Literary London

The best of literary London: where the books were written, set, sold, printed and buried, from the Globe to the graves and the bookshops to the presses.

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Kirkdale Bookshop

New books at the front, second-hand upstairs, and a claim to be the oldest independent in south-east London.

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Open since 1966, which the shop believes makes it the oldest independent bookshop in south-east London, and it has grown into two floors: new books and cards at the street level, a large second-hand department above it shelved down to Collectable Penguins, Modern Firsts, Naval and Military History and local history, and a children's section at the back. It runs two book groups, one of them reading queer writing, and puts on author signings and exhibitions by people who live nearby.

Where
272 Kirkdale, SE26 4RS
Nearest station
Sydenham · 2 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
Sunday12:00 – 16:00

Hours from the page that lists them, checked 21 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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