Quality used books bought and sold

Many subjects covered including Art, Antiques, Architecture, Archaeology, Biographies, Children’s Books, History, Hunting, Literature Studies, Local Interest, Plays, Poetry, Science Fiction, Sport, Text Books, Travel & Topography, Maps & Prints etc.

Use the search icon in the header of this page to find our books.

Note that although we sell online we have many books in our shop that are not listed there, so a trip into the shop is always the best way of discovering the books you love.

  • Our Service

    Selling mainly in the UK but also posting books to Europe, USA, Asia and The Far East our books can be sent almost anywhere.

  • We buy books too.

    We are always looking for good new stock and are happy to buy anything we can use (subject to inspection). So give us a call or email.



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Now located in St Ives

The Bookshop is now located on the banks of the River Great Ouse in the beautiful market town of St Ives in Cambridgeshire. There are lots of things to see and do here so why not come over and make a day of it?

See our St Ives page

Shop opening times

Weekdays (except Tuesdays) 10am-4pm

Saturday 10.30am-3pm

PLEASE NOTE: Our opening times may vary from time to time as we are a very small business and sometimes have to close up for the day (or part of the day). You may even find us open on Sundays sometimes. If you are making a special journey then it's always best to call first to check we'll be here.

Lots of books!

We stock a wide variety of subjects. This is our "back room" where we have some serious Military, Aviation, Naval, Engineering & Science, Transport, Archaeology, Architecture, and Natural History. Pull up a chair and have a browse!

Browse our military books

Sit and enjoy

This is our cosy Reading Area where you can sit and browse through some interesting vintage publications. We don't actually serve coffee in the shop but you are welcome to bring one in. There's a cafe just down from the shop (The Commute Cafe) where you can get a takeaway drink. This has got to be the calmest, cosiest place in town!

Here you'll find books on Poetry and some of the classics like Anthony Trollope's Barchester Chronicles. There's also some old Penguin favourites like P G Wodehouse. Pick one up and delve into the world of Jeeves & Wooster:

Jeeves," I said, indicating with a gesture the gent's ordinary dinner jacket or smoking, as we call it on the Cote d'Azur, which was suspended from the hanger on the knob of the wardrobe, "as to shove that bally black thing in the cupboard and bring out my white mess-jacket with the brass buttons."

He looked at me in a meaning manner. And when I say a meaning manner, I mean there was a respectful but at the same time uppish glint in his eye and a sort of muscular spasm flickered across his face which wasn't quite a quiet smile and yet wasn't quite not a quiet smile. Also the soft cough.

"I regret to say, sir, that I inadvertently omitted to pack the garment to which you refer."

Folio Society books

We have a great selection of the slipcased Folio Society books, so popular among collectors.

Books For All

We don't just sell rare and expensive books. We have books on a wide variety of subjects plus a great selection of fiction.

The vast majority of our non-fiction books are under £10.

We are VERY fussy about the books we buy for our stock, so you can rest assured that our books are mostly in Very Good (see our section on "Book Grading"), clean and tidy condition. We will sometimes "rescue" rare vintage books that may not be in pristine condition (this is often to be expected with older books), any wear and other faults with these books are mentioned as such in our catalogue so that you will get a clear picture of what you're buying before purchase.

We've also put photographs with many of our books. In all cases where these are used books they will be the image of the actual book, so you can check the condition visually. Any extra images required can be supplied on request.

See our videos for guidance on book care and book buying.

Visit our shop

St Ives is easily accessible from the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge. There is plenty of town centre parking which is easy to get to (nothing like the long queues into Cambridge city centre) and of a very reasonable charge. There is 1 hour free parking on The Broadway where our shop is located, otherwise the nearest car park is Globe Place (1A West St, St. Ives PE27 5PP) where there are 162 spaces (8 disabled) and Public Toilets.
Charges apply 7am-6pm, Monday to Saturday
MiPermit site code: 014834
Electric vehicle charging point available and parking can be paid for via the MI Permit App or via card.

A short walk diagonally opposite the car park entrance through St Georges Yard will bring you out on The Broadway where our shop is located on the opposite side, right next door to The Floods Tavern