Brilliant Bookshops: The Rocketship Bookshop

20 Jul

Salisbury is a beautiful medieval city, steeped in history. Its cathedral is simply stunning, inside and out, with a towering spire and ornately carved façade, the world’s oldest clock and (according to them!) the best preserved of the four surviving originals of the Magna Carta.

There is history round every corner. The Church of St Thomas a Becket houses one of the most impressive Doom paintings in Britain. Medieval churches were commonly covered in these colourful paintings to guide those who could not read away from sin and this wonderful example, like many others, was hidden below whitewash in 1593 during the Reformation. It was uncovered in 1881 and has been restored a number of times.

The Rocketship Bookshop is found on Bridge Street in the building which was once home to the Everyman Bookshop from the seventies to the early nineties. Spread over three floors, a visit to this shop is a voyage of discovery as one section leads to another! The shop is very child friendly, offering a sense of discovery and welcome for younger readers whilst being a lovely environment for older readers!

Each room has its own feeling, but all offer a wonderfully comfortable atmosphere and plenty of space for browsing and reading- and there is a wonderful selection to choose from.