Hay-on-Wye has rightly earned its nickname as the 'town of books'. In this small town of just over 2,000 residents, I counted 14 bookshops open to the general public, plus a couple of trade bookshops and bookbinders.
With so many to choose from, even avid bookworms might be overwhelmed. That's why I've put together this ultimate guide and map of bookshops in Hay as a starting point to inspire your day exploring the town.
But it's not just about the books, there's plenty more to see and do in the town as you'll find in my full guide to Hay-on-Wye.
Map
Here is an interactive map of my favourite bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
Best Bookshops in Hay-on-Wye
1. Richards Booths Bookshop
Richard Booth was one of the most famous names in Hay-on-Wye who helped the town become a success. It was he who declared Hay-on-Wye the "Town of Books" in 1962 and he was the self-proclaimed ‘King of Hay’.
He once owned many bookshops in the town, including one in Hay Castle, but at the time of his death in 2019, Richard Booth's Bookshop was his last one so I had to include it as one of Hay’s best bookshops.
The three-floored building is very tidy and unchaotic compared to Hay's other bookshops. It best resembles what you'd expect a modern-day bookshop to look like.
Richard Booth's Bookshop sells new, second-hand, and antiquarian books. There's a wide selection of genres, including literary fiction, culture and politics, fashion, photography, art and design, science, art, music, and theology.
The bookshop also has a well-stocked children's section and a selection of gifts for book lovers.
Address: 44 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5AA
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 9:30-17:30, Sun: 11:00-17:00
2. Murder and Mayhem
Murder and Mayhem is easily one of the most unique Hay-on-Wye booksellers. Not only are the genres right up my street, but the decor is very on-brand with creative artwork and displays along the theme of crime and detectives. Even if you don't like the genre, go for a browse here.
As the name suggests, they specialise in detective fiction, true crime, ghost stories, and horror. Pretty much anything for intruged minds.
From your Agatha Christie to your Sherlock Holmes, this little shop has everything you need to get your heart racing, your mind racing, and your skin crawling.
With an entire shop dedicated to a few genres (albeit quite small), there's an excellent selection to choose from, especially the crime and horror sections. They also have several shelves of Penguin crime classics.
Address: 5 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5AA
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 10:00-5:30, Sun: Closed
3. Hay Castle Bookshop, also known as the Honesty Bookshop
The Honesty Bookshop in the grounds of Hay Castle is THE CUTEST bookshop in Hay. To find it, just head through the main gateway towards Hay Castle and glance back to see the shelves against the castle walls.
This is an honesty bookshop, so there is no cashier. Instead, it relies on goodwill. Each book is £1, just pop the money into the honesty box next to the shelves. You’ll need to ensure you have the correct change though.
Given that it’s outdoors and unmanned, the Hay Castle Bookshop is open 24 hours a day.
The downside to this bookstore is that it’s very disorganised. There is fiction and non-fiction from all sorts of genres mixed in together, so if you’re looking for something in particular it’s not great. But if you’re looking for a cure photo spot, this really is the one.
Address: Hay Castle (Castle Street Entrance)
Opening Times: 24/7
4. Addyman Books
Addyman Books is one of the oldest bookshops in Hay, established back in 1983. The building on Lion Street occupies 9 rooms and 3 corridors, all with floor to ceiling bookshelving. It feels chaotic yet is very well organised and easy to navigate.
The shop stocks a wide selection of genres, ranging from art and architecture to sports and mountaineering. I’m a fan of their weirder fantasy genres such as vampire fiction and myths and legends.
They also have another bookshop called the Addeyman Annex which I’ve included below.
Look out for the super cute ‘Book Passage’ next to the shop, this is an old alleyway that has been converted into a mini bookshop where all books are £1. What else would you expect from the town of books?!
Address: 39 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5AA
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 10:00-17:00, Sun: Closed
5. Hay Cinema Bookshop (and Francis Edwards)
Hay Cinema Bookshop (named because it’s housed in an old cinema) is easily the largest bookseller I visited in Hay, housing over 200,000 books.
The collection includes new and second-hand books across every genre you could want. But don’t worry, everything is superbly organised so you won’t have a problem finding something you like, the prices are affordable too.
I'm a big fan of travel books and Hay Cinema Bookshop did not disappoint on this front with a huge collection on the first floor.
Their website states that they also have an outdoor book collection although this was not there during my visit so must be only during summer or the Hay Festival.
On the top floor is Francis Edwards, a bookseller dedicated to buying and selling antique books. They specialise in the genres of Travel, Natural History, Art & Architecture, History, Naval & Military, Literature and the Social Sciences.
Address: Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DF
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 9:00-18:00, Sun: 10:00-17:30
6. Mostly Maps
I wanted to include some variety in my list of the best bookshops which is why Mostly Maps is in here. As the name suggests, this isn’t a typical bookshop but mostly sells fine, rare and unusual antique maps and prints, both in their physical shop in the centre of Hay and online.
The maps are typically from the local area or elsewhere in the UK, including some of John Speed’s renowned maps. You’ll find them dating back as far as the 16th century.
I didn’t buy anything here as it’s not something I would typically own, but I did enjoy looking at the maps and the owners seemed happy for people to wander around.
Address: 2 Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DF
Opening Times: Tues-Sat: 10:00-17:00, Sun-Mon: Closed
7. The Children's Bookshop
Most of Hay-on-Wye’s bookshops have a section for children, but if you’re only looking for an extensive range of books for kids, consider visiting the dedicated children's bookseller; The Children’s Bookshop.
Unlike the other booksellers in Hay, it's a few minutes drive from the centre of town - but it's worth it! The shop itself is housed in a small cottage so it feels somewhat like you're entering a fairytale.
Inside, you’ll find more than 20,000 books across every genre of children's books from fairy tales to poetry, from Lewis Carroll to Enid Blyton.
They specialise in second hand, ranging from popular books starting at just £1 up to incredibly rare books that will set you back a small fortune.
Address: Toll Cottage, Pontvaen, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EW
Opening Times: Tues-Sat: 10:30-17:30, Sun-Mon: Closed
8. The Poetry Bookshop
The Poetry Bookshop is the largest bookshop in Wales dedicated to buying and selling second-hand and antiquarian poetry. They sell both English and Welsh books across a range of poetry genres from love and humour to war and old English.
They also host poetry readings and book launches, plus they also now sell poetry prints too.
nfortunately, it wasn't open when I visited but I love the concept and it's definitely high on my bucket list for my next trip to Hay.
Address: The Pavement, Cranbourne House, Lion St, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5BU
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 11:00-17:00
Full List of Hay-on-Wye Bookshops
Those are my favourite booksellers to check out, but everyone has different tastes so here is a full list of bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
Green Ink Booksellers
Green Ink Booksellers is one of the newer second hand bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
They sell a variety of books, including literature, history, philosophy, modern fiction, art, and children's books. Although only small, their books are chosen with care and attention to detail.
As well as selling books, they also offer a book-buying service (book an appointment for this). If you have a specific title in mind, their book search service can help located it.
Address: Grove House, Hay-on-Wye, via Hereford, HR3 5AE
Opening Times: Everyday 10:00-17:00
Haystacks Music and More
Haystacks Music and More is a shop dedicated to music. You’ll find books about music as well as a huge collection of new and used vinyl records and CDs.
There is no end to the music genres on offer, from rock and punk to blues and pop, there’s something for everyone.
Address: Backfold, Hay-on-Wye, via Hereford, HR3 5EQ
Opening Times: Everyday: 9:00-16:30
Hay-on-Wye Booksellers
This originally-named Hay-on-Wye Booksellers is found right in the heart of Hay, in the iconic black and white building near Hay Castle. They are one of the older booksellers in the historic town which you can tell from the dated decor that's like stepping into an old library.
They have a diverse collection of fiction and non-fiction, ranging from the latest bestsellers to rare, antique, and hard-to-find editions spanning all genres.
Address: 13/14 High Town, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5AE
Opening Times: Everyday: 11:00-16:00
North Books
One of Hay’s newest bookshops is North Books which specialises in fiction.
It’s interior is bright and airy, a stark contrast to many of the older bookstores in town.
Genres here include contemporary women's voices, fantasy, young adult, and a collection of Welsh literature.
Address: 4 Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DF
Opening Times: Mon/Weds-Sat: 10:00-17:00, Tues: Closed, Sun: 11:00-15:00
C. Arden Bookseller
C.Arden is a bookstore that focuses on buying and selling books in the genres of natural history, gardening, beekeeping, and botany. This includes the famous Collins' New Naturalist series.
They sell new, out-of-print, and rare books, and have a subscription service for all forthcoming New Naturalist titles.
Address: The Nursery, Forest Road, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DT
Opening Times: Mon-Fri: 9:30-17:00, Sat: 9:30-Midday, Sun: Closed
Clock Tower Books
Clock Tower Books is another broad-genre bookshop in Hay. They have a collection of new, used, and antique books, but mostly specialise in mostly rare or unusual books.
Their collection includes crime & science fiction, classic fiction, poetry, art, architecture and industry, natural history, beekeeping and country life, military books, travel, and children’s books.
Address: 5 Market Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EA
Opening Times: Everyday (excluding Tues): 11:00-16:00, Tues: 10:00-17:00
Addyman Annexe
The Addyman Annexe is an extension of the existing Addymans bookshop and is located just around the corner.
The collection is largely similar to the main branch, covering a wide range of genres including modern firsts, signed books, military, history, women's, hardback and paperback fiction, poetry, topography and travel, OS maps, natural history, science, medicine, children's literature, philosophy, classics, theology, food and drink and gardening.
They also have a collection of Antiquarian and Leather Bound books which the original store does not have.
Address: 27 Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DF
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 10:00-17:30, Sun: 10:30-17:30
Published: 26 April 2023 · Last updated: 16 January 2024