Bookstores in Canterbury
Bookstores reward the browsers. Canterbury, Kent has 46 mapped right now, and 2 of them deal in used books. That's 46 bookshops mapped around Canterbury, each with its own shelves and specialties. The used sections are where the real bargains hide.
This guide covers every bookstore we could verify in and around Canterbury (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include Marrin's Bookshop and Blackwell, plus Waterstones. If a bookshop's missing from Canterbury's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet.
The Canterbury bookstore lineup
46 mapped within about 40 km:
Marrin's Bookshop
Bookstore
Marrin's Bookshop — Bookstore on 149 Sandgate Road. Also worth knowing about Marrin's Bookshop: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
149 Sandgate Road, CT20 2DA
Phone: +44 1303 253016
Blackwell
Bookstore
Blackwell is Bookstore. Blackwell also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 08:30-18:00; Sa 10:00-16:00; it has a website with more detail.
Canterbury, CT2 7UG
Hours: Mo-Fr 08:30-18:00; Sa 10:00-16:00
Waterstones
Bookstore
Waterstones — Bookstore.
Wye's Books
Bookstore
Wye's Books is Bookstore.
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
WHSmith
Bookstore
WHSmith is Bookstore on 207 High Street, Southend-on-Sea. WHSmith also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
207 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1LN
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
Christian Book Centre
Bookstore
Christian Book Centre is Bookstore on 45 Northdown Road, Margate. Christian Book Centre also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
45 Northdown Road, Margate
Phone: +44 1843 226598
Chapters
Bookstore
Chapters — Bookstore, found on 6 High Street in Canterbury. Also worth knowing about Chapters: it has a website with more detail.
6 High Street, Canterbury, CT2 0BD
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore, found on Hempstead Valley Drive in Gillingham. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
Hempstead Valley Drive, Gillingham, ME7 3PD
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore on 61 Sandgate Road. Also worth knowing about The Works: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
61 Sandgate Road, CT20 1RY
Phone: +44 1303 226465
Waterstones
Bookstore
Waterstones — Bookstore on 16 Sandgate Road. Also worth knowing about Waterstones: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-17:30; Su 10:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
16 Sandgate Road, CT20 1DP
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:30; Su 10:00-16:00
Phone: +44 1303 258888
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
The Deal Bookshop
Bookstore
The Deal Bookshop — Bookstore.
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
McConnell Fine Books
Bookstore
McConnell Fine Books is Bookstore on 85 Beach Street, Deal. McConnell Fine Books also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
85 Beach Street, Deal, CT14 6JB
Phone: +44 1304 375086
Oxfam Bookshop
Bookstore
Oxfam Bookshop — Bookstore, found on 10 Sandgate Road in Folkestone. Also worth knowing about Oxfam Bookshop: it has a website with more detail.
10 Sandgate Road, Folkestone, CT20 1DP
Hooked on Books
Bookstore
Hooked on Books — Bookstore.
Waterstones
Bookstore
Waterstones — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Waterstones: it has a website with more detail.
Lighthouse Comics
Bookstore
Lighthouse Comics — Bookstore on 59 The Old High Street. Also worth knowing about Lighthouse Comics: it has a website with more detail.
59 The Old High Street
WHSmith
Bookstore
WHSmith is Bookstore. WHSmith also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
Comics & Sci-Fi World
Used bookstore
Comics & Sci-Fi World — Used bookstore.
The Works
BookstoreRun by The Works Stores Ltd
Run by The Works Stores Ltd, The Works is Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
ME10 3DL
Phone: +44 1795 477260
Waterstones
BookstoreRun by Waterstones
Run by Waterstones, Waterstones is Bookstore, found on 49-55 High Street in Southend-on-Sea. Also worth knowing about Waterstones: it has a website with more detail.
49-55 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1HZ
Books-on-Sea
Bookstore
Books-on-Sea is Bookstore on 23 Alexandra Street, Southend-on-Sea. Books-on-Sea also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
23 Alexandra Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1BX
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore, found on High Street in Southend-on-Sea. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
High Street, Southend-on-Sea
The Folkestone Bookshop
Bookstore
The Folkestone Bookshop — Bookstore on 70-72 Tontine Street.
70-72 Tontine Street
Sunburst Books
Bookstore
Sunburst Books — Bookstore.
Edith’s book shop
Bookstore
Edith’s book shop — Bookstore.
Tales in Market Street
Bookstore
Tales in Market Street is Bookstore on 1-2 Market Street, Faversham. Tales in Market Street also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
1-2 Market Street, Faversham, ME13 7AH
The Old Bank Book Shop
Bookstore
The Old Bank Book Shop is Bookstore.
Broadstairs Book Shop
Bookstore
Broadstairs Book Shop is Bookstore on 7 Albion Street. Broadstairs Book Shop also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
7 Albion Street
Phone: +44 1843 860824
Waterstones
Bookstore
Waterstones — Bookstore, found on 8 Rose Lane in Canterbury. Also worth knowing about Waterstones: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-18:00; Su 10:30-16:30; it has a website with more detail.
8 Rose Lane, Canterbury, CT1 2SJ
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-18:00; Su 10:30-16:30
Chaucer Bookshop
Bookstore
Chaucer Bookshop — Bookstore, found on 6-7 Beercart Lane in Canterbury. Also worth knowing about Chaucer Bookshop: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-16:00; Su 11:00-16:00; PH 11:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
6-7 Beercart Lane, Canterbury, CT1 2NY
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-16:00; Su 11:00-16:00; PH 11:00-16:00
Phone: +44 1227 453912
Burgate Books
Bookstore
Burgate Books is Bookstore on 10B Burgate, Canterbury. Burgate Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-16:00; Su 11:00-16:00; it has a website with more detail.
10B Burgate, Canterbury, CT1 2HG
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-16:00; Su 11:00-16:00
Catching Lives Books
Used bookstore
Catching Lives Books — Used bookstore, found on 28 Palace Street in Canterbury. Also worth knowing about Catching Lives Books: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
28 Palace Street, Canterbury, CT1 2DZ
Phone: +44 7899 458961
Quiet Space
Bookstore
Quiet Space — Bookstore.
Waterstones
Bookstore
Waterstones — Bookstore on 47 High Street. Also worth knowing about Waterstones: it has a website with more detail.
47 High Street
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
The Chapel
BookstoreRun by Julian
The Chapel is Bookstore run by Julian on 44-46 Albion Street, Broadstairs.
44-46 Albion Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1NE
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore, found on 17 High Street in Canterbury. Also worth knowing about The Works: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-17:30;Su 10:00-17:30;PH 09:00-17:30;Dec 25 off; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
17 High Street, Canterbury, CT1 2JE
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:30;Su 10:00-17:30;PH 09:00-17:30;Dec 25 off
Phone: +44 1227 764267
Waterstones
Bookstore
Waterstones — Bookstore, found on Margate Road in Broadstairs. Also worth knowing about Waterstones: it has a website with more detail.
Margate Road, Broadstairs, CT10 2BF
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore, found on Margate Road in Broadstairs. Also worth knowing about The Works: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 09:00-17:30; Sa 09:00-20:30; Su 10:00-16:00; it has a website with more detail.
Margate Road, Broadstairs, CT10 2BF
Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:30; Sa 09:00-20:30; Su 10:00-16:00
The Works
Bookstore
The Works — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about The Works: it has a website with more detail.
Harbour Books
Bookstore
Harbour Books — Bookstore, found on 21 Harbour Street in Whitstable.
21 Harbour Street, Whitstable, CT5 1AQ
What the map tells us about bookstores in Canterbury
7 of the 46 list their opening hours on the map, which is genuinely useful — bookshops keep civilised hours, so the listed ones are usually reliable.
32 have websites listed. Worth a look for events — readings and signings get announced there first.
There's a cluster: 2 of them sit on Margate Road, so you can string those into one walk and drive between the rest.
2 of the shops are tagged as selling used books — the second-hand shelves are where out-of-print gems and first editions turn up for pocket change.
The Canterbury bookstore crawl
Making a day of it in Canterbury? Work this order: Marrin's Bookshop on 149 Sandgate Road, Blackwell, Waterstones, Wye's Books, The Works, WHSmith on 207 High Street, The Works, and Christian Book Centre on 45 Northdown Road. That's the bookstore crawl in one sensible loop, no backtracking. 38 more are listed below.
Bookstore tips for Canterbury
Browsing in Canterbury? A little strategy helps:
- Support the shop's own publishing at Marrin's Bookshop. Some independents publish local authors or print their own anthologies. Buying them funds the ecosystem directly.
- Read the first page in the shop at Blackwell. The first-page test never lies. If it doesn't grab you standing there, it won't grab you at home.
- Check the staff picks shelf first. It's the fastest read of a shop's personality. If the picks excite you, the rest of the store will too.
- Visit during author events. Readings and signings are usually free and turn a bookshop into the best evening out in town.
Good to know
We searched about 40 km around Canterbury — that covers the town itself plus the surrounding communities you'd reasonably drive to. Listings come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by local volunteers, so a brand-new bookstore in Canterbury can take a while to appear. The 46 above are only as current as the community map. A bookstore that's shut, or a new one nobody's added yet, gets fixed with a single OpenStreetMap edit.
We don't list prices — they change constantly and vary by edition. What we list is the where: real shops, verified by real mappers, in alphabetical order with no favourites.
If you run one of the 46 listed here and something's wrong — a closure, a move, new hours — the fix is the same: update the shop on OpenStreetMap and the correction flows through to this page on the next daily refresh.
Bookstore listings for Canterbury: 46 mapped from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors; individual photo credits appear in captions. Listing data was last refreshed automatically — verify hours before visiting.