Brilliant Bookshops: Scrivener’s Books and Bookbinding, Buxton

Buxton is a thermal spa town, famous for its water, nestled in the centre of the beautiful Peak District, surrounded by the UK’s oldest National Park. Its fame as a spa town dates back to the Romans and the town became popular with those wishing to take the waters, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who suffered badly from rheumatism.

Leaving the town centre and heading for Higher Buxton, you can find many independent shops, including Scrivener’s Books and Bookbinding. This is a cornucopia of book-ish delights, perfect for whiling away hours at a time. In 1997, Alistair Scrivener moved his bookbinding business to the then Victorian shop with living space and transformed the ‘junk-filled building’ into the fantastic treat it is today.

The shop boasts five floors containing over 40,000 books from pre-loved to rare volumes covering a huge range of subjects. Every nook and cranny is full of things to look at with comfy seats at regular intervals, perfect resting spots for looking through the armfuls of books you have gathered. Each room is as full of charm as it is of books!

The cellar still has its butler’s sinks, now displaying books, and there is a small museum which gives a little taste of the shop’s past. I love the way the owners have sought to keep this glimpse of the past alive, adding to the joy of a visit. There is always something new to notice here.

As you enter the shop, there is a traditional bookbinder’s workshop, a fascinating place where you can have books restored or rebound. They also sell a lovely range of miniature book earrings- I couldn’t resist another pair (I still have the ones I bought last time I visited!). Scrivener’s is a wonderfully warm and welcoming space, fascinating and quirky, which is not to be missed!

Scrivener’s Books and Bookbinding,

42 High St,

Buxton SK17 6HB