Literary London

Where the books were written, set, sold, printed and buried: from the Globe to the graves, the bookshops to the presses.

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John Sandoe Books

Chelsea's independent bookshop since 1957, three small Georgian houses packed to the ceilings.

BookshopsGo inside

Photo by Monica Arellano-Ongpin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

John Sandoe opened in 1957 in three little houses knocked together off the King's Road, and the shop has kept its habits: tables piled with books chosen by people who have read them, shelves that pivot to reveal another row behind, and a staircase you turn sideways to pass on. It has been owned by its staff since Sandoe retired, publishes its own catalogues of recommendations, and has been Chelsea's writers' bookshop for as long as most of them can remember.

Where
10 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SR
Nearest station
Sloane Square · 5 min walk

Hours

Monday09:30 – 17:30
Tuesday09:30 – 17:30
Wednesday09:30 – 17:30
Thursday09:30 – 17:30
Friday09:30 – 17:30
Saturday09:30 – 17:30
Sunday11:00 – 17:00

Hours from the page that lists them, checked 5 September 2026.

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Data is compiled from public sources including OpenStreetMap, under the ODbL. Hours change often, so check before making a journey.

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