volumes, but the 250 history titles are largely commonplace. Among the railway books is a long run of 'Bluebell News', the magazine of the local Bluebell Railway, complete from 1983 to 2000, for £125. The meagre selections on architecture, travel, natural history, science and wine are generally mundane. There are a handful of good titles in the rather small art section and also a few nice books on pottery and porcelain, as well as some decent biographies. On the way up to the first floor are a handful of good vintage children's hardbacks (Famous Five, Secret Seven, Jennings, Biggles), but the prices are steeper than the stairs. Quite a disappointing experience. NWAD, except perhaps for military books, but even then, don't go too far out of your way. Booker T 18.05.25

Carriage Shop (Bluebell Railway)/HORSTED KEYNES/Horsted Keynes Station

The Carriage Shop (Bluebell Railway) Open at advertised times

Horsted Keynes Station HORSTED KEYNES RH17 7BB

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tel: 01825 720800 e-mail web

Open: Usually 11.00 - 4.00

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Large selection of second-hand railway books. Free to visit and usually open on days when the trains are running (see website).

The Carriage Shop, housed in a converted luggage van at Horsted Keynes station on the Bluebell Railway, has an extensive stock of second-hand railway books, including hard-to-find titles. It is usually staffed whenever the trains are running (check the timetables on the website), but you have the best chance of finding it open on weekends and bank holidays.

Horsted Keynes station is one of the railway's two intermediate stops. It is situated in a rural location, a mile and a half north-west of Horsted Keynes village. The station is served at weekends by the 270 bus route (Brighton to East Grinstead via Haywards Heath) - there is an hourly service on Saturdays, but only four buses in each direction on Sundays and bank holidays - although the best way to arrive here is probably on the Bluebell Railway itself.

As well as here and at East Grinstead, the Bluebell Railway has another second-hand bookshop at Sheffield Park station, which is just across the county boundary in East Sussex (see separate entry on the East Sussex county page). Booker T 18.05.25

Heygates Bookshop /BOGNOR REGIS/Bognor Regis Railway Station, Station Road

Heygates Bookshop Open at advertised times

Bognor Regis Railway Station, Station Road BOGNOR REGIS PO21 1BP

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tel: 07879408527 e-mail

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00.

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Large selection of pre-loved, new, out of print and collectors' books, as well as modern first editions. We also stock vintage annuals, comics and maps.

Predominantly paperbacks but there are outcrops of hardbacks which increase towards the rear of the shop. Worth visiting if you are in the town but NWAD unless you are a paperback person. Laurence Purcell 16.02.17

Moved to new larger premises, see article TBG2 13.07.21

The new site for Heygates Bookshop is a lot better and well worth a visit. Very friendly welcome from the owner. Bright and clean. Easy to find what you're looking for. Hardback and paperback. Fiction and nonfiction. Some bookshelves are high and some shelves have books behind books. So be prepared for some climbing and moving of books (all part of the fun of being a secondhand book buyer). I'm sure the friendly owner would be willing to help. Books are priced for all different budgets. Some great bargains to be had. Some books are individually priced and the rest are number coded with a price list on the wall. Came away with a big bag of books. Was a bit disappointed when we got home and took the price code labels off the front of the books. It damaged the the books. I would suggest low stick labels and put it on the back of the book. Jayne 22.03.22

Spacious new premises but nearly all paperbacks and vast numbers of them. There are some shelves of rather mixed and mostly very elderly hardbacks cowering in one corner. If it's paperbacks you're after, hasten to Heygate's! Laurence Purcell 10.04.22

A really nice bookshop with a friendly, helpful owner. I am puzzled by a comment suggesting that the bookshop is almost exclusively paperbacks. Although these are in abundance in the front of the shop, the room to the left has a very good selection of hardbacks and non fiction books. I found a very reasonably priced transport book which I had not seen before and came away happy. John Edwards 06.04.25

Island Books /THAKEHAM/White House Storrington Road

Island Books Appointment necessary

White House Storrington Road THAKEHAM RH20 3EQ

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tel: 01798 812 223 e-mail web

Open: By Appointment.

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25,000 fine, rare and academic titles with emphasis on condition. Binding and restoration. Showroom open by appointment, all books listed on website.

Kim_s Bookshop/ARUNDEL/10 High Street

Kim's Bookshop Open at advertised times

10 High Street ARUNDEL BN18 9AB

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tel: 01903 882680 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.30 - 4.00

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Three floors of secondhand books with a large children's section, and a paperback room.

Looked good from the outside but not too much of substance on the shelves. Full of passing holidaymakers who were browsing without seemingly knowing what they wanted. Counter staff more intent on composing an email "to Alice" than bothering to look for requested generic titles. Chris Harte 12.08.09

This is a wonderful oldie worldy shop. They stock thousands from leathers to topography to humour to history. I LOVE the childrens room. D. White 11.12.09

Totally disagree with Chris Harte. Delightful shop, excellent stock. Staff helpful and was impressed with efforts to try to find the requested titles. A great range of books, well organised. tiffjolie 11.12.09

Lovely secondhand bookshop. Found some real gems. They even do penguin mugs! Wide range of books to choose from including art, local history, military, cookery, poetry, transport and c hildren's. Staff very helpful. Will definately be back. Marcus True 21.12.09

I'm afraid that this shop has become opportunistic, with prices consistently just that bit too high. I used to buy a lot of good stuff here, but a recent visit resulted in a fairly swift exit after inspecting the rather optimistic pricing. A great shame. Pendowern 24.03.11

I enjoyed browsing but found the prices on the high side of reasonable. Nothing that quite took my breath away but, personally, I did much better at the (many) charity shops in Bognor. Steven 16.04.13

Can see this is a popular one and I understand why! Walk inside and it's like stepping back in time. Lovely nostalgic selection, good prices - me and my family always make a special trip here! Charlie Kane 17.09.13

Plenty to interest here and particularly good for topography and transport. Herne 16.11.13

Fantastic bookstore. Massive amount of stock on so many subjects. Everything clearly labelled, which always helps. They have a huge children's section filled with modern as well as all the classics. Great fiction section at the top of the shop. Best point was that they accept card payments which allowed me to buy more than I originally planned! :D Cathy 08.07.14

A real old fashioned s/h bookshop- I loved it. Excellent coverage with a good stock, prices slightly high but not particularly so. Delightful and worthwhile. Norman Davies 08.04.17

An attractive and well laid-out shop in the heart of the town, and which seems to attract many of the town's visitors. Opening hours now advertised as 1030 to 1600 Mondays to Sundays, but whether the Sunday opening applies out of the holiday season I do not know. Wessexman 06.08.21

Lovely bookshop. Friendly staff. Fiction and nonfiction. Came home with a bag full of books. Jayne 16.11.21

Always a well stocked, well laid out bookshop. Prices going up (where aren’t they?) but still reasonable. Excellent teashops nearby too! HB 20.03.22

May find car parking difficult if there is an event going off or its a lovely day. We tried on a Saturday but couldn't get a parking space so went back early the following day. Friendly welcome from owner/staff. A helpful list of subjects on the wall telling you what floor and room to find books easily. A bit pricey for me. My husband and son came away with a bag full of rare finds at good prices. Well worth a visit. Jayne 22.03.22

Lovely old-fashioned shop. Strong in all categories but especially transport and children's fiction. There is much good hardback fiction but alas this is made to slum it with the even more numerous paperbacks. It would occupy no more space and save time for old fogeys like me if the two were separated. Laurence Purcell 10.04.22

One of our favourite bookshops, wide variety of stock, well laid out and sensible priced. Lots of railway books in at the moment. They do close at 4pm every day but the excellent Cockburns Tearoom across the square is open until 4.30’ HB 11.11.23

Lions Book Shop/EAST GRINSTEAD/Martell_s London Road

Lions Book Shop Open at advertised times

Martell's London Road EAST GRINSTEAD RH19 1AP

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tel: 0345 833 9506 e-mail web Add a comment

Run by East Grinstead and District Lions Club in aid of local charities and community projects. Small stock of donated books inside Martell's toyshop.

The book section has relocated to the ground floor, at the rear of the store. Zygmunt 13.04.24

Small stock neatly shelved in a separate room at the back of a department store. Most books are a pound each; payment to an honesty box. A few minutes' walk from the station, on the way to the High Street and the old-established East Grinstead Bookshop. Worth a shufty. Nicholas Sack 12.05.24

Very small room of charity shop quality books at the back of the ground floor. The Hospice shop a few doors away had better stock. NWAD. PeterM 09.06.24

A small stock of very ordinary second-hand books in a back room on the ground floor of Martell's toy and gift shop. The books number only about 1,200, predominantly paperback novels, most of them mass-market, although there is a smattering of literary fiction and classics. A fair selection of children's books. No non-fiction category is heavily represented. There are small selections for cookery, gardening, crafts, pets, travel, sport, military and railways. Also biographies (almost all celebrity). The books are £1 each; children's books are 50p and books for under-fives are free. Payment by cash into an honesty box, although you can scan a QR code for payments of £2 and above.

Martell's is about half a mile from the railway station. If walking from the station up to The Bookshop on the High Street, it's on the way there. East Grinstead is served by buses from Crawley (84, 281 and 400), Uckfield (261), Brighton and Haywards Heath (270), and Caterham (400), all of which stop near both shops. Booker T 18.05.25

Oxfam Books _ Music/CHICHESTER/36 East Street

Oxfam Books & Music Open at advertised times

36 East Street CHICHESTER PO19 1HS

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tel: 01243 532349 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00, Sunday 10.00 - 4.00

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Great bookshop. Friendly staff. Fiction and nonfiction. Came home with some bargains. Jayne 16.11.21

I've visited this lovely bookshop a few times now. Well presented bookshop. Hardback and paperback. Fiction and nonfiction. Lots of bargains to be had. Well worth a visit and as usual came away with a big bag of books. Jayne 22.03.22

Slightly high after a nice Pizza and the after effects of the John Craxton exhibition at the nearby Pallant House gallery, we popped into Oxfam which was nicely set out with dark shelving as opposed to the corporate Oxfam Beige. Not a bad fiction selection. The 'collectible' section actually looked antiquarian as opposed to simply 'collectable.' and I came away with two purchase at reasonable Oxfam prices. The rest was fairly standard Oxfam fare. Worth a browse but not a detour.

While we were there, a van drew up with several large boxes of books for donation which, although closing time was approaching, the two volunteers gladly accepted. Firedrake 07.04.24

A well organised and friendly shop with a good turnover of stock. Books are reasonably priced. Egduf 19.05.24

Oxfam Shop/HORSHAM/23 Carfax

Oxfam Shop Phone before travelling

23 Carfax HORSHAM RH12 1EB

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tel: 01403 252012 web

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Small shop with high prices. John Bacon 29.06.09

Little of interest, overpriced and not worth a detour. Parking nearby -where other shops offer better and more realistically priced fare. The Drifter 22.08.13

Small, low ceilinged and a challenge if over 5'10". Linked to normal Oxfam next door. Pretty market town with some non chain stores and a huge Waterstones. The shop itself has limited stock and silly prices. Two interesting books on the SOE would have been bought if realistically priced (i.e. not what they had seen on Amazon or ABE) and will probably be on the shelves if I were to return in 12 months time. At least one of the volunteers could have benefited from a shower (or two). NWAD. Some other charity shops in town nearby but none of any great interest. Jon Morgan 24.09.16

Two small rooms dedicated to books. Unlike previous visitors, I found the prices lower than average for Oxfam. A shelf of local history included some unusual titles: I came away with four for less than a tenner. Worth a shufty, but not a special detour. Nicholas Sack 24.08.21

I can echo the previous comment. There's not a great number of books or a great selection but despite that I managed to find 3 novels for less than a fiver. Horsham is very nice. MikeB 13.09.24

Potters Books/HASSOCKS/6 London Road

Potters Books Appointment necessary

6 London Road HASSOCKS BN6 9NT

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tel: 01273 844648 e-mail

Open: by appointment only

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Large selection of second-hand books and unread stock from a bookshop formerly owned by the seller.

Train of Thought Emporium _ Gallery/WORTHING/9-10 North Street

Train of Thought Emporium & Gallery Open at advertised times

9-10 North Street WORTHING BN11 1ER

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tel: 07766 461347

Tuesday to Saturday 11am -5.30pm

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A secondhand store that sells vinyl records, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, music memorabilia and guitars. In addition to this, the proprietor holds a wide selection of used nonfiction and fiction books in both hardback and paperback.

Although not a secondhand bookshop as such, this shop is a treasure trove of used books, with a good selection of science fiction and fantasy paperbacks. Other categories that are well stocked include comic annuals, general fiction and books on music. Very reasonable prices, too. With the demise of Badgers Books, this shop is worth a visit if you are visiting Worthing. Richard 06.03.24

There's an entire room of secondhand books. Alas, these are not arranged alphabetically within categories and there are far too many paperbacks. However, prices seem extremely reasonable and (rarest of things) the proprietor is most affable. No substitute for good old Badger Books but then it doesn't set out to be. WAD. Laurence Purcell 01.10.24

Wheeler_s Bookshop /MIDHURST/Red Lion Street

Wheeler's Bookshop Open at advertised times

Red Lion Street MIDHURST GU29 9PB

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tel: 01730 817666 e-mail web

Open: Tuesday - Saturday 12.00 - 5.00.

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From secondhand and antiquarian to the latest in-print titles... Old and new books over two floors of our historic shop premises, located in the heart of the West Sussex town of Midhurst. Please do call in if you are in the area. Find us in Red Lion Street, the centre of the old town.

Two floors of fairly average books. Nothing antiquarian but various selections with the occasional gem. Pricing was all over the place. Chris Harte 13.10.09

A wonderful place to escape. A fascinating mix of books, well laid out in an attractive and friendly shop. Reviewed in detail here bookshopblogger 18.12.13

Have put this on my list of regular calls - good selection, elegantly displayed. Not bargain prices, but proprietor kindly offered me a small discount, which I always appreciate. 2 hours' free parking at leisure centre btw! George Hale 12.08.14

Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland