Top 10 Dark Academia Bookshops in the UK
What makes up the Dark Academia aesthetic? Some of the most fundamental elements include history, classical beauty, mystery, antiquity, and, of course, lots of books. All of which should be included in Dark Academia Bookshops
Bookshops are a favourite haunt of those interested in the Dark Academia aesthetic. What could be better for fans of the aesthetic than bookshops full to the brim with history, beauty, and mystery?
Here is my list of the top Dark Academic bookshops in the UK, covering some of the best and unique bookshops to visit across the entire country.
1. Hatchards, London
First on the list in this stunning historic bookshop based in London. Claiming to be the oldest bookshop in the UK, opening in 1797, Hatchards is the official bookseller to the royal family.
Queen Charlotte was known to be one of their first customers. It was also known to be the favourite bookshop of Oscar Wilde. There is still a table dedicated to his honour even today.
The historic nature of the bookshop is clear as soon as you enter, making it an ideal Dark Academia bookshop. It has old wooden shelves spanning multiple floors, winding staircases, luxurious sofas, and classical old carpets.
Hatchards has a large collection of rare and antiquarian books, alongside its wide stock of fiction and non-fiction books, with a specialisation in history.
Combining class, history, and expertise, this bookshop makes for a perfect Dark Academia spot to visit.
2. Blackwell’s, Oxford
Now, having expanded to a chain across the UK, the flagship store of Blackwell’s started in 1879. It is renowned for being the top supplier of books to the students of the prestigious Oxford University.
This bookshop has a wide range of both new and secondhand books. It is the largest academia and specialist bookshop, making it the perfect Dark Academia bookshop.
No matter how niche the topic you want to learn about, you’re sure to find it at Blackwells.
With years of history and academic prestige behind it, this widely respected bookshop is a top spot for any Dark Academia lover.
3. Sarah Key: The Haunted Bookshop, Cambridge
This ancient, tucked-away bookshop brings the dark to Dark Academia. Only a stone’s throw from Kings College Chapel, this bookshop stocks a range of specialty books.
Oh, and if it wasn’t clear from the name, it’s home to a number of ghosts.
With a number of reports of ghost sightings throughout the years, Sarah Key’s Haunted Bookshop has gained a reputation for being an extremely haunted building. It adds a real atmosphere to the bookshop, having a deeper level of history than already living within the bricks.
Besides the ghosts, this is also a booklover’s paradise. With piles of secondhand books on the shelves, on tables, and even on the floor. It’s the kind of place you could spend hours browsing and still not get bored.
4. Richard Booth’s Bookshop, Hay-on-wye
Picking only one bookshop in Hay-on-Wye was next to impossible. This is due to the number of excellent, historical, and specialist bookshops in the town. However, I finally settled on this absolutely classic bookseller.
Richard Booth is known as the man who turned Hay-on-Wye into what it is today – a small town with an entire identity that hinges on books. With more bookshops than anywhere else in the UK, it is truly a book lover’s paradise.
Head to Richard Booth’s Bookshop to get into the true spirit of Hay-on-Wye. A massive multi-floor bookshop, it’s easy to get lost in amongst the shelves of this historic bookshop.
It stocks not only specialist books and the latest bestsellers but an enormous range of secondhand books across a wide range of genres. It’s a great place to find some rarities, as well as get your hands on some truly historic books.
There are a number of other bookshops in the town that fit the Dark Academia aesthetic, including a poetry bookshop, a crime bookshop, a bookshop hosted in an old cinema, as well as an honesty bookshop in the castle grounds.
Check out my post on Hay-on-Wye to check out the other bookshops in this amazing and unique town.
5. Tombland Bookshop, Norwich
This ancient bookshop sits opposite the stunning Norwich Cathedral, and has been referred to as “The Best Bookshop in East Anglia.” The aesthetic of this stunning bookshop is enough to make any Dark Academic fall in love.
Hosted in a medieval 15th-century building, stepping into this bookshop is like stepping back in time. With exposed wooden beams and low ceilings, this bookshop has a cozy and historic feeling. Tombland Bookshop is certainly an impressive sight.
The bookshop also boasts an impressive collection of antiquarian and second-hand books. With a specialisation in collecting antique books as well as restoration, these are the experts when it comes to historic bookselling.
However, there’s something for everyone here, with Tombland stocking a range of genres and price points. It’s a great and unique addition to the list of Dark Academic bookshops.
6. Gay’s The Word, London
Despite this bookshop perhaps not fitting the traditional Dark Academia aesthetic, I had to include it on this list due to the close relationship between queerness and Dark Academia aesthetics.
While the interiors have been renovated to be relatively modern, this bookshop is another historic one with its status as the oldest gay bookshop in the UK.
This bookshop contains shelves and shelves of queer books, from poetry to queer fiction, to critical theory, to zines, to children books, to books specialisation in every specific identity under the queer umbrella.
A historic highlight of this shop is the collection of vintage queer pins and badges, proudly displayed on the bookshop wall. Lean into the queer element so closely tied to the Dark Academia aesthetic and visit this wonderful and historically important bookshop.
7. Minster Gate Bookshop, York
York is one of the classic Dark Academia style cities in the UK, with its winding old streets and the glorious historic York Minster.
Just up the road from this stunning Cathedral is Minster Gate Bookshop, which finds its home on a street previously known as Bookland Lane and Bookbinder’s Alley. The perfect place it seems!
This bookshop has a cozy, welcoming vibe, with multiple floors and rooms filled with secondhand and antiquarian books. With twisting staircases covered in red carpet and art of historic York covering the walls, the interiors certainly have a Dark Academia vibe to them.
Despite holding a wide range of genres, this bookshop is particularly good for both books on history and books focusing on myths and legends. Both topics being integral to the Dark Academia aesthetic, this is a top spot for any fan to head to.
8. George Bayntun, Bath
Bath is another favourite of Dark Academia lovers, as a stunning historic city with links to the Roman era, as well as a literary history that includes the likes of Jane Austen and Mary Shelley. George Bayntun’s bookshop is another part of that rich history.
Hosted in a large building of classic Bath stone, this bookshop opened originally in 1873. With classic Georgian exteriors, the interiors were renovated in 1938, and little has changed since then.
It’s still home to the same antique furniture, including benches used by the bookbinder – a service that is still available today.
Selling thousands of books, this bookshop has a specialization in antique books, however there is something for everyone to choose from at this stunning, historic bookshop.
9. Armchair Books, Edinburgh
A cozy name to suit a cozy bookshop, Armchair Books only opened up 15 years ago but has become a firm favourite amongst Edinburgh locals, students, and book lovers in that time.
Found in the old West Port area of Edinburgh, a city that was named UNESCO’s first City of Literature, this bookshop boasts a collection of antiquarian treasures, including Victorian illustrated books.
With bookshelves lining the walls from ceiling to floor and stunning Persian rugs covering the floor, Armchair Books has a sense of being from another time.
Besides antiques and secondhand books, it all stocks a range of books on history, poetry, myths, and philosophy – perfect or a Dark Academia bookshop.
10. Sam Read Bookseller, Cumbria
Established in 1887, Sam Read’s is located in Glasmere – a spot with an already rich literary history thanks to the likes of Wordsworth and Coleridge spending time here.
This bookshop has its own literary history to boast, known as the location where EM Forster used to send his letters home.
In a valley deep between the misty, rolling hills of the Lake District, this bookshop couldn’t be in a more romantic and mystical location. Built of historic Cumbrian slate, this bookshop has a cozy and rural feel that reflects the landscape around it.
Here, you’ll find a range of book genres. In particular, it’s a wonderful place to buy poetry, art, and books on natural history, hiking, and rural travel. Perfect for anyone visiting the area, perfect for any Dark Academia lover, and perfect for any Wander A Go Go fan!
Tour the top 10 dark academia bookshops of the UK
There you have it, the top 10 Dark Academia bookshops in the UK. Each of these bookshops is rich with history, academia, and classical beauty. They make for wonderful places to spend time, as well as find some new books for your reading list.
Why not go on a tour to visit these bookshops? All are located in fantastic places, this could make for a fantastic road trip tour in order to get away from it all and visit some new and different places.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great time visiting some of these great bookshops.
Ta-ta for now! x
