Brilliant Bookshops: The Book Cupboard

Plymouth is well known as being where Drake masterminded the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. According to popular legend, he played bowls on Plymouth Hoe as the Armada sailed up the Channel. Plymouth is also linked to the Pilgrim Fathers. Persecuted for their puritan beliefs in eastern England, they set sail for the New World on board the Mayflower in 1620. The Mayflower Museum located in the Barbican is fascinating, exploring the area's seafaring history and looking at the Mayflower's 1620 voyage in new ways. It begins with Wampanoag history and culture, thanks to an on-going partnership with members of the Native American tribal nation. Their insights are shared alongside the stories of earlier English voyages to America, which shaped histories and legacies on both sides of the Atlantic. This area is also where the Tolpuddle Martyrs returned to England after years of exile in Australia.

Along the harbourside is a book lovers' paradise! The Book Cupboard is a treasure trove of second hand delights, all housed in a fabulous historic building. The shop used to be the old custom house and survived demolition in 1926 and bomb damage in 1941.

Shelf after shelf of books greet you as you make your way inside and a spiral staircase leads you from the ground floor to the top of the building on the third floor. There are so many books in this shop on many subjects! This is a real old-school bookshop, perfect for those of us who love to browse and discover a cornucopia of reading delights.

The shop also offers a wealth of rare books and staff that are quite happy to ignore you whilst you explore at leisure!

The Book Cupboard,

18 The Parade,

Plymouth PL1 2JW