Chaucer Bookshop

Honesty, a deep love of books, and a profound knowledge of the book world, plus some excellent deals, cheerful and cooperative service, rare books I’d long sought for, and a feeling of being at home: I found all of this and more a few years ago in the Chaucer Bookshop, and over the years my loyalty towards the Chaucer Bookshop has been rewarded with many special volumes now at home in my library in California. After a visit to St Augustine’s Abbey and the Cathedral, I always make a cultural pilgrimage to the Chaucer Bookshop, and I am eager to explore the shop’s holdings again as soon as I can get back to England. I have been a book lover and collector for over 50 years, and the Chaucer Bookshop is a very special treat for a lover of English history and literature. As a buying customer or visitor making making a quick browse, I have been treated with friendly courtesy. Sir Richard and his staff are delightful. I always expect Dickens to be hanging round in the shop or Shakespeare across the street in the pub and certainly Chaucer’s young Oxford scholar digging through vintage books as if he were starving in Oxford. A visit too makes for a very happy day excursion from London, and the shop has posted many books overseas for me. Given my finds, I have to say the prices are reasonably exciting and reliably good value.

How can a visit to Canterbury be complete without a visit to a bookshop called Chaucer’s? I spotted this bookshop while trying to find a parking place and went back after lunch. I didn’t buy anything but had a good browse around and took the shop’s permission to take photos of their premises and books.
So the bookshop space has been converted from two houses and its massively more spacious than it looks like from outside. The books are also spread out over two floors and at least 8 rooms and the shop seems to have a good variety of something for everybody. Everything is very neatly labelled and their collection of older children’s books is amazing — I coveted, oh how I covered some of the stuff I saw on the shelves!
I also came close to buying these gorgeous cards that converted into bird mobiles (see pics) but in the end decided I have so much stuff already, didn’t want to add to the clutter already existing in my house.
So if you are a bibliophile like me and visiting Canterbury and have some time to spare, would totally recommend checking this bookstore out — it’s awesome!

This book shop really fits into the Canterbury culture. It’s a little off the beaten track but it sells old and antique books. It’s window display is interesting and they try and update it with the seasons. A book lovers dream. Staff are helpful and knowledgeable. A good place to go for advice.