One of the best places to find ‘quiet London‘ is through the welcoming doors of some London’s best and most beautiful bookshops. Bookshops are the places I always seek out when needing some quiet and calm, or solace from London’s busy streets. Bookshops are some of my favourite places to be, and wherever I am in London, I will inevitably find myself drawn into one. There is something immediately calming about meandering through rows of books. Picking up new titles and rediscovering old favourites or long forgotten friends.
There is a peaceful quiet found in bookshops which I believe is rarely found in any other type of shop. Bookshops have their own special smell. The smell of pages clean and white, and the newness of glossy printed images. The smell of adventure and travel and broken hearts, and mended hearts, nestle between the shelves and linger on towers of carefully stacked stories. Bookshops are places of quiet discovery. A haven for both the armchair traveller and the intrepid adventurer. All of life can be found in a book shop.
All of the following bookshops are places I regularly visit. They are the places I can guarantee I will always find a beautiful and inspiring piece of quiet London.
Hatchards
Hatchards on Piccadilly is London’s oldest bookshop. It was established in 1797 and has been in its current home for over 2 centuries. Despite its 3 royal warrants and grand building Hatchards is warm and friendly, and an immediate releif from Piccadilly circus and the endless flow of trafffic just moments from its doors. Tables of flowers, large sofas and an excellent programme of author events. A wonderful selection of books which are always displayed beautifully and a fabulous crime section. I’m not a huge reader of crime fiction but I do always seem to end up here. This is a calm, happy store with welcoming helpful staff who are always only to willing to discuss a potential purchase.
Persephone
Tucked away in London’s literary Bloomsbury Persephone could easily go unnoticed, despite the pretty window display and clear signage announcing its presence. Persephone books reprints neglected classics by twentieth century (mostly women) writers. The current collection is around 100 and features novel, short stories, diaries and cookery books.
Persephone the shop and Persephone books are the perfect antidote to modern life. Prepare to be seduced and drawn into this wonderful world of intelligent, relevant writing. There is a gentleness to this pretty bookshop and stepping inside the door you are are immediately rewarded by being transported back to quieter times. I need little excuse to visit here.
John Sandoe
John Sandoe Books in Chelsea is always a pleasure to visit. Although just moments away from the Kings Road it could be a million miles, such is the difference. Books are piled and high and stacked in every corner. On the top floor is a lovely window seat where it would be very easy to sit and browse the endless books. I never have any idea what I’m looking for when I go to John Sandoe but I know I will always leave with a treasure. This is one of my favourite places for book gift shopping too, there are always so many interesting titles to choose from.
London Review Bookshop
Another Bloomsbury beauty is the London Review Books Shop. The Book shop was established by The London Review of Books, Europe’s leading magazine of culture and ideas. So, as you would expect it has an excellent selection of extremely well curated books. This is such a brilliant browsing book shop filled with collections of books I usually haven’t spotted elsewhere. I have always found the booksellers here to be wonderfully helpful and extremely knowledgeable. They will go out of their way to search the shelves or make suggestions of just what you are looking for.
There also happens to be an excellent cafe attached to the bookshop making it the ideal place to sit quietly with tea, cake and a freshly purchased book. Just perfect.
Daunt Marylebone
You will find Daunt Bookshops in Holland Park, Chelsea, Cheapside, Belsize Park and Kentish Town in London, but my absolute favourite is the very beautiful shop in Marylebone. With its glorious arched stained glass window at the back of the shop and the elegant oak wood gallery which extends all around the top floor this must be one of the most beautiful book shops in London. The current shop is housed in a former Edwardian bookshop built in 1910, believed to be the worlds first custom built bookshop. When it began in 1990 it was a specialist in travel books and literature. This remains today and travel books sit side by side arranged in to countries. It is a wonderful place for some armchair travelling. The choice of fiction and literary reads is vast and there is always a wonderful collection of ‘London’ based books.
Open Book
Do not be deceived by the small shop front to Open Book. Take one step over the threshold of this lovely shop close to the river Thames in Richmond and you will enter a Narnia land of books. Open book stretches back a long way and every shelf and table top is packed full of interesting literature. The service is friendly and always cheerful and you will be guaranteed to find titles in here you didn’t know you needed.
Other Favourites
Scoop Books – Brunswick Square
Foyles – Charing Cross Road
Rizzoli – Somerset House
Definitely need to visit some of these (so far have only ticked Daunt off the list!) xx
Author
You certainly do….. Just say the word and I’ll come too!!
Oh My goodness, I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found you through #farawayfiles ! Being a London gal myself, (now live in Essex but in London at least twice a week) I am going to pour over your quiet London posts. I am obsessed with the book shops in London, so totally with you on this one. There is something special about Londons independent bookshops x
I love visiting bookshops in smaller towns but, funnily enough, when I’m in London, they pass me by. I must be crazy as these suggestions are wonderful! #farawayfiles
Author
Ha ha. I guess bookshops might not be what first springs to mind when visiting London! There are so many good ones though, definitely worth taking in one or two when you are next in London.
Each one a total gem. I didn’t know about the Open Book. A good excuse for a stroll into Richmond!
Author
Its such a great little book shop Scarlett. Absolutely worth a stroll to.
There is nothing better than a beautiful bookshop – I could spend hours wandering around. Daunt Marylebone looks particularly lovely. Are there any you would recommend for children in London? #FarawayFiles
Author
I completely agree Shelley. Daunt Marylebone is one of my absolute favourites. I confess I don’t know very much about children bookshops. There is a good one in Richmond called The Alligators Mouth. I find that the museum often have lots of great children’s books and Daunt is great for kids books too.
Ah, quiet London, who knew?! And to do it via bookshops, even more wonderful. These all sound fabulous #FarawayFiles
Author
Ahh thank you. I know, its true, London can be quiet, and books shops are great places to find it!
I love the idea for this post. Your photos are lovely! Saving for later so I can check out a few the next time I’m in London. #farawayfiles
Author
Thank you Caitlin. So lovely to read that you enjoyed this post. I hope you are inspired when you are next in London.
I love visiting book stores too, it always feels like such treat. The John Sandoe shop looks like a wonderful find. #farawayfiles
Author
Its a fabulous shop. You will literally find yourself falling over books there are so many!
I nearly always end up in Foyles when I visit London. And it always costs me a fortune!
And I think it should be a necessity to provide a cafe in a bookshop…they just go hand in hand! #FarawayFiles
Author
Foyles is amazing isn’t it. I am sure it is money well spent though, and you are absolutely right, all bookshops should provide a cafe!
Been to a few of these but certainly a few more to find the next time I’m in London. Thanks for the article it a really nice list.
Author
Thank you David. Good to discover your website too.