East Gate Bookshop, Totnes
A family-run shop on Fore Street by the East Gate arch, strong on nature writing and children's books, and it has even published its own guide to walking the South Hams green lanes.
Liznojan, Tiverton
Opened by a mother and daughter who are neither Liz nor Jan, with murals on the walls, locally roasted coffee and two shortlistings for Independent Bookshop of the Year to its name.
Bookbag, Exeter
Tucked into McCoys Arcade on Fore Street, stocked with a clear eye for women's voices, writers of colour, LGBTQ+ authors and small presses, and busy with poetry nights and launches.
The Harbour Bookshop, Kingsbridge
The surviving sister of the Dartmouth shop that Christopher Milne (Pooh's Christopher Robin) opened in 1951, and still a proper, well-stocked town bookshop with gift wrapping to match.
Archway Bookshop, Axminster
The town's bookshop for more than half a century, now in roomier premises at Trinity House, with a particular talent for signed and special editions.
EDITOR’S PICK : ‘Our local independent - I love their endless patience and recommendations for my boys, and the edit of books up front never fails to tempt me to pick up my next read’.
Winstone's, Sidmouth
A bright, well-edited shop on the High Street since 2014, with a children's and YA section that families make a beeline for and all the local walking guides you'll need for the coast path.
The Edge of the World Bookshop, Penzance
Run by James and Rachael Howorth and deliberately a little offbeat, with a loyal following, strong support for Cornish authors and an events programme to rival shops twice its size.
Falmouth Bookseller, Falmouth
Buy your book on Church Street, then take it upstairs to read the first chapter at Above the Bookshop, the café over the shop. It's also one of the few independents in town open on a Sunday.
Beerwolf Books, Falmouth
Half pub, half secondhand bookshop, up a flight of stairs in an old maritime loft off Market Street. You can browse literary fiction with a Cornish ale in hand.
Clemo Books, Newquay
It began as a pop-up and was crowdfunded into a permanent shop on Bank Street. Its monthly Clemo Club delivers a gift-wrapped surprise, and it's the official bookseller at Rock Oyster.
Wadebridge Bookshop, Wadebridge
A Molesworth Street favourite, excellent on Cornish titles, with a back room of secondhand books that makes the ideal reward after a ride along the Camel Trail.
Spencer Thorn, Bude
Family-owned since 1968 and now in its third generation. It's the official bookseller for the Bude Literary Festival and will happily track down an out-of-print title for you.
At A Glance
Best for nature lovers: East Gate Bookshop, Totnes
Best for coffee and a browse: Liznojan, Tiverton
Best for discovering new voices: Bookbag, Exeter
Best for literary history: The Harbour Bookshop, Kingsbridge
Best for signed editions: Archway Bookshop, Axminster
Best for families: Winstone’s, Sidmouth
Best for Cornish writers: The Edge of the World, Penzance
Best for making an afternoon of it: Falmouth Bookseller
Best for books with a pint: Beerwolf Books, Falmouth
Best for a bookish subscription: Clemo Books, Newquay
Best after the Camel Trail: Wadebridge Bookshop
Best for tracking down the elusive: Spencer Thorn, Bude
FAQs: Independent Bookshops In Devon And Cornwall
What are the best independent bookshops in Devon and Cornwall?
Standout independent bookshops in Devon include East Gate Bookshop in Totnes, Liznojan in Tiverton, Bookbag in Exeter, The Harbour Bookshop in Kingsbridge, Archway Bookshop in Axminster and Winstone's in Sidmouth. In Cornwall, the best include The Edge of the World Bookshop in Penzance, Falmouth Bookseller, Beerwolf Books in Falmouth, Clemo Books in Newquay, Wadebridge Bookshop and Spencer Thorn in Bude.
Where is there an independent bookshop in Exeter?
Bookbag is Exeter's best-known independent bookshop, in McCoys Arcade just off Fore Street in the city's West Quarter. Open since 2020, it stocks fiction, non-fiction, children's books, poetry and art titles, with a focus on women's voices, writers of colour, LGBTQ+ authors and small presses, and it hosts regular author events and poetry nights.
Are there bookshops with cafés or bars in Devon and Cornwall?
Yes. Liznojan in Tiverton serves speciality coffee alongside its books, and Falmouth Bookseller has a café upstairs called Above the Bookshop. Beerwolf Books in Falmouth goes further: it is a working pub and secondhand bookshop in one, where visitors can browse with a drink from the bar.
Is there a bookshop connected to Christopher Robin Milne in Devon?
Yes. Christopher Milne, the son of A.A. Milne and the real Christopher Robin, opened the Harbour Bookshop in Dartmouth in 1951. The Dartmouth shop closed in 2011, but its sister shop, The Harbour Bookshop in Kingsbridge, is still trading and remains a well-stocked independent bookshop in the South Hams.
Which Cornish bookshops host author events?
Several Cornish independents run busy events programmes. The Edge of the World Bookshop in Penzance hosts regular author events, Falmouth Bookseller holds talks and launches, Spencer Thorn in Bude is the official bookseller for the Bude Literary Festival, and Clemo Books in Newquay is the official bookseller at Rock Oyster festival.
Where can I buy secondhand books in Cornwall?
Beerwolf Books in Falmouth specialises in secondhand and remaindered literary fiction and quality non-fiction, sold alongside its bar. Wadebridge Bookshop has a back room of secondhand books alongside its new stock. Spencer Thorn in Bude will also search for out-of-print titles on request.
