Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK 2020
Key
Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure these details are correct, we recommend that you contact each individual bookshop before travelling any distance. Add your bookshop here
A and Y Cumming Ltd
84 High Street
LEWES East Sussex BN7 1XN map
tel: 01273 472319
Open: Thursday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00.
Very large stock including travel, fine bindings, art & illustrated, literature, natural history and topography.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsSome wonderful stock in the basement. I regret not spending much longer there. Assisted in my searches but never put pressure on me to buy. - Chris Harte 01.04.09.
A good selection of books on a wide variety of subjects. The pricing appears to be reasonable. The service was friendly, amusing and slightly eccentric. - h442 28.07.10.
Basement? What basement? Some beautiful books, in a lovely but slightly rarefied atmosphere where, for the average and eclectically minded book buyer there was not a lot. Lots of customers tho; and some very interesting WW2 magazines. - Jon Morgan 16.08.12.
Five years since my last visit and it is still the stock in the basement which makes me part with too much money. Overall the general holdings seem to have been refreshed as I spotted titles I know were not on show previously. Prices were, if anything, slightly lower than expected. - Chris Harte 17.06.14.
Did just visit on the ground floor but nothing special to buy then. - Chris K 15.09.17.
Agree with Chris. Some interesting finds in the ephemera section. - Herne 23.10.17.
Classy if a bit intimidating. Purchased some welcome missing old railway titles but was not invited to see the back room which appeared bigger than the shop. What basement? - Norman Davies 31.05.18.
Amendment to opening hours: no longer open on Wednesdays. Looked interesting, through the window! - Nicholas Sack 13.08.19.
Barbican House Bookshop
169 High Street
LEWES East Sussex BN7 1YE map
tel: 01273 486290 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.30, Sunday 11.00 - 5.30.
Fundraising bookshop for the Sussex Archaeological Society. New and secondhand books on history and archaeology, particularly of Lewes, Sussex and the South Downs.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsA surprise find tucked away off the High Street. Although the books mainly reflect Sussex interests there are other good titles scattered around. Prices are remarkably reasonable. - Chris Harte 10.09.13.
Nice area. Tried it but nothing special I needed. Interesting that SAS members do get items a little cheaper. - Chris K 15.09.17.
Sussex Antiquarian Society by the way! Excellent for archaeology and medieval history plus local. Nice browse on those subject areas. Is in castle ticket office, not where you might expect. - Norman Davies 31.05.18.
Bow Windows Bookshop
175 High Street
LEWES East Sussex BN7 1YE map
tel: 01273 480780 e-mail web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.00.
We buy and sell old, rare and fine books on many subjects, as well as maps. Much of our stock is attractively displayed in our shop, and we have a special emphasis on books in overall excellent condition.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsDid not realise that I was a specialist in my field and waved me away with a swatting motion of the hand. Some stock appeared to be mutton dressed as lamb. - Chris Harte 01.04.09.
Found staff helpful and very friendly, so maybe Chris Harte just caught them on a bad day? Reasonable selection of stock, all of it well presented. Did think that presentation meant some items were slightly over priced. - Emma 05.05.09.
A very attractive shop, inside and out with a very helpful member of staff albeit little of interest to me personally. It is what a good bookshop should look like but unlikely to attract a lot of casual trade. - Jon Morgan 14.08.12.
Nicely presented, but the mutton dressed as lamb comment above is still apt. Pricing was comedically optimistic in places. - Inverdale's Rug 02.09.16.
Did buy 2 rather more expensive items - I still like to add more Middleton Press railway ones. - Chris K 15.09.17.
Pricing seemed a bit more relaxed since my last visit and found several things of interest. Good topography section. - Herne 23.10.17.
The best bookshop in town. High-end titles attractively shelved in pleasant and relaxed surroundings. About three yards of photographers' monographs with some rarities - fine artists here, no Fleet Street snappers. With notable exceptions, prices are rather ambitious. - Nicholas Sack 13.08.19.
Lewes Book Centre
38 Cliffe High Street
LEWES East Sussex BN7 2AN map
tel: 01273 487053 web
Open: Monday - Friday 10.30 - 3.30, closed Wednesday, Saturday 10.30 - 5.00.
General secondhand books and specialist military and aviation stock.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsGood military bookshop, but typically wacky owners who argue among themselves. Makes me imagine Hitler and Stalin retiring to Sussex and starting a military bookshop together. - Christnye 09.06.12.
lots of books great military stock and mostly fairly decent prices, The owners (Hitler and Stalin analogy accurate) were too busy eating to be able to assist. Difficult to access some stock because of the sheer volume. Mainly remainders and quite steep prices in places. - Jon Morgan 14.08.12.
Muddled and chaotic but with patience there are many good books to be found. Lots of military and war titles. All round prices were good. - Chris Harte 17.06.14.
In what can be quite an expensive book town it is refreshing to find a decent shop with a wide stock of reasonably priced books. - Steve Newman 14.02.15.
Called in today (18 March 2017). Large collection but so difficult to get to many on lower shelves because of the multiple piles of books on the floor. Sadly I left without buying any which is a shame because I am sure there are some real gems waiting to be discovered. - Sam Sondercraft 25.03.17.
Sign on door yesterday (Fri 31 Mar 17) now shows later opening, either 1000 or 1030 (can't remember which). However despite waiting until lunchtime, with other potential customers, it didn't open! - Stuart T 08.04.17.
Mainly military. Afraid I couldn't get at my (non military) interest due to piles of books and boxes obstructing the shelves around the shop. Back by then not up to heavy lifting... - Norman Davies 31.05.18.
Revive All
The Old Needlemakers
West Street
LEWES East Sussex BN7 2NZ map
tel: 01273 476001
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 6.00, Sunday 11.00 - 4.00.
Two rooms of general secondhand books in the basement.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsTwo rooms in the basement of the Needlemakers Centre (worth a visit for various art shops, and a nice cafe). If in Lewes for Bow Windows, Cummings, & The Fifteenth Century, it is worth a quick look. - Richard.
What a treasure trove for ephemera and magazine collectors. Also a large collection of children's books and annuals. Prices most reasonable. A wonderful oasis. - Chris Harte 06.09.13.
Interesting place, but do need to be a bit of a contortionist to see all the shelved items. As Chris H says more to interest ephemera collectors but some decent book titles. - Norman Davies 31.05.18.
There is a half-price 'retirement sale' of certain titles over ten pounds until the end of August - when the new owner will refresh and reduce the stock. Pleasant surroundings with a cafe in this Victorian candle factory, partly given over to manufacturing hypodermic needles in the Second War. - Nicholas Sack 13.08.19.
The Fifteenth Century Bookshop
99-100 High Street
LEWES East Sussex BN7 1XH map
tel: 01273 474160 e-mail web
Open: Friday - Sunday 11.00 - 5.30.
Large general stock and children's and Illustrated books.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsLovely outside, DISAPPOINTING inside. I try to be a good customer, never rude or demanding. Management is unhelpful and even hostile! Cramped & dusty, as well. I avoid it like the plague now. - E. Long 10.02.09.
Completey agree with the comments from E Long. We too have found the management unwelcoming and even rude when asked something. Don't like all the signs asking customers not to touch the books - how is one supposed to decide what to buy wthout looking through the book first? - I and E (enthusiatic book buyers!) 08.03.09.
Nice stock but generally priced too high. - Chris Harte 01.04.09.
Expect to be treated like a thief, regardless of your age, dress or manner. Not sure why these people want to own a bookshop. - Matthew Barr 02.04.09.
Stock-over priced and in poor condition. Was treated as though I was about to steal something - most unpleasent shop i've ever visited. - Emma 05.05.09.
While we were browsing there not long ago an inoffensive tourist was shouted at for having the nerve to take a general photo of the interior, and ordered to delete the image! - David Attwood 14.05.09.
I was amazed to read the somewhat harsh comments posted in regard to the The Fifteenth Century Bookshop. I have browsed this shop on many occasions and in fact spent the best part of a Saturday morning sitting on the floor re-visiting my childhood books. The owner is extremely helful and knowledgeable. The shop is exactly how a secondhand bookshop should be, it oozes character. - Donna Bastin 11.06.09.
I stumbled across this quaint old fashioned bookshop by chance and spent a very enjoyable hour browsing the shelves. A real paradise for the true book lover. - Rachael Boothby 11.06.09.
I totally disagree with earlier comments regarding this bookshop. It is one of the few remaining GENUINE bookshops in this country! Over crowded with books, yes! But packed with treasures if you are patient and clever enough to spot them ... - TM Dailly. 25.06.09.
I'm afraid I have to agree with the negative comments about the Fifteenth Century Bookshop. My wife asked if she could look at the childrens' books on the shelves behind a pile on the floor and was told no, because the person in charge 'wasn't in the mood'. With attitudes like this, is it any wonder second-hand bookshops are closing in droves? My wife spent a substantial amount of money instead in the Boxroom at the Old Needlemakers, which had a good stock of childrens' books. - Alastair Palmer 25.06.09.
It would appear that a few people have some sort of axe to grind against this shop, why I do not know. Wonderful selection of stock and always courteous when I have visited it. - John Rolfe 25.06.09.
I think we now have enough comments about this shop to understand that it seems to be loved or loathed in about equal measure, so I don't intend publishing any more. - TBG 25.06.09.
A bookshop from childhood memory, but such a narrow entrance and some significant degree of disorganisation. Staff communicative altho not exactly welcoming. Could do with a good clear out. - Jon Morgan 14.08.12.
Somnolent, dusty place (which can be kind of appealing), but the selection of local-interest titles is good and I came away with a pleasing 1950s copy of Patrick Hamilton's Brighton novel "The West Pier", the ideal find during a visit to the south coast. - Paul O 13.10.12.
Somewhat chaotically organised, and probably not good hunting ground for fine specimens, but the sort of place it's enjoyable to have a good browse in. - Inverdale's Rug 02.09.16.
Amendment to opening hours: no longer open on Wednesdays. Judging by the comments above, this half-timbered building might be more interesting on the outside than within. - Nicholas Sack 13.08.19.
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