Bookshops in Southern/Oxfordshire

Antiques on High Ltd/OXFORD/85 High Street

Antiques on High Ltd Open at advertised times

85 High Street OXFORD OX1 4BG

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tel: 01865 251075, mob: 07473 007474 e-mail web

Open: Monday -Saturday 10.00 - 5.00, Sunday 11.00 - 5.00.

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Antiques centre with two bookrooms. Ed Bailey is a general dealer, but has large stocks of Observer and Ladybird books. Austin Sherlaw-Johnson specialises in music books and scores.

(Includes) ... a genuine secondhand bookshop with a large music stock. Roger Allen

Mostly rather old and tired stock. George Marshall 06.02.09

Limited collection, with condition highly variable. Very much an antique shop not a bookshop, this disappointing backroom felt untended and unloved. Neil Goodlad 06.12.12

Disagree, there is a good bookshop in the rear of this antiques centre from which I extracted some goodies. Mainly good for music-related books and scores. Also has splendid vintage postcard stall. Norman Davies 07.04.16

Very few books to be found here. Definitely an antiques centre rather than a bookshop. Disappointing. David 04.01.19

I think one of the booksellers must have called it a day since my last visit. Still very strong on music but, as David indicates above, not a lot else now. There's a reasonable collection of children's books in another room. Laurence Purcell 28.10.19

Little change since my visit in 2019. Conspicuously unwelcoming staff. Laurence Purcell 31.03.22

Stock from two respected book dealers here. Near the back, at the right-hand side of the shop, is an alcove housing Ed Bailey's books: three dozen shelves of reasonable quality. Hundreds of Observer books, many at very high prices - up to £48, although some are £5. Vintage comics - Avenger, Batman, Spider-Man etc - in generally good condition, mostly £4.50 to £6, but some £20. A large stock of the Shire Album series, all £4. Hundreds of Ladybird books of varying vintages, mostly £5. Lots of Pevsner county architectural guides, mostly £15, some £20. A shelf of vintage Penguins, many rather battered, at £1 and £2. A couple of shelves of Folio Society books, mostly £10/£12. Also a few dozen railway books, some high-quality natural history books (including the Collins New Naturalist series) and a few shelves of rather run-of-the-mill art books; reasonable prices, in the main, in each of these three categories. Quite a lot of vintage children's titles, some steeply priced.

A room at the very back of the premises contains a desultory hotch-potch of about 250 books, mostly of sub-charity shop standard, at weirdly erratic prices (mostly too high). I am not sure whose junk this is (Mr Bailey is blameless), but it is not worth bothering with unless you want late 20th-century Rupert annuals, as there are quite a few here (although, at £8 each, you could find them cheaper elsewhere).

The other bookseller, whose stock is in the back room directly opposite the entrance to the shop, is Austin Sherlaw-Johnson. Quite a large stock, entirely on one subject: music. The quality is good, and so this place is WAD if this is your interest. Lots of scores (instrumental, full, choral and opera vocal, including miniatures), also sheet music and a good selection of books on opera, dance, music theory, conducting, singers, individual composers, history of music etc. A couple of locked cabinets of rare titles. Mixed prices, but there are some bargains, at least among the less exalted books. Booker T 13.11.24

Booker T's review holds true today. The stuff from Austin Sherlaw-Johnson is absolutely worth a diversion if music books are your collecting interest. Very much the case that this is classical and some splendid volumes here. A shelf of bargains starts at 50p and I spotted something worth nabbing at that price although they charged me 60p as they only had £4.40 change. 10p between friends is fine!

Ed Bailey's stock is as described. I suspect the staff are on rotation but the two vintage ladies on when I visited were delightful. misterg 02.07.25

Arcadia Booksellers/OXFORD/4 St. Michael_s Street

Arcadia Booksellers Open at advertised times

4 St. Michael's Street OXFORD OX1 2DU

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tel: 01865 241757

Open: Monday - Saturday 2.00 - 6.00 and sometimes at other times

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One small backroom with a few bookcases of literature. Not browser-friendly in the least due to various boxes and random paraphernalia clogging the room. Reasonable prices. Nick Campsall 04.11.08

This place has potential (as did the exquisite young lady at the till - sorry its late and oxford was rather frustrating) more books than at first appear if you could see them behind the boxes and piles of books. Curiously all the books were shrink wrapped in cellophane even those at the lower end of quality /price. It must actually have cost more than some of the books are on sale for. The books need more space and the nick-nacks, less. Nice music, medieval church music, pity about the book storage. Jon Morgan 25.08.12

Arcadia's specialism is affordable retro Penguins and Pelicans: out-of-print titles or earlier printings of classics, from forties editions on economy paper through to sixties pop-art covers or seventies minimalism. The cellophane wrap just makes them more tempting. Paul O 11.09.12

Back to my alma mater town and as usual lots of changes. But this shop is reassuringly much the same. Plenty of tempting old Penguin and related imprints in cellophane covers and more being prepared during my visit. Also some interesting art books. Good remainder shop round the corner in the main road. Herne 18.01.20

Glad to see this bijou bookseller reopen. It's worth keeping an eye on its shopfront displays to pick up mid-century sci-fi (Aldiss, Bradbury, Simak), orange Penguin fiction, and Penguin classic crime (dark green covers). There's also a selection of history, art, and lit crit inside, along with vintage posters and seductive stationery. Paul O 28.07.21

A tweetie-pie little shop mostly selling knick-knacks but which also has a selection of paperback fiction, held to be rare but reasonably priced and done up in cellophane wrappings. There is also a small and rather random collection of weathered hardbacks, uncategorised. I was charmed to find among them a copy of "Old Pybus" by Warwick Deeping, at one time a staple of every secondhand bookshop in the land, though I hadn't laid eyes upon one since the old king died (or thereabouts). NWAD unless you're a paperback person. Laurence Purcell 01.04.22

Basically a gift shop with a few books on display outside. Really not with a special trip for collectors Archive61 02.07.22

Books make up a fair proportion of this long-established shop's stock (they're not only on display outside). That said, the shop is small and has just a few hundred books, but there is some quality to be found here. An interesting selection of fiction, including some desirable vintage paperbacks, almost all of which are cellophane-wrapped. At present, these include a few nice green Penguin crime novels by the likes of Ngaio Marsh, priced at £2 to £5. Also quite a few foreign-language novels. The non-fiction stock is small and eclectic, but of quite high quality. There is a small and good stock of books on Oxford. Some of the books are stacked in piles on low shelves, so are not that easy to browse. Prices are very reasonable throughout. The shop seems to have no social media presence; given the strong aesthetic appeal of much of its stock, this is slightly surprising. The opening hours are curtailed at present, owing to the ill-health of one of the owners. It is reliably open only on Monday to Saturday afternoons from 2pm to 6pm. Sometimes it also opens on weekday and Saturday mornings, and on Sunday afternoons, but this cannot be guaranteed. Booker T 09.10.24

More flummery than books and whilst most of the paperbacks, and there weren't many, were in decent fettle in their cellophane covers, it was frustrating not to be able to inspect them properly. Few hardbacks! Firedrake 22.02.25

Bennett _ Kerr Books /ABINGDON/Millhill Warehouse Church Lane Steventon

Bennett & Kerr Books Phone before travelling

Millhill Warehouse Church Lane Steventon ABINGDON OX13 6SW

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tel: 01235 820604 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Friday c. 10.00 - 5.00, Saturday less regularly. Closed for lunch. Ring or e-mail to confirm

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c.10,000 books on the shelves. Rare & scholarly books on the history, art, architecture, literature, philosophy and religion of the Middle Ages and Renascence, including: Byzantine, Anglo-Saxon, Viking & Islamic worlds. Warehouse in a farmyard at the far end of this picturesque medieval village. Please ring for directions and availability.

Blackwell_s Rare Books/OXFORD/48-51 Broad Street

Blackwell's Rare Books Open at advertised times

48-51 Broad Street OXFORD OX1 3BQ

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tel: 01865 333555 e-mail web

Open: Monday & Wednesday - Saturday 9.00 - 6.00, Tuesday 9.30 - 6.00.

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Blackwell's Rare Books buys and sells rare and collectable books in all fields, especially modern first editions, private press and antiquarian books on subjects from literature and philosophy to medicine and topography, including early printing and fine bindings.

There are two major second hand sections in the main flagship Blackwell's store. The antiquarian section on the first floor which is very much the specialist and high end antiquarian market, and the second hand section on the third floor. Prices are high, but because it offers decent prices to sellers it has an excellent range and quality, especially of recent academic books. George Marshall 06.02.09

The secondhand section on 3rd floor has been permanently reduced to about half the area it previously occupied. It now feels very claustrophobic. David Loach 16.03.11

I was once a regular shopper in Oxford until the council declared war on motorists. This was therefore my first visit to Blackwells for quite some time. Still the best new bookshop in Oxford and now also the best general secondhand shop - not because it has improved but because all my old favourites (e.g., Waterfiields) are no longer there. So Blackwells must be doing something right! Steven Whitehead 18.07.12

Excellent stock whether it be specialist or general fiction, The real rub are the prices. Even Oxfam could not match these. £5.50 for a second hand paperback is excessive. Jon Morgan 25.08.12

The top floor is all hush and creaking floorboards, but doesn't quite measure up to the ambiance. Very good selections of modern fiction and Penguin Classics (but expensive). Practically nothing in foreign languages. Loads of dusty, expired literary criticism. Paul O 14.09.12

The upstairs general secondhand has shrinking stock and space. Two things don't change, however: the prices remain very high and if you want to sell books don't expect to get a reply to an email. Andrew 30.11.12

The second-hand section has moved down to the second floor and feels more accessible. There's a better selection of foreign literature and also some early Penguins at low prices. Definitely more to tempt me. Paul O 03.07.13

The general secondhand and antiquarian departments now rub shoulders with one another on the second floor - you're in no doubt where the antiquarian section starts but new books seem to be encroaching on the secondhand area. A handsome array of expensive New Naturalists greets you as you get to the top of the stairs. Prices otherwise aren't too steep but one feels they are very assiduously market-checked. Don't expect any bargains. Steven Kelly 26.01.16

As above latest comment. No bargains but some decent prices for a large variety of recently deleted history and politics and the like. Norman Davies 07.04.16

First visit here in years. Considerable shrinkage and overpriced. We have more on our own shelves. Disappointing. David 04.01.19

The top floor housed a very depleted collection of secondhand books and in my area military history this was a meagre half a shelf. The antiquarian room looked promising but the 4 staff members at their desks tried to look busy and all of which ignored me. Their are signs there to pick up a catalogue but I could not see one on military history. Overall my impressions from my 1st ever visit is only bother trying this place if you want to buy new books at full RRP. Laurence Batchelor 24.07.19

I always try to visit Blackwells when in Oxford but mainly to look at new books. If in the building the s/h section is worth a look but certainly NWAD. I agree with Laurence Batchelor above regarding the Antiquarian section: very up market and no one seemed particularly pleased to see me. Steven 10.10.19

Pre-pandemic they had a half-decent selection of second-hand fiction and remainders. Now it's turning into a graveyard for the unsaleable. Rare books section? Closed for the day. Their main business seemed to be taking orders for personalised ordnance survey maps. Paul O 19.08.21

Why do they bother? A few cabinets of hardbacks (one nearly empty) scattered about confusingly among other categories on the second floor. The adjacent ANTIQUARIAN AND RARE BOOKS section has a look of being about to strike camp at any moment. The secondhand bookshop scene in Oxford is now dire; Blackwell's seems to symbolise this. Laurence Purcell 31.03.22

I was pleasantly surprised with the stock, but the eye watering prices meant that I bought very little. Worth a browse if you are in Oxford and have deep pockets Archive61 02.07.22

Visited today. The rare books section is still there but the general secondhand stock in the rooms adjacent has completely gone. No longer worth the climb up two flights of stairs for me! PaulH 04.11.22

An assistant confirmed today that the secondhand section for us reg'lar folks no longer exists, though (she said) secondhand books are to be found mixed in with the new books. I hadn't the patience to try and check this unsatisfactory-sounding arrangement. The high-end and ruinous survive in their opulent reservation on the top floor. Laurence Purcell 06.12.23

The cabinets in the rare book section house plenty of genuine collectables at eye-watering prices. The top half of the cabinets contain catalogued books and all are listed on Blackwell's website to save you a trip once you see the asking price. For the well-heeled, the bottom halves of the cabinets contain almost an equal number of books awaiting cataloguing, so you can steal a march on the internet shopper if you can stomach the bill. The staff were friendly, very helpful and not annoyed by my presence even though I left empty-handed. Stive 07.03.24

I found some second-hand stock in cabinets dotted around the shop but they seemed to have little connexion with the nearby subject areas. I saw one book that tempted me until I saw the price at which point I walked away, mentally adjusting the value of my own collection. Of course the fact that the book was still in a cabinet and not on a collector's own shelf perhaps suggests it was over-priced. Steven 26.05.25

There are 3 Blackwells shops within a few yards of each other here, the music shop, the manga and comics and finally the largest, the general shop. It should be noted the Waterstones a short distance away has now closed and presumably the business transferred in here. There appears to be some renovations taking place at the front of the general shop and this is also where on the 2nd floor you will find the antiquarian section, which lines the walls in delightful cabinets with prices to make American tourists say the most scandalous things about UK prices.

Also on this floor there is a large section of remaindered art stock then throughout the building there are a number of stand alone cabinets with yet more books priced to induce terror. Strong Tolkien theme going on in them.

A lift serves the second floor but not the third where you will find the facilities, should you need to avail yourself.

The antiquarian section is also home to staff beavering away at their computers making you feel something of an unwelcome interloper misterg 02.07.25

Boundary Books/STANFORD IN THE VALE/Unit 4, Stanford Business Court, High Street

Boundary Books Appointment necessary

Unit 4, Stanford Business Court, High Street STANFORD IN THE VALE SN7 8HL

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tel: 01235 751021 e-mail web

Open: By appointment

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'Since 1989 Boundary Books has published and sold fine Limited Edition cricket books, rare and out-of-print cricket books, autographs, cricket memorabilia [etc] . . We have a fine showroom and gallery . . . open for browsing by appointment. Situated in the beautiful “Vale of the White Horse” we always have a wide selection of cricket books, autograph material, pictures, ephemera and cricketana – plus endless coffee, biscuits and cricket chat. E-mail for directions and to make an appointment.'

Charlbury Community Bookshop/CHARLBURY/The Corner House Market Street

Charlbury Community Bookshop Open at advertised times

The Corner House Market Street CHARLBURY OX7 3PN

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tel: 07826 056496 web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 1.00

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"Good quality non-fiction books downstairs from £1". Adult fiction and non-fiction and children's books in the Cornerstone community larder and Give & Take facility. More books upstairs.

The bookshop closed last week as the premises are undergoing refurbishment. The trustees expect the Corner House to be shut for a few weeks. When the building reopens, the bookshop will reopen with it. However, the bookshop manager has warned: "With the increased use of the building by others, we'll soon have less room for the processing of book donations. Could you take extra care to give us only items that you can realistically imagine others wanting to buy. Half-completed crossword books, old hardbacks missing their spines, damp and wrinkled paperbacks... all these have been a regular feature of our donated stock in the past and I commend the use of your blue (recycling) bin, rather than mine, for such items in future." Booker T 17.03.25

The bookshop has reopened after a seven-week closure for renovation work at the premises. Booker T 28.04.25

Curio Books and Culture/OXFORD/Basement, Common Ground, 37-38 Little Clarendon St

Curio Books and Culture Open at advertised times

Basement, Common Ground, 37-38 Little Clarendon St OXFORD OX1 2HU

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Open: Wednesday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00

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Small bookshop and cultural space in the basement vault of Common Ground, Oxford.

What becomes of those closed bank branches? Wine bars? Upscale estate agents? Well, this one's now a centre for crafting, co-working, repair shops, a cafe, and -- down in the vault -- a bookshop. "Vault" sounds austere, but this is a welcoming space, lamplit and hushed (at least when I was there), with a carefully curated selection of books. The owner's well-read -- in fact he'd clearly read most of the books I picked up and was happy to chat. And you can get coffee with almond milk upstairs. Paul O 18.09.24

Quite a nice little shop. I echo previous reviewer Paul O's comment about the "carefully curated selection" here. The stock is creditable enough, albeit some distance short of outstanding, but it would be unreasonable to expect the latter, given that most of the books - about 75%, I'd reckon - are priced at just £3. The pleasant and unassuming owner knows his stuff, though, as evidenced by the fact that there is almost no dross here. In this respect, the shop is an example for others to follow: if you have only a small space, try not to fill it up with commonplace trash.

A rather patchily lit room contains well categorised stock, but the reception area at the foot of the stairs includes something of a mélange (recent arrivals, perhaps), so is worth checking even if a hunt for a specific book or subject has drawn a blank in the main part of the shop. The fiction, mostly in paperback, contains a good proportion of literary and classic novels. Small sections for crime fiction, sci-fi/fantasy and horror. The rather meagre stock of poetry is mostly fairly modern, with a few interesting volumes. Some graphic novels and comics (Marvel, X-Men etc). A limited selection of children's books, of average quality. A few vintage books, not generally too overpriced. Among the non-fiction, few sections are particularly extensive. The strongest categories are politics/social justice and biography. Little of interest among the architecture, home and garden books, but art, LGBT and music/film/media have a few fairly good titles, as do history, literary criticism, philosophy and myths, folklore and the occult. Worth a look if in Oxford. Booker T 19.06.25

Helen _ Douglas House/WALLINGFORD/24 Market Place

Helen & Douglas House Open at advertised times

24 Market Place WALLINGFORD OX10 0DY

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tel: 01491 833589 web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 4.30

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Charity shop with a second-hand book room in the basement.

The retail space in the basement of this children's hospice shop - a minute's walk from the Oxfam bookshop - consists of a book department, with CDs, DVDs and jigsaws too. The room is small, but there are 2,200 books here. Many are children's books, most fairly recently published (£1, but those for younger readers 50p), for which the shop is very strong.

The books for adults are substantially less good. There are a couple of dozen shelves of fiction - a mix of all genres - mostly in paperback (£1.50; hardbacks £2.50/£3). Much of this is fairly lowbrow, but there are quite a few literary novels. Cookery, gardening, travel and history are the only non-fiction sections of more than minimal size, although even these take up no more than a couple of shelves each. The cookery and gardening books are quite good, the travel is run-of-the-mill and the history section is disappointingly bland. The biographies, few in number, are nothing special. Prices are low throughout: hardly any of the books cost more than £3.

None of Wallingford's other general charity shops has either a sizeable or a good-quality selection of books. But a very short walk away are a couple of antiques centres, next door to each other, that might just be worth a quick look. The smaller and better of the two (for books at least) is Castle Antiques at 82 High Street (Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 11am-5pm). In a room at the back are a couple of bookcases,a dozen shelves in total, containing books of fairly good quality on a range of subjects: art, military, natural history, gardening, travel, topography and railways, as well as some vintage children's books. Mixed pricing, but on the high side for anything remotely desirable. Also about 60 Observers (£4-£6) and a few dozen Ladybirds (£3-£4). Almost no fiction. Next door, upstairs at the labyrinthine Wallingford Arcade (83 High Street, at the junction with Castle Street; same opening hours), are about 120 cellophane-wrapped vintage and classic Penguins (£3) and a couple of shelves of unexciting military books. Booker T 25.06.25

Jonkers Rare Books/HENLEY-ON-THAMES/27 Hart Street

Jonkers Rare Books Open at advertised times

27 Hart Street HENLEY-ON-THAMES RG9 2AR

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tel: 01491 576427 web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.30

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First editions, Rare books, original illustrations and signed books.

Really one for those with a heavy wallet but some very high quality stock including childrens' books. Herne 24.02.10

100% ABA housed in a grade II listed Tudor building in which every item is hand picked. The holy grail of such shops and therefore deserves a visit if on the Oxfordshire trail. OWC 27.09.12

Splendid stock and justifiably expensive. I bet Driff would label this as KUTI. Steven 21.06.14

My three visits in recent times have all turned up trumps in my search for original source material. Definitely worth a visit. I found quality good & prices quite acceptable. Zim 29.05.15

Some incredibly rare and desirable books at astronomical prices; but also some quite reasonably priced items. I fully expected just to visit and gawp, in fact I bought a bag full of items for less than £100… Archive61 02.07.22

Kellow Books/CHIPPINGNORTON/21 High Street

Kellow Books Phone before travelling

21 High Street CHIPPING NORTON OX7 5AD

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tel: 01608 644 293, mob: 079188 82185 e-mail

Open: Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10.00 - 3.30

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General Bookshop.Topography Military, Fine Bindings Children's etc, about 10000 books. We Have moved to the ground floor of 21 high street Behind the Pie Shop (More Room).

One of the best I have encountered, good stock, very well laid out and well worth a visit. Jan

Lovely little shop - a treat. George Marshall 06.02.09

Situated in new first-floor premises the stock is scattered over a number of rooms. My initial search made me feel as if the quality of the books had risen markedly since my last visit to the former shop over the road. I was very impressed with the wide range of holdings and picked up three sought-after titles. Well worth a visit (and the Chelsea buns from the nearby bakery are top quality). Chris Harte 31.12.09

Definitely worth a visit and, if not successful (I certainly was - 7 books bought), there's a nice country town to browse around. Zim 18.07.14

Excellent first-floor shop with a wide range. Abe prices only as this is for the serious collector, but usually manage to find some of my missing titles here. Norman Davies 24.11.15

I was staying in the Cotswolds last week and visited this shop on Thursday, only to find it was closed for the day. This had been added as an afterthought to the opening hours on the door and was contrary to the days and hours of opening given on this website and in local bookshop leaflets. I was very disappointed and annoyed. Paul Mountford 26.07.16

I take Mr Mountford's point, as I have long wished to visit Kellow Books but never seemed to be in Chipping Norton when it was open! However, I did get to visit it recently and found it well worth it, not least in my sphere of interest, viz. history and military. I suggest, therefore, that anyone who contemplates going out of their way to visit the shop telephones in advance. Geoffrey Warner 08.04.17

I heeded Mr Warner's advice and telephoned before driving the 50+ miles on a Sept Monday. There is plenty of free parking in this beautiful town and the shop is easily found. I would say that the shop is of a small to medium size and the stock is well presented and sorted but the pricing was quite high, I suspect for all the tourists and Oxford types which frequent this 'Gateway to the Cotswolds. Bulk discount was offered and military well-represented inc. many regimental histories. Very much a well run 2nd-hand bookshop where the owner knows his trade. Laurence Batchelor 15.09.18

Well worth seeking out down a rather unassuming alleyway off the 'main drag'. An impressive selection of topography and not bad on transport either. wessexman 28.11.19

Reassuringly traditional bookshop in a quiet courtyard off the main street. There's a copious stock of travel, local history, and specialisms like collectable children's books. Fiction isn't as strong, although there are modern firsts (along with slightly bizarre stock like the entire oeuvre of Dennis Wheatley). I came away with a couple of early editions of mid-century writers, so it's worth a look. Paul O 05.07.22

These new premises are well worth a visit. Extensive, well presented stock and a very knowledgeable owner. Large topography stock but many other subjects well represented. Prices seemed to me very fair and reasonable. CGB 04.03.23

Tried to visit on Thursday 11th July but was closed all morning I pottered around Chipping Norton. Upon chatting inside the nearby Oxfam Bookshop a local made me aware the owner of Kellows and his wife have health issues and the shop isn't open as often now. Shame as I was visiting the nearby DiddlySquat Farm - from Clarksons Farm fame - and stayed in Chipping Norton especially for this bookshop.

The town naturally had become a lot busier now the Amazon Prime series has flooded the area with tourists. Ring ahead before travelling. Laurence Batchelor 12.07.24

Laurence Batchelor is correct about phoning ahead, times listed here match the sign on the door however it was closed during these hours at the time I visited.

The shop is behind two doors and so impossible to poke a nose to the window and find out more. misterg 11.06.25

Last Bookshop/OXFORD/25 Walton Street Jericho

The Last Bookshop Open at advertised times

25 Walton Street Jericho OXFORD OX1 2HQ

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tel: 01865 554488 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 6.00, Sunday 11.00 - 5.00

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Two floors of good-quality stock of second-hand fiction and non-fiction. Also some remainders.

Ever-enticing remainders shop, now back in Oxford's boho/boutique village. With books displayed outside on a sunny day, and coffee on sale, it's a Saturday-morning destination. Paul O 10.09.14

Lots of good remaindered/overstocked new items with some s-h books, especially downstairs. Paid £5 for 2 new French travel items worth £29.98 ... Chris K. 26.09.15

Not just remainders any more. It's evolved into a full-on secondhand shop on two floors. There are now two basement rooms open, one with loads of twentieth-century fiction (where I pounced on several titles by neglected authors). It's odd to think that this shop used to be a video rentals place -- the digital age wiped out video, but books seem to be making a comeback. Paul O 10.06.16

This was easily the best of the bookshops which we visited in Oxford. Prices reasonable, mix of second hand and remainders. David 04.01.19

I have to agree this is the best 2nd hand bookshop in Oxford. For a city so full of academia and tourists it is surprising that you really do have to hunt the city centre streets to find a good secondhand bookshop. This one is small but spread over 2 floors and is a mixture of remainders and secondhand. Secondhand pricing was reasonable and new books were 2 for £5. I came away with 4 purchases for £13 with finally my military tastes catered for. Laurence Batchelor 24.07.19

A "proper" bookshop, with crates outside, two floors of books, shelves along the staircase, books on the landing. The remainders at the front are always tempting. I bagged some Faber and Faber "90s" (little reprints of short fiction) and a contemporary novel. Second-hand in the basement has a slower turnover, but usually yields something. I picked up hardback translations of Gide and Proust and a private press printing of a Balzac story. Worth repeat visits. Paul O 05.08.21

I agree with the comments above - this is a pleasant traditional little shop. Most stock was on shelves by category, but I found one unlikely and very reasonably priced book in a miscellaneous box in the basement. Wessexman 08.03.22

I'm afraid that I must sound a note of dissent to the chorus of praise above. Strong on art and architecture but otherwise a rather meagre secondhand hardback stock, some of it rather the worse for wear in the fiction section where there were some giddily high prices. Weird and annoying background music while I was there but that may not happen every day of course. Laurence Purcell 31.03.22

After a further visit, I've decided that my previous comments were too harsh. Perhaps it was the music (not in evidence today) which jaundiced me). There's a lot of good stock in the basement, though it's a bit higgledy-piggeldy down there. Certainly worth visiting in a city which is now largely stricken in respect of secondhand bookshops. Laurence Purcell 06.12.23

People should notice the name: sadly it is the last (second-hand) bookshop in Oxford other than the numerous Oxfams. A really good place with some remainders too (they have a separate remainder bookshop nearer the centre). Yes it's a bit chaotic but that's a positive in my opinion. PLF 28.02.24

Probably the best place to go for second-hand books in Oxford, this is a solid shop with some decent-quality stock. Very good indeed for classic, literary and mid-market novels, with both paperbacks and hardbacks reasonably priced in the main (although I did notice a few exceptions). The poetry section is disappointing, but the drama is a bit better. A small but Interesting selection of foreign-language fiction. Quite a lot of vintage children's books, although nothing too rare as far as I could see. For non-fiction, the art and architecture books are very good indeed, as are the biographies. Fairly good stock (at mostly reasonable prices) in a number of other categories: history, military, topography, theology, music, literary criticism, travel, transport, gardening, cookery, sport and business/economics. Most of the books in the rather large basement (two rooms) are second-hand. The stock on the ground floor is more of a mixture of second-hand and new/remainders. Also a small but nice selection of second-hand books about Oxford, as well as a dozen or so shelves of rare and collectable books. The latter are quite varied, with some desirable volumes mixed in among some rather dull (and presumably hard-to-shift) tomes. The pricing of some of these struck me as slightly ambitious, although not completely exorbitant. This is a nice shop, only a short walk from the city centre and from the bus and railway stations, and should be on your visiting list if in Oxford. Booker T 09.10.24

A recent visit was stalled by a "back in 5 minutes" post it on the door. Had to go to Gail's for coffee and cake. No hardship.

The shop is well stocked and as previous visitors have commented. Two rooms downstairs are where the bulk of second hand are Hardback fiction was thin however the quality was both excellent quality and literary. Paperbacks, a little less so. The ground floor has more of the remaindered stock which I passed by aside from one biography which I had on my hit list.

Worth a look - especially given there are other opportunities nearby. misterg 13.05.25

Oxfam Books _ Music/WALLINGFORD/54 St Mary_s Street

Oxfam Books & Music Open at advertised times

54 St Mary's Street WALLINGFORD OX10 0EL

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tel: 01491 835831 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 5.00, Saturday 9.00 - 1.00 & 2.00 - 5.00

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Very little stock and some eye-watering prices do not make this shop worth a detour! PaulH 24.12.22

Revisiting this nice little market town after many years away, I was pleasantly surprised by this Oxfam bookshop, which - although small - is by no means a bad one. (Of course, the shop may have improved since the review in 2022.) Despite the space constraints, the shelves are well stocked, with about 2,000 books here. Some of the prices for the better books are certainly on the high side, but overall the prices are reasonable.

A dozen shelves of paperback fiction (£2.99) are evenly split between mass/mid-market and literary novels. Also six shelves of crime paperbacks (£2.99; a few £3.49). Three shelves of classics (Penguins £2.49; a few £2.99). Eighty recently published hardbacks, mostly lowbrow (99p); a few others at £2.99. Signed novels at high prices. One shelf each of drama and poetry: average quality. A few dozen Folio Society books at very mixed prices. Rather a lot of vintage/collectable books, given the size of the shop - half a dozen shelves, plus more behind glass - of better quality than the typical such offerings from Oxfam, although nothing startlingly unusual, but the prices are quite steep. A good selection of children's books: paperback fiction 99p/£1.49; also some decent non-fiction. A dozen or so children's annuals from the 1970s onwards, including less common titles - 'Deputy Dawg' and 'Hotspur' - up to £4.99, but mostly £2.99 or less.

Also some good non-fiction here, much of it modestly priced (£2.99 is fairly typical). The best sections are natural history, science, photography, gardening and cookery, all with decent-quality stock. Quite good for crafts/hobbies and art, although some high prices for the better art books. A few unusual transport books, with hefty price tags. Some decent titles in social sciences. The biographies, travel and music books are nothing special, but OS and other maps are cheaply priced (99p) and there is a reasonable selection of scores at moderate prices. The history, military, local interest and archaeology sections are rather small and undistinguished, and the religion and sport books are poor. About 50 Observers (£2.99 to £8.99).

The shop is in the town centre, very close to the Market Place bus stops. The X40 bus provides a half-hourly link to Oxford and Reading. The 33 Abingdon-Henley on Thames service and the 33A from Didcot run every hour, as does the 134 (Monday-Friday only) from Goring. Booker T 25.06.25

Oxfam Bookshop/CHIPPING NORTON/6 Market Place

Oxfam Bookshop Open at advertised times

6 Market Place CHIPPING NORTON OX7 5NA

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tel: 01608 644850 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00.

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A good selection of general stock with quite an interesting range of antiquarian titles. One of the better Oxfam bookshops I have visited. Chris Harte 13.09.12

This one even surpassed the Oxfam in Knowle. Low prices and a terrific stock. They get so many donations they have a basement full of vinyl and a stock room and a shed overflowing with books. When I was there bags and bags of books were being deposited in the shop and the shelves were already full. The staff clearly have their hands' full pricing so many intakes. This is the 1st Oxfam I've visited which actually had a dedicated aviation and royal navy section I was informed this was because they had recently had a collection donated. This shop along with Kellows makes a trip into Chipping Camden a must! Laurence Batchelor 15.09.18

Inviting, well-curated bookshop that tempts with period orange Penguins, a decent modern languages shelf, a vinyl corner, and a quietly busy, upbeat feel at the weekend. I came away with a couple of French novels and -- to my surprise -- a recent small-press reprint of a previously unfindable 1930s novel. That kind of find is distilled Saturday-morning serendipity. Paul O 05.07.22

Not as impressed as previous visitors. It seemed like an average small branch to me though having the first and signed editions shelved separately and prominently near the front was a welcome touch. The modern languages section comprised a few dull French paperbacks and one Latin primer. On the positive side, this branch at least understands that Gift Aid stickers and prices belong on Post-it notes inside of books.

Maybe it was just a bad day to be there but definitely NWAD for me. Stive 22.11.23

Still one the best Oxfam book shops I have visited. It is small and narrow but all the walls are packed with books very well catalogued. 2 purchases made. Pricing generally on the low side and they even searched and brought out titles from the stock room. Laurence Batchelor 12.07.24

Mr Batchelor describes this nicely. We are not dealing with a run of the mill Oxfam bookshop, yes, there's a load of grim, mediocre "much loved" softbacks on the right hand side as you wander in and on the left there is a section of modern firsts, some signed, with prices that are straight outta ABE but get beyond this and you've got lots of very well sorted sections of non fiction. First time I've seen a dedicated "Bill Bryson" section with half a dozen volumes, I mention this to show how granular it is, which can mean that you scratch your head on some sections. I was pleasingly impressed by the content and bought five volumes including a signed first edition by someone I was at school with which for £3.99 saves the embarrassment of asking him to sign it. Overall a very satisfactory visit. misterg 11.06.25

Oxfam Bookshop/HENLEY-ON-THAMES/14 Duke Street

Oxfam Bookshop Open at advertised times

14 Duke Street HENLEY-ON-THAMES RG9 1UP

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tel: 01491 577410

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.30, Sunday 12.00 - 4.00.

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Duke Street has POCS and while you may strike it lucky in any of them I would advise starting at Oxfam. The shop is well laid out with room to move and the prices, even on "collectibles", are sensible. Add Jonkers and Way's, both within walking distance along with an independent bookshop for new titles Henley is collectively WAD. Steven 02.11.18

A well stocked and well above average Oxfam, almost the equal of their Canterbury shop. The books in the ANTIQUARIAN section (many highly obscure) bear little flyers outlining their contents and virtues. I've not seen this anywhere else. Laurence Purcell 13.11.21

What a pleasant surprise this was. A well laid out and competitively priced shop, far superior to many of the same breed. The helpful volunteers were happy to check their stock room for me, and I came away with far more items than I normally find at Oxfam. This shop and Way's down the road were the highlights of my day trip to south Oxfordshire. Wessexman 08.03.22

A busy shop which appeared well stocked with books and vinyl. No languages section as far as I could see, but nothing tempted me elsewhere. I expected better from Henley based on a) previous reviews and b) on the affluent area in which it is situated. Firedrake 22.02.25

Oxfam Bookshop/OXFORD/15 Turl Street

Oxfam Bookshop Phone before travelling

15 Turl Street OXFORD OX1 3DQ

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tel: 01865 248310 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.30 depending on staff availability

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Two floors with a good range, although smaller and sometimes lower quality than the venerable St Giles shop. George Marshall 06.02.09

Not sure why this is open when there are other oxfam shops in the city. The stock is very limited and there is a very strange smell in the place. Jon Morgan 25.08.12

Window displays focus on academic, collectable or antiquarian books, giving an old-school ambiance. Inside, all subjects are covered, but there's particular depth in literary classics. I sometimes chance upon neglected works here. Paul O 11.09.12

My definition of a good bookshop: one that has books I want at prices I can afford. I did much better here than at St Giles. Steven 10.07.13

Not as good stock as the other central Oxfam bookshop. In fact parts of it needed some hoovering! Chris K. 26.09.15

Open again. This even for Oxfam was an all time UK prize winner. I took a couple of history books to the counter and asked if the £2 x price were an error by sticking the £2 in front, ie should be £5 not £25 each. I was told these are Abe books prices and they were UNDER priced at which point I thanked them and left. Norman Davies 07.04.16

See my comment on the Oxfam shop in St Giles Street above. Geoffrey Warner 25.03.17

See comments on St Giles. Same applies here. David 04.01.19

Not as good as the St Giles shop as they get many more donations. No purchases made. The staff seemed asleep and unengaging. Best sections catered for were fiction and biography. Laurence Batchelor 24.07.19

Window displays are super niche -- typically something like accounts of a college wine-cellar 1740-1760 in the left-hand window, books on non-Euclidean geometry in the right. Inside, it's more accessible.There's a decent display of literary classics. Modern fiction is average but throws up surprises, sci-fi disappointing. Downstairs, art and design, travel and local history are well served. The modern languages section looks thin -- but I've stumbled on French authors there that I would otherwise have missed out on. Overall, a bit musty and sedimentary -- but still worth checking out. Paul O 01.11.21

I find it hard to comment on this shop as the small ground floor was rather overwhelmed by crates crammed full of what I assumed to be recent donations. It was impossible to see much of the shelves behind these. In the basement the stock seemed pretty average, but I noticed that the adjacent stock room was also piled up with full crates. Perhaps this is one of those shops where timing your visit is all important. In my case it may have been better if I'd waited a week or two. Wessexman 08.03.22

Slightly above average, like the St Giles shop. That one at least is bright and cheerful. Perhaps because of its location, a distinct air of gloom always seems to characterise this branch. Laurence Purcell 31.03.22

Staffing problems here. A notice on the door warns that although the shop is "usually open from 9.30 or 10am to 5.30pm, six days a week (closed Sundays)", a shortage of volunteers means that it sometimes cannot open every morning or afternoon. Another notice appeals for volunteers to come forward. Unwise, therefore, to count too heavily on this shop being open. But if you do find it closed, the St Giles branch, which seems to open more reliably, is only a short walk away. Booker T 13.11.24

Inferior to the nearby St Giles branch. There has been quite a decline here at Turl Street in recent years, although even now the shop is worth a look if in the city centre. On the ground floor, the dozen shelves of general fiction are only half full (paperbacks £1.99 to 2.99; hardbacks mostly £2.99). Four shelves of classic fiction (paperbacks mostly £1.49 to £2.49; hardbacks mixed prices, some steep). Vintage first edition Penguins at prices up to £9.99. Six shelves of crime fiction/thrillers (£2.49 to £2.99) and four of sci-fi/fantasy (£1.49 to £3.49). A substantial and high-quality poetry section, especially for modern poets. The drama, in contrast, is meagre and disappointing. Glass cabinets house sets of rather stodgy books, along with worthy and dull individual volumes, all overpriced. A small stock of children's books, with an unusually high proportion of vintage titles. Half a dozen shelves of interesting biographies and a small but good selection of literary criticism. The large history stock is still good, both for British and world history. The books on theology/religion are quite high-quality, but not as good as in years gone by - and the selection is smaller too.

Downstairs is a large and good foreign-language section, especially for books in French, German and Russian. Also quite a large art section, but a heavy mark-up on the better books. Higher prices than the Oxfam norm for most of the non-fiction at this shop, in fact. Decent selections (some rather small) for the performing arts, sport, health/lifestyle, transport and natural history. The quality for the social sciences in general is fairly high here, especially for economics and politics. The travel section is quite large, the cookery and gardening sections quite small, but all three are mediocre. Booker T 21.02.25

Booker T must have been in at the same time as me. ( I was there mid afternoon) and I echo his comments about the foreign language section as elsewhere in the shop, but there were really large gaps on the shelves. I do remember it being better in days of yore. Firedrake 22.02.25

Concur with other recent visitors here, not what it once was, however the prices are generally reasonable by Oxfam standards. A slightly rushed visit but got one volume which had clearly passed the scanners by and was a bargain. The chap on the till was polite.

Rude not to pop in if you are in Oxford but don't expect to walk out with a signed Chaucer for a fiver. misterg 13.05.25

Despite only two months since my last visit I noted recently that the prices have been sneaking up again and some of them are just bonkers. Downstairs is where the social science stuff is to be found leaving me with the distinct impression that "Reds under the beds" could still be the case in Oxford judging by the strong pro China/Russia texts in abundance.

Just around the corner in Broad St, there is another branch of Oxfam with perhaps 750 volumes downstairs of general stock, nothing to write home about but it's proximity is worth noting. misterg 02.07.25

Oxfam Bookshop/OXFORD/56 St Giles Street

Oxfam Bookshop Open at advertised times

56 St Giles Street OXFORD OX1 3LU

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tel: 01865 310145 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.30, Sunday 10.00 - 5.00

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Excellent Oxfam shop - one of the best in Britain. Two floors covering all topics with the quality one would expect of Oxford and the high turnover that rewards frequent visitors. George Marshall 06.02.09

Sadly it's become a lot more expensive of late - I fear that they are looking on the internet for some of their sillier prices. George Marshall 23.09.10

Like a lot of Oxfam shops prices can be silly for what they (usually erroneously) regard as "collectable" and I have tended to walk past as a result. But it's my impression from a recent visit that the prices (at least in the basement among the politics, economics etc.) have moderated. This may mean they have at last got some pricers who actually buy second hand books. Perhaps the academic/student market is going over to Kindle. John Allen 05.07.11

Good stock on three floors - exceptional French / Modern languages section as well as modern fiction. Nice premises, friendly staff. Jon Morgan 25.08.12

Enthusiastic staff, cornucopean stock and intriguing window displays. Particularly good for classic fiction, foreign languages (well concealed downstairs), travel, children's books. Anything unusual or antiquarian is still optimistically priced, but standard stuff is now often cheaper than buying online. Paul O 14.09.12

On Monday the 7th September, the street was filled with huge numbers of rides as it was a very large 2-day fair. So not too many folk in the shop. I did find 2 items (local history and art exhibition) which were well priced. A much better shop than the Turl St one. Chris K. 26.09.15

A good place for more recent now deleted books with connections to academic type subjects. Norman Davies 07.04.16

I'm in Oxford a lot and visit this shop, together with the one in Turl Street, regularly. Both have excellent and ever changing contents, ranging from the popular to the academic. I used to think that this one was a bit cheaper than the other, but I'm less sure now. In any event, if you are on a brief visit, you should try and inspect both shops. Geoffrey Warner 25.03.17

Don't know what has happened here. This used to be a good shop but on a recent visit it looked as though it was being run down. Little stock and what there was tended to not be in good condition. David 04.01.19

The best charity bookshop in Oxford with wide ranging stock all categorized over 2 floors. Donations seemed to be flowing in on the hot summers weekday I visited. 1 purchase made and it's not far from where the park and ride buses can drop you off. WWAD. Laurence Batchelor 24.07.19

The first charity bookshop and still the best. Window displays suggest an academic bias (First edition of A.J. Ayers' "Language, Truth, and Logic", yours for £50), but they also have well-stocked shelves for fiction, biography, children's books, travel and more. Prices are affordable too. A particular attraction for me is the languages section. This time I came away with several contemporary French novels. Paul O 28.07.21

I would say this is a slightly above average Oxfam branch and is not overwhelmed by academic titles as I had expected. A lady customer asked for a particular thesaurus which the assistant happily looked for, but sadly she and I both left empty handed.The shop was strangely quiet, even though the visitors seem to be returning, judging by the sightseeing tour in Broad Street. Wessexman 08.03.22

Slightly above average, as Wessexman says. One expects better in Oxford but perhaps canny academics conduct daily raids and snap up the best titles as they arrive. Laurence Purcell 31.03.22

Having time to visit only one of the city-centre Oxfams, I opted for this one rather than the gloomy Turl Street branch, where I have tended to find the stock less good. The St Giles outlet is a pretty decent Oxfam bookshop. On this occasion, however, there were uncharacteristic large gaps on the shelves (notably for history, classical subjects, politics and philosophy). I asked whether trade had been unusually brisk recently, but the paucity of books in certain sections seemed to be ascribed more to the fact that the pricing volunteers here are assigned to cover specific subjects, so the replenishment of the shelves is contingent on their rota patterns. This branch gets more donations than the Turl Street one as parking is much easier here. As for the stock, it is impressive for classic fiction, which includes many hardbacks. Penguin classics are generally £3 to £4. Good too for modern literary fiction (paperbacks mostly £3; hardbacks £3 to £4.50). Good for modern crime fiction (mostly £2.50 or £3), but the sci-fi section (same prices) is quite small. A few Folio Society volumes, reasonably priced. Good for poetry and excellent for drama. Quite a small children's section, with a few vintage books (prices slightly optimistic). A fine array of interesting biographies and also literary criticism. Decent quality in the history section, but less true for the military books. The transport stock is small and boring. Good travel section. OS maps priced very steeply: £3 to £5. The large collectables section has some nice stock, at slightly elevated but not exorbitant prices. Down the neck-breaking stairs are creditable sections for art and architecture (some overpricing), natural history and gardening, as well as an excellent range of foreign-language books. Strong also for books on the sciences, cinema/theatre and, especially, religion. The music section has some good biographies and quite a lot of scores. The sport section is poor. Prices for the non-fiction are generally about the Oxfam average, a shade above in a few categories. Booker T 13.11.24

Much better than Turl Street, with a decent fiction section, good history and another downstairs languages section which yielded a couple of finds. Why downstairs in Oxford? The stairs here are rather steep. The place seemed quite well stocked and was a pleasingly non- corporate Oxfam in decor and layout. Again though one might expect departing students to donate their textbooks unless, like me, they have kept them for the last 42 years! Firedrake 22.02.25

I wonder what effect the infamous article in the Spectator has had here? Stock this week was low in all sections but prices seemed to be a little tamer than I recall, however someone brought in a load of very nice Tolkien volumes including a first of Silmarillion. This was all whisked away very quickly and my offer of a fiver was politely laughed at. They know what they are doing but poetry, history and biography were all rather more shelf than book. Unless they get a lot more stock here then it slips from WAD to NWAD misterg 13.05.25

Oxfam Bookshop/THAME/9b Cornmarket

Oxfam Bookshop Open at advertised times

9b Cornmarket THAME OX9 3DX

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tel: 01844 214645 web

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A good example of an Oxfam bookshop in a charming town (with a splendid new bookshop further down the road). Good range of stock but not always priced to sell. Steven Whitehead 05.10.12

Return visit. Much less music than last time and thus more books. Good range of fiction and non-fiction and strong on children's. The Bookhouse on the High Street is still going strong. Steven W 17.01.15

The music (including vinyl) and DVD sections have expanded but still plenty of interesting books. Bargains known. Steven 29.08.15

On this latest buying trip I visited fifteen bookshops; some charity and others as we know them to be. It was here that I made the most purchases as the standard of the books was exemplary. Everything from a Chicago Art Gallery title to a recent British Library publication. The organisation was perfect for me. Military history had numerous titles as did books on the town and county. There was a little fiction but the general layout was welcoming and easy to browse. Recommended. Chris 12.03.24

Oxfam Bookshop/WITNEY/14 High Street

Oxfam Bookshop Phone before travelling

14 High Street WITNEY OX28 6HB

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tel: 01993 776985 e-mail

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Press on to the back section and find very well stocked literary shelves. Herne 05.11.15

Having retired to Yorkshire after 30 years in Oxford, we were trying to think what we really missed - surprisingly little, but the Witney Oxfam comes high on the list. Carl B 04.05.17

Oxfam Shop/OXFORD/133 and 135 Cowley Road

Oxfam Shop Open at advertised times

133 and 135 Cowley Road OXFORD OX4 1HU

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tel: 01865 722951 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9:30 ‐ 5:30, Sunday 11.30 - 4.00

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This appears to be a conventional Oxfam shop, but a high population of book reviewers in east Oxford keeps it remarkably well stocked in new publications, especially fiction, which are usually at far lower prices than the specialist Oxfam bookshops. George Marshall 06.02.09

Shop currently closed and being completely renovated. Chris K. 26.09.15

No longer closed. Refurbished and has been open for some time. Paul O 18.09.24

Just a modest book section at the back of the store, but it yields disproportionate finds for me. Seems strong in contemporary translated fiction. I always leave with several titles I didn't know I needed. Paul O 18.09.24

Somewhat underwhelming, I thought, as the stock here numbers only about 1,600 books and the quality is fairly average. Three shelves of classic fiction (paperbacks £1.99; hardbacks £1.99 to £3.99). Quite a lot of mass/mid-market novels (mostly £1.99, some £2.49, for both paperbacks and hardbacks). Same prices for the crime novels/thrillers, of which there are a fair number, and for the small stock of sci-fi. Poor for poetry and not much better for plays. There is, however, a good-quality selection, albeit small, of foreign-language novels. For non-fiction, other than history (three shelves) and the social sciences (two shelves), both of which are rather lacklustre, most sections consist of a single shelf. A few decent art books - the best of which are overpriced - and some reasonable quality among the politics and travel sections. OS maps £1.49. Also some literary criticism and literary biography. A small but quite good stock of children's books, almost all less than £2. The shop is not very far down the Cowley Road, and only about a 15-minute walk from the Radcliffe Camera, but the rewards seem fairly meagre. Booker T 13.11.24

Like every other charity shop it's the luck of the draw here and my recent visit was pleasant as the staff were friendly and helpful and I emerged with 4 essentials I had no idea I needed. The stock is as described and this is a general Oxfam shop. The Barnardo's across the road does not merit expending shoe leather to get to although it appeared to have a much older selection and some pre-war stuff. misterg 02.07.25

Oxfam Shop/OXFORD/83 London RoadHeadington

Oxfam Shop Open at advertised times

83 London Road Headington OXFORD OX3 9AA

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tel: 01865 742452 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00

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General stock including fiction, non-fiction, children's books and collectables. Good selection of books at very reasonable prices

Very little there these days. A general charity shop with a desultory selection of books. John Foxe 13.11.21

A dreary Oxfam on a dreary High St with 1000 books on a good day. There are plenty of charity shops here selling books and none are over inspiring, but in a haystack that big you deserve to find something, just don't hold your breath. misterg 02.07.25

Having read the previous review, my expectations were low. But things have improved here since 2021, it seems. The number of books is still not huge (about 1,600), but - perhaps because of the proximity of Oxford Brookes University - the quality is quite good, certainly well above average for a general Oxfam shop. There is a major minus, however: the best stock has been rigorously checked online and marked up to very bullish internet prices.

The fiction includes six shelves of modern paperbacks and one shelf of hardbacks, with quite a lot of literary novels mixed in with the mid-market titles, as well as four shelves of crime/thrillers and one shelf of sci-fi. The paperbacks are £1.99-£2.99, with the hardbacks mostly in this range too. Also three shelves of classic novels, including a fair few hardbacks (mixed pricing for those, but reasonable; the paperbacks are £1.99-£3.99). Quite strong for poetry, reasonably priced. The drama is less good. A small but good children's section (mostly £1.49-£2.49), including a few vintage books (rather steep prices).

The literary criticism section is excellent and there are also some fine biographies, reasonably priced. Quite good for the physical and social sciences, also natural history. A small but interesting selection of books on cinema and music. Some very good music scores (mostly £1.99-£2.99). The history section has some reasonable stock, as does art (erratic pricing for the latter). A few decent gardening books, but cookery and travel are nothing special. OS maps mostly £1.99; some 99p. There is quality among the couple of shelves of antiquarian/collectable books. But the prices are elevated, unduly so in most cases.

Headington is almost three miles from central Oxford, up a steep hill, but is served by plenty of buses from the city centre (routes 8, 10, 14, 108, 400 and X20; the 400 also serves Thame and the X20 Aylesbury). Headington's other charity shops have only a mundane selection of books and are not worth bothering with. Booker T 02.07.25

Oxfam Superstore/OXFORD/6500 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North

Oxfam Superstore Open at advertised times

6500 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North OXFORD OX4 2JZ

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tel: 01865 396322 e-mail web

Open: Tuesday & Wednesday 9.30 - 5.30, Thursday 9.30 - 7.30, Friday & Saturday 9.30 - 5.30, Sunday 10.30 - 4.30, closed on Mondays.

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Wide range of second-hand books. Oxfam's first UK superstore, opened in 2019. Located in Cowley, about four and a half miles south-east of the city centre.

Upon enquiry, I was told that the book department here at Oxfam's vast original superstore is "about the same size as one of our smaller books-only shops". As well as the usual range of fiction and non-fiction, there is a selection of collectable books and also a good choice of books for children. The 18,500 sq ft store includes a café (which is closed on Tuesdays). It is all on one level, and access for customers with disabilities is straightforward - there is a ramp up to the entrance for wheelchair users. The typical customer here spends four times as much as in a regular Oxfam outlet, and the store, which has 11 paid staff and 150 volunteers, made a profit of more than £180,000 in the 2023/24 financial year. With another superstore having just opened in Manchester, this looks like being the shape of things to come. Booker T 26.07.24

A co-incidence that my hotel - Premier Inn (Not recommended) was very close by.

I had high hopes of this place as its location Alec Issigonis Way is named after the almost unknown designer of the Morris Minor (Mine dates from 1957) The Mini, The Austin Morris 100 / 1300, The Maxi, the Landcrab - a great argument for immigration. The books are located at the back of the shop with large children's section and well ordered shelving for the adult categories.

Parking is plentiful and it opened on time with friendly staff. It is light and airy, with plenty of space for additional stock in all areas.

Some quality stock, although the modern language stock was sparse and I would have thought Turl Street's stock could easily fill the gaps on the shelves here. I did buy three books. Firedrake 22.02.25

I had rather higher hopes for this than it merited. The cafe is good but as has been reported the stock of books isn't all that. Softback fiction prevails and hardback fiction is very sparce. The quality is good with some books having only been gently handled. One interesting section was "award winning authors" where the Booker and Nobel authors can be found. Some nice volumes here (only about 30 in total.)

I like the concept of the out of town charity superstore and I know Emmaus has some around but this was very clean and tidy, books were well ordered and pricing was reasonable.

The whole place is well spread out but you get the impression they could carry the same stock in half the footage. misterg 02.07.25

Oxfam/OXFORD/223 Banbury Road, Summertown

Oxfam

223 Banbury Road, Summertown OXFORD OX2 7HQ

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tel: 01865 511018 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00

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A general Oxfam shop, with a book (and music) room upstairs.

Some decent quality in the upstairs book room here, but the shelves are rather depleted. Either donations are in short supply or there has been a run on the stock. I can't remember being in an Oxfam where so many of the books are placed face-out. The total number of books here cannot be more than about 1,200 at present, although there is space for plenty more.

There are only 300 novels, one-third of them crime. Literary and mid-market fiction and a couple of shelves of classics account for the rest. Paperbacks are almost all £2.99. The drama section is small, but the quality is fair. The poetry stock is also small, but good. It currently includes half a dozen hardback volumes by Stephen Spender, published by Faber & Faber, at £5.99. A reasonable selection of children's books - mostly modern paperback fiction at £1.99, although books for younger children are 99p/£1.49.

The non-fiction, at mostly reasonable prices, is quite good, although the books are far from abundant even in the best-stocked categories: history and travel (three shelves each; nothing exceptional, but fairly solid quality, especially among the travel books). Some interesting biographies. The cookery and gardening sections (a couple of shelves each) are also good. Art and design has erratic pricing, but some good stock, with a few bargains. Other categories have a few decent titles but are very limited in extent. Quite a lot of music scores, well categorised; mixed pricing, but most £1.99. OS maps are £1.99/£2.99. A couple of glass cabinets with vintage books, somewhat overpriced, although not sky-high.

Summertown is a couple of miles north of the city centre, but plenty of buses pass the shop, which is in the main parade, a few doors down from Daunt Books (new books only). However, there are better sources of second-hand books in Oxford, so unless you already happen to be in the city's leafy northern suburbs, it is NWAD.

On the opposite side of Banbury Road are two other charity shops. Scope (Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5pm; Sunday 10am-4pm) has a very small and utterly mundane stock. Helen & Douglas House (same hours) is slightly better, although even this has only 750 books. Prices in both are cheap, but neither is worth crossing the road for. Booker T 19.06.25

I feel I am following in the esteemed and wise footprints of Booker T arriving here a few weeks later. Nothing has changed. There has been a dramatic falling off of standards in the last 12 months and some of the pricing is bordering on the unfortunate. misterg 02.07.25

Parlour Bookshop/DIDCOT/30 Wantage Road

The Parlour Bookshop Open at advertised times

30 Wantage Road DIDCOT OX11 0BT

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tel: 01235 818989 web

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Penguin Chap /WALLINGFORD/Cholsey

The Penguin Chap Appointment necessary

Cholsey WALLINGFORD OX10 9NW

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tel: 07786 051856 e-mail web

Open: 7 days by appointment.

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I specialise in vintage Penguin, Puffin, and Pelican books from the 1930s-1960s. I hold a large collection of stock, the vast majority of which are 1st Penguin editions starting from £2. See webpage for current stock holdings and further information.

Regent Furnitureand Books/WANTAGE/Regent Shopping MallNewbury Street

Regent Furniture and Books Open at advertised times

Regent Shopping Mall Newbury Street WANTAGE OX12 8BU

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tel: 01235 766625 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00

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A small shopping arcade completely full of over 100,000 books on almost every subject, including masses of old and new fiction.

As the name suggests, originally a furniture shop, but the books have taken over. 3 or 4 rooms of books, plus more in the corridors. Often has a lot of interesting older books, as well as the modern dustwrappered variety. I rarely come away empty handed, and sometimes with a bootful. Richard

One of the largest stocks of fiction I've seen, all reasonably priced and easily browsed. The poetry/drama selection is much smaller and haphazardly arranged though. Nick Campsall 04.11.08

This is still the best kept secret of Oxfordshire. There is little sign of it being a bookshop. They have recently converted the first floor to a night club (it's the town's old cinema) so the large first floor space has gone which has led to even more cramped storage of a lot of books on the ground floor. Wide variety at cheap prices. John Allen 05.07.11

An absolute gem of a bookshop, with an astonishing range of books on most subjects and very reasonably priced. One word of caution: the owner does not accept cards, so bring your cheque book or cash. There is an ATM a few doors away. Geoffrey Warner 07.07.11

The kind of place that justifies the word "explore". An immense stock, with plenty of out-of-print Penguin fiction when I was there, and all affordable. Paul O 14.09.12

This is the benchmark for general shops and luckily for me it is one of my locals. If you walk away empty handed from this large comprehensive stock then you probably cant read. OWC 18.09.12

A must to visit. Allow plenty of time to explore as is a bit of a warren and not everything is in order. Very cheap prices and exceptional variety. Brian Stringer 12.07.14

Totally agree with last comment (12.7) Zim 18.07.14

What a great place to rummage around. A number of rooms with all sorts of specialities which meant a good two hours of searching. Found enough titles to keep me happy. Pleasant owners and prices were most reasonable. Will revisit. Chris Harte 13.08.14

It is strange that a bookshop of this quality should be housed in a pine furniture shop, albeit that furniture is vastly overwhelmed by the books. From the entrance right through the labyrinth / maze that is these premises, from the tiny and easily missed entrance this is an absolute treasure trove of many different subject areas. The epithet 'something for everyone' was never truer than here. Even my recent jaunts to Felixstowe where there are two superb shops could not prepare one for this place. New books, old tomes, Maps and en plus, the prices are extremely reasonable I bought 10 books including some fairly rare Pan paperbacks for less than £20.00. The owner is a friendly and well informed chap and I bumped into another contributor to TBG. There is a small car park at the rear, although travelling from Cambridge I went by Train. The nearest station is Didcot which is a 35 minute plus bus ride ( the narrow Oxfordshire lanes and a long bus are an interesting combination. Neither the charity shops of Wantage nor those in Didcot are worth visiting - at least not for books. Jon Morgan 29.08.14

Been collecting for 40 years: how have I missed this before? Superb shop now all on one floor, crammed with thousands of decent books at realistic prices for the general collector, all subjects. Wow. WWAD. Norman Davies 03.12.14

I have to commend this bookshop as being one of the few really good shops left. Although not perfectly organised this attribute makes it more interesting, you never know what you might find or where. Even antiquarian volumes at affordable prices. Books are always coming in and out, and I never leave without a book, if not a bag full. uax13 18.04.16

Four years since my last report but I still visit every six months. My latest was no exception as there was new stock on the shelves of my interests and within a few minutes I had a pile ready. Spent four hours (and two large coffees) before I finally concluded examining the shelves. This place is a gem. WWAD. Chris Harte 11.10.18

Delightful owners and an impressive stock. I felt definitely one of the largest in the Midlands. They have their own car park around the back - turn in at the small opening opposite Waitrose. I was astonished how they seemed to have every topic covered. Definitely WWAD. Laurence Batchelor 24.12.18

The sort of place where bibliomaniacs like me go missing for half the day. All subjects covered, but standouts are countless orange and green Penguins, a strong selection of Virago classics, lots of older hardback fiction, and local history. Always a surprise or two -- this time it was a hard-to-find novel by cult chronicler of London lowlife Gerald Kersh. I usually depart with a dozen purchases. Paul O 19.08.21

A truly wonderful bookshop - relatively cheap, packed to the rafters, and with a good turnover of stock. Simon T 17.09.21

Can only endorse all the previous comments about this wonderful shop. We came out with bagfuls. Will definitely make the journey down here again. Did not realise that they had their own car park so will bear that in mind for next time. However we parked in the Portway car park which gave 2 hours free parking. Very civilised. David 18.09.21

Terrible furniture shop. I have no idea how they expect to fit wardrobes and desks in there with all those old books taking up most of the room. I did my best to help by hauling off two full bagloads of those and it could easily have been more; but I suppose they will just plug the gaps with all the volumes waiting in boxes and crates on the floor. Prices are more charity shop than specialist dealer. The car park at the back only holds three vehicles, so your chance of getting a bay is minimal. The entrance to the bays is on the High St just before you turn into Market Place; blink and you'll miss it. Everyone else in Abingdon seems to chance it in the streets around on a single yellow line. Stive 20.10.21

What an amazing discovery! This huge multi-room emporium is crammed full of interesting and reasonably priced stock and is right in the centre of a lively and attractive town. I could only spare 45 minutes there but my bag was well loaded when I left. More stock was arriving even as I browsed. Wessexman 12.01.22

If I hadn’t been told that this was a bookshop I probably would have walked past it. The name gives little away.

The shop was supposedly closed on the day I visited (nothing publicised on-line about this ). I was just about to leave when the owner turned up with a delivery and let us browse for half an hour before leaving for his family wedding. I’m glad he did, because I came away with a bag full of books at very reasonable prices… Archive61 02.07.22

Still as superb as ever. In the section of newly arrived titles by the road entrance I picked up a book so rare my heart started thumping. I eventually spent four hours in the heat going through every room and was very impressed with the massive stock. The only downside was my wife purchasing a pile higher than mine and glibly putting the payment on to my credit card. Chris 24.06.23

Endorse everything above. Seems to go on forever and even when you get to the back there are more side rooms. And no shortage of good quality stock. Enjoyed browsing the hardback fiction and politics. Just as well we had a car! Herne 20.10.23

Another visit and another couple of bagfuls to take away. The parking spaces around the back of the shop are now reduced to two thanks to an impressive collection of bins. Note that the free parking time at the car park a short walk away is now generously reduced to one hour from two. Stive 22.11.23

Huge store with some really interesting stuff covering a wide range of subjects. Prices were average to me. Not easy to find: through a narrow passage off Newbury Street but very close to the town centre. PLF 01.03.24

This visit was somewhat of a disappointment for me. The fiction section seems to have grown while Art is reduced to half a shelf. Biographies/Autobiographies are in a room with very poor lighting and it was difficult to read the titles. My lack of a purchase summed it up. Chris 12.03.24

Back again on the day after our son's wedding. As before came back heavily laden. Art section seems to have revived a lot since Chris' recent visit and a goodly selection of illustrated books. Something good to be found in each of the many rooms. Herne 08.04.24

This place remains one of my favourite shops in the southern counties. Amazing stock and never disappoints. Once again, I spent more than I should! Wessexman 18.06.24

This place seems to have expanded into areas formerly occupied by the furniture on my last visit.

Organisation is generally good but very popular authors / series seem to have their own spot which is good as it makes it easy to ignore them.

There are plenty of mass market paperbacks as well as the better quality hardbacks but I could not get a phone signal to check library thing so I left empty handed.

Parking close by is not easy especially on Market day but there is a 'Long Stay' car park a short walk away free for the first hour - you still need a ticket - an enlightened policy to bring people into towns in Oxfordshire. Firedrake 22.02.25

Nowadays, as I know the shop so well, I grab a chair and sit by the shelves which contain books of my interests. I go through every one and on this visit picked up a couple of treasures as well as some general titles. I have no trouble finding parking spaces. Chris 12.03.25

A while since we were last down this way so plenty to look at. Spent nearly 3 hours here and emerged with 4 bagfuls of books. Luckily the car park is not far away. As previously stated the furniture has retreated in favour of more book space. Always worth visiting this shop. David 12.04.25

As well stocked as ever. I came away with a bag full once again. Worth noting that the shop will be closed for a week from Monday 20th May, re-opening the following Tuesday. Wessexman 12.05.25

Sanders of Oxford Ltd/OXFORD/104 High Street

Sanders of Oxford Ltd Open at advertised times

104 High Street OXFORD OX1 4BW

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tel: 01865 242590 web

Open: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 5.00, Saturday 10.00 - 6.00, Sunday 11.00 - 5.00

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This a high end shop selling antique maps and original prints, with a 'no reproductions' policy. However, I did not spot any books. Wessexman 08.03.22

This high-end establishment's core business is very much in prints and maps. It does still sell books, although these are few in number and very specialised. One cabinet contains notably good-quality books on Oxford and the surrounding area, as well as works by authors with an Oxford connection. Another houses books containing maps, plans etc. That is all. Worth a look if those are your interests. The selection of prints, meanwhile, is superb. Booker T 09.10.24

This charming shop looks like something clean and wholesome from Harry Potter, even a jolly member of staff who could do a passable Hagrid. Indeed a couple of boxes of prints which were clearly FAR from wholesome were marked as such. Loads of maps, prints of every age and hue with perhaps 100 books in total, cartography and Tolkien being well represented at prices to match the rather esteemed setting. A delight to visit for almost any reason other than books. misterg 02.07.25

Save the Children Bookshop/WOODSTOCK/30b High St

Save the Children Bookshop Open at advertised times

30b High St WOODSTOCK OX20 1TG

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tel: 01993 812872 e-mail web

Open: Monday 9.30 - 12.30, 1.00 - 4.45, Tuesday 9.30 - 4.30, Wednesday - Friday 9.30 - 4.45, Saturday 9.30 - 12.30, 1.00 - 4.45, Sunday 1.00 - 4.30

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Good professionally run secondhand bookshop, for all interests. Great selection, collectable gems, and general interest. We are a entirely volunteer run, raising money for Save the Children.

Lovely welcoming bookshop, kitted out with a comfy chair in its reading corner. My partner found several first edition fly fishing books here. Critter 30.11.12

Inviting bookshop with an old-fashioned lattice window, hand-written shelf labels, and a handy children's alcove with an infant chair. Even with a four-year-old in tow, I managed to browse and came away with a couple of twentieth century literary classics. Paul O 10.09.14

Inviting, well-curated bookshop that usually turns up something of interest. There's a large and sensible selection of modern fiction in the front, and most non-fiction areas are covered too, but I head for the shelves of older fiction at the back.This time I picked up hard-to-find stories by H. P. Lovecraft and hesitated over the diaries of cult 40s author Denton Welch. The antiquarian stock is mostly authors that time forgot, though. There's currently a good stock of Folio editions -- not something I've ever looked into, but the volunteer in the shop, clearly a true bookman, was happy to chat about them. Always a friendly reception there. Paul O 01.11.21

A cut above average, this is a good charity bookshop - larger than it appears from the street - with decent stock at reasonable prices. It flies below the radar: the signage above the window does not indicate that it is solely a bookshop, and nor does the Save the Children website. Woodstock is very affluent and, as the only second-hand bookshop in town, it attracts desirable donations.

A decent array of paperback novels, mostly literary and mid-market, with a small selection of sci-fi (all £2.50) and a good choice of classics (Penguins mostly £2.50, but up to £5). A couple of shelves of recently published hardback fiction, less highbrow than might be expected, reasonably priced (£2.50 to £4). About 30 Folio Society volumes, some overpriced. The drama and poetry sections are slim, but good-quality. A decent stock of children's books, dominated by recently published paperback fiction (mostly £2). Also a small selection of vintage children's titles, quite good and not too pricey.

For non-fiction, the history/military section is the largest, with some decent titles. Some nice travel and art books. Natural history and local interest have limited but high-quality stock. Quite good for philosophy, religion, cookery, gardening and literary criticism (high prices for the last of these). A few good-quality photography and music books, and plenty of reasonably priced sheet music. The transport section is small but quite good; sport and science less strong. Surprisingly, the biographies are mediocre. OS maps are £2. Three shelves of vintage books - a varied selection of fair quality, but some overpricing in evidence.

Just along the High Street, Sue Ryder (Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5pm) has a small stock of wholly unremarkable books. So, Save the Children is very much where it's at for second-hand books in Woodstock. But is it WAD? The stock is perhaps not quite good enough or large enough to merit one, especially given the absence of other second-hand booksellers here - although Woodstock Books on nearby Oxford Street, which sells only new books, is a nice little shop. However, there is an important caveat: Woodstock (home, of course, to Blenheim Palace) is a lovely town and only nine miles north of Oxford. And, as the town itself is WAD, an enjoyable browse at Save the Children is not to be missed while visiting. No railway station, but two bus routes from Oxford - the S3 to Chipping Norton and the S7 to Witney - provide a frequent service; alight at the Marlborough Arms on Oxford Street. Booker T 20.06.25

Sobell Charity Shop/OXFORD/Dartington House4 Little Clarendon Street

Sobell Charity Shop Open at advertised times

Dartington House 4 Little Clarendon Street OXFORD OX1 2HS

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tel: 01865 559927 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 4.30

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Charity shop, raising funds for the local Sobell House Hospice. The lower floor contains a wide-ranging stock of second-hand books.

A small charity shop with secondhand books and old vinyl downstairs and even though the bookshelves have categories on I found military books mixed in on just about every shelf. Pricing was cheap and a lot seemed to have come from a Lord Carrington library? 1 purchase made but it could have been more as I was in a rush. Possibly a Drif Special. Laurence Batchelor 24.07.19

Occasional finds to be had here - but quite a bit of lumber too. Recently there seem to be a lot more philosophy, history and art history books on the shelves, all at reasonable prices. I noticed some with the bookplate of Desmond Morris (apparently he's disposed of a lot of books), which might give them added interest. Paul O 31.07.19

Since my last review, much of the "lumber" has gone. There's plenty of modern fiction, some history, politics, biography. Intriguing items still turn up: I saw books on prime numbers, Lewis Carroll, logic problems. They now also have a few shelves arranged by price -- £10 books, £20 books-- with brisk warnings not to ask for a discount (better hope Drif isn't around). Not sure that'll work -- I search by the subject not by the price. Paul O 05.08.21

Downstairs at this hospice shop is quite an interesting stock of second-hand books. They number about 1,100 in total, some 400 of which are children's books. The latter aside, the vast majority are non-fiction, at least at present, although what little fiction there is here is of reasonable quality. Despite some attempt to separate out the fiction, a fair proportion of it is lumped in together with the non-fiction books. The non-fiction is a real mixed bag. The only subject present in any real quantity is cookery, for which there is a very good range, including about a dozen Cordon Bleu hardbacks in decent condition at £2.50 each. There are half a dozen shelves labelled "premium books", which are in most cases a cut or two above average, and for which some rather optimistic prices are asked. The rest of the stock is fairly typical charity-shop fodder, and prices for these are generally reasonable. Booker T 09.10.24

Booker T in his review sums it up nicely, however I would take slight issue with his "Optimistic" pricing comment preferring to go with utterly laughable. The price range here starts at a quid, with most HB's at £3-4 and the premium stuff is just bizarre, a signed chick lit hardback from 3 years ago in tatty condition was £30 then marked down to £15.

If you are going between St Giles Oxfam and Last Book Shop then you'd probably pass this and you might strike lucky! misterg 13.05.25

St Philip_s Books/OXFORD/82 St Aldates

St Philip's Books Open at advertised times

82 St Aldates OXFORD OX1 1RA

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tel: 01865 202182 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00.

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Specialists in academic, humanities, theology, history, philosophy, literature and art.

A must among Oxford's ever dwindling number of secondhand bookshops. It specialises in Christian books, with an emphasis on Roman Catholicism: not popular paperbacks (although it has a few of these), but serious, scholarly works on bible study, patristics, theology and church history. In addition, it has worthwhile sections on art, literature and secular history. Professor Geoffrey Warner

For specialists (and the wealthy) only. If you're looking for bargains or modern literature, don't bother. Great views of Christ Church though. Nick Campsall 04.11.08

WWAD for its (allbeit) specialist stock and worth a look for the occasional surprise. Steven Whitehead 09.06.12

A professionally run establishment with an academic based stock so view website prior to visiting. Im a regular and find the prices to be fair. E-mails are answered which seems to be a rarity in the trade. OWC 27.09.12

A very helpful owner who recommended me to try Jerico as he did not stock military books in a strong way. Agree it's a serious establishment with academic topics well covered. Laurence Batchelor 24.07.19

More than just a haunt of the pious but a good collection also of general literature, history and philosophy. Prices on the high side of fair and probably no use looking for bargains but I'm not wealthy and I found things I could afford. Laurence Purcell 28.10.19

Nothing to add to or change in my previous review, other than to say that this is the best (and may now be the only) place to look if you're seeking the semi-ecclesiastical works by Belloc, Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers and T. S. Eliot. Laurence Purcell 31.03.22

A rarefied and scholarly atmosphere prevails here. The stock consists primarily of books on religion and theology. There probably aren't many bookshops with a dozen shelves devoted to patristics, but this is one of them. Also sections on such matters as liturgy, canon law etc. Eastern Christianity seems to be a particular specialism. These subjects aside, there is an extensive and high-quality selection of books on history. Classical and medieval studies also feature strongly, as does philosophy. Quite good for art, although the nature of the stock is rather conservative. Some uncommon topographical works, and four shelves of books on Oxford, varied and of good quality. The locked cabinets of "fine and rare books" seemed amply to justify those adjectives. Also a small stock of vintage children's books. For novels, there is a good selection of high-quality "literature and fiction" (to use the shop's own terminology), and the poetry section is of a high standard too. But, for both novels and poetry, the stock is of a very conservative nature. Nothing experimental or avant-garde here. This is not the place to pick up books by the likes of Alan Hollinghurst or Jack Kerouac. In fact, there is very little here published after about 1950. Hardly anything at all by female authors, with the notable exception of Jane Austen. I noticed a couple of Jean Plaidy's historical novels and one book by P.D.James (possibly stocked because of her Oxford connection). Dorothy Sayers makes the cut both for that reason and because of the religious themes of some of her works; there are also sections for authors such as Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Ronald Knox, R.H. Benson and Hilaire Belloc. Lots of Folio Society volumes, mostly priced at £8 to £10. In general, the prices here are rather on the high side. But the books are in very good condition and there is quality here in abundance. Booker T 09.10.24

If you are going in here, lose weight, the distance between the shelves means negotiating with other bibliophiles to get past. The stock is strongly religious and associated matters with some serious and worthy volumes, some at serious and worthy prices. Much of the stock is in delightful condition and they still issue a paper catalogue. They probably have the finest selection of books on John Henry Newman and the Oxford Movement anywhere.

A very fine shop, worthy of your time, should this be areas of interest to you. misterg 02.07.25

Temple Rare Books/OXFORD/Paternoster Farm107 Cassington RoadYarnton

Temple Rare Books Phone before travelling

Paternoster Farm 107 Cassington Road Yarnton OXFORD OX5 1QB

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tel: 01865 451940 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 4.00

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Antiquarian, bindings, children's, illustrated, travel - prices from £50.

Way_s Bookshop/HENLEY-ON-THAMES/54 Friday Street

Way's Bookshop Phone before travelling

54 Friday Street HENLEY-ON-THAMES RG9 1AH

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tel: 01491 576663 web

Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00

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Selected secondhand & antiquarian books at all levels of price. Shop established 1977. Car Park at rear.

A good selection and competitively priced. Especially worth visiting for topography and river related topics Herne 24.02.10

Only 2 minutes from the main street in Henley and well worth a visit. Stock which isn't on the internet from paperbacks (even these are interesting) to antiquarian and realistically priced. Eve Magee 14.06.12

Worth seeking out. Some excellent bargains to be had, both general and rarer titles. Strong on boating and military history and ephemera but all sorts of interesting things turn up and the stock-flow is good. The owner is an absolute delight. Andrew 08.09.12

A pleasant bookman's shop with a moderate size stock which is worth visiting regularly. OWC 27.09.12

So glad I made the effort to find this shop as it is a little gem. Probably not quite WAD but well worth the walk if you are already in Henley. Steven 21.06.14

One of my favourite bookshops been going there for over thirty years. Excellent stock on most subjects reasonably priced £1 cabinet with bargains. Really nice owner What more could you want? John Bacon 24.11.14

My three visits in recent times have all turned up trumps in my search for original source material. Definitely worth a visit. I found quality good & prices quite acceptable. Zim 29.05.15

Back after a six year interval to find another eclectic and well-chosen selection with some real bargains to be had in a number of categories. Herne 13.01.17

A hearty "Hear Hear!" to the comments above. An interesting selection of eclectic titles, all well displayed. If books about rowing and the River Thames float your boat it is WAD and is certainly worth a dip for general readers and collectors. Bargains to be found. Steven 02.11.18

Possibly the best small secondhand bookshop in the country: well stocked in spite of its size, regular turnover of stock, extremely reasonable prices. As a bonus, the elegant,vivacious and knowledgeable Mrs Way is usually in charge to deal with your enquiries. Laurence Purcell 13.11.21

I was greeted enthusiastically by the charming lady owner and immediately felt at home. The stock is beautifullly laid out and there really is something to suit most tastes here. I could easily have lingered and spent more but time was not on my side. What a great little shop! Wessexman 08.03.22

A small but well stocked bookshop. Very reasonably priced. They didn’t have much in the way of first edition fiction that’s as older than about 10 years, but that aside a pleasure to visit, with a charming and helpful lady serving. Archive61 02.07.22

Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland