The Book Market 2025
The fifth annual Book Market - Exeter City of Literature’s celebration of Devon’s thriving literary scene - took place on Sunday 8th June 2025!
Bookshops and Vendors
Bookbag (Exeter) | Design For Today (Topsham) | First Draft Books (Bovey Tracey) | Gnash Comics (Ashburton) | Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) | Maria’s Books (Exeter) | Liznojan (Tiverton) | Seven Fables (Dulverton) | The Bookery (Crediton) | The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) | The Mint Press (Exeter) | The Old Queeriosity Shop (Plymouth) | Book on a Hook (Exeter) | Celandine Books (Wiveliscombe) | Inky Fingers (Exeter) | EmmaHen Designs (Exeter)
Food and Drink
Cake or Death | Sloe Bakery | Naturally Bread | Pesto | Taste of the Wild Pizza
The Author Tent
11:30am - 12:15pm | Sophie Pavelle & Fiona Williams
Symbiosis and Story: Sophie Pavelle and Fiona Williams discuss how place and landscape shapes their writing in very different ways, and the power it has on both fact and fiction.
12:30pm - 1:15pm | Jo Neary & Rosalie Minnitt
It's A Funny Story: Join comedians Jo Neary and Rosalie Minnitt as they explore the relationship between stand-up and storytelling, and how comedy helps us create characters and connect.
1:30pm - 2:15pm | Sarah Underwood & Morgan Greensmith
The Path to the Page - Mythos and Identity: TBA
2:30pm - 3:15pm | Aaliyah Kara & Arun Sood
Verse and Vision: Arun Sood and Aaliyah Kara share their perspectives on poetry, place, and multidisciplinary practice, exploring how the form of creative work is shaped by experience.
3:30pm - 4pm | Leslie Leggett & Erin Allgrove
Books to Bookshops – New Adventures in Devon: Leslie Leggett (First Draft Books) and Erin Allgrove (Langrove Publishing) discuss the joys and challenges of starting new bookshops and publishing projects rooted in community, creativity, and the South West.
Also at The Book Market
11am - 4pm | Jackie Morris - Seven Fables Stall
Beloved artist, writer, and picture book creator Jackie Morris joins Seven Fables Dulverton at their bookshop stall at the Book Market all day!
Free Literary Activities
When you’re not busy in the Author Tent or browsing the independent bookshops, why not take part in one of the many free activities that are taking place at The Book Market! Highlights of the free activities on offer are:
VR Story Swing Sets - Climb aboard a playground swing or a wheelchair accessible swing, don a VR headset, and take flight in one of four award-winning Leonardo da Vinci virtual flying machines.
Bibliotherapy Taster Sessions - A chance to chat about your reading and wellbeing journey whilst receiving tailormade reading recommendations.
The Pelican Press Wheelchair Printing Press - This beautiful handmade printing press incorporates the weight of a wheelchair as the main printing element, making creativity accessible.
Additional activities include: The chance to get creative with Exeter Cathedral’s Riddler in Residence Bernadette Russell, try out a typewriter courtesy of Francis Kay Vintage, wordy-themed face & body paint from Sparkly Sonia, memoir writing drop in sessions with Raw Writing and a unique short story dispensing Literary Dream Machine.
The historic Devon and Exeter Institution library will also be hosting an array of activities during The Book Market. They’ll be hosting a second hand book sale in their beautiful library space and a quiet reading zone in their conservatory and garden, the Devonshire Association will be in Green Room to share a mystery book and tell you about their work, and our Bibliotherapy Taster Sessions will be taking place in the Blue Room at this beautiful historic site!
Read The Book Market volunteer Catherine Hurcombe’s perspective of the day in this blog for Exeter Culture!
Ysella Sims takes Exeter Culture on a tour of the Exeter City of Literature Book Market as part of June Boom.
The Book Market 2024
The Book Market returned to Exeter Cathedral on Sunday 9th June - Exeter City of Literature hosted a dedicated authors tent for the first time, inviting writers with local literary ties for a series of live talks, panels, and discussions.
Bookshops and Vendors
Bookbag (Exeter) | Design For Today (Topsham) | EmmaHen Designs (Exeter) | First Draft Books (Bovey Tracey) | Gnash Comics (Ashburton) | Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) | Oxfam Books & Music Exeter (Exeter) | Seven Fables (Dulverton) | The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) | The Old Queeriosity Shop (Plymouth) | Maria Scrivens (Exeter) | Mint Press (Exeter) | Book on a Hook (Exeter) | Celandine Books (Wiveliscombe) | Inky Fingers (Exeter) | Exeter Cathedral (Exeter) | Exeter Library (Exeter)
Authors
Abdulla Moaswes, Anne Le Brocq, D-M Withers, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Fiona Williams, Joey Hulin, Josie Long, Lucy Holland, Sarah Pearse.
Activities
Bibliotherapy Taster Sessions, Bookish Badge Making, City Reads Voting Booth, Comic Illustration Workshop, Crafts With Exeter Library, Devon & Exeter Institution Tours, Face & Body Painting, Haiku Writing Competition, Literary Dream Machine, Memoir Writing Sessions, Pelican Press Wheelchair Press, Roving Riddler In Residence, Try Out A Vintage Typewriter.
Food & Drink
Cake or Death, Naturally Bread, Roots Devon, Ten Fifty Cafe, The Dinosaur Cafe.
Thank you to the following organisations for sponsoring The Book Market 2024
Special thanks to Stormpress for supporting Exeter City of Literature and The Book Market
The Book Market 2023
On 16th July we welcomed a whole host of Devon’s finest purveyors of wordy delights to Exeter Cathedral for a day of book shopping and FREE literary activities!
Bookshops and Booksellers: Bookbag (Exeter) : Dogberry & Finch Books (Okehampton) : Gnash Comics (Ashburton) : Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) : Oxfam Books & Music (Exeter) : Sanctuary Bookshop (Lyme Regis) : Stevens Books & The Mint Press (Exeter) : The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) : The Old Queeriosity Shop (Plymouth)
Food and Drink: Ten Fifty at Exeter Cathedral (Exeter) : Daily Bowl (Exeter) : How On Earth Deli (Exeter) : Cake or Death (Exeter)
Bookish Activities: Bibliotherapy Taster Sessions (Exeter) Pulp2 (Exeter) : Plymouth Book Co-Op (Plymouth) : Francis Kay Vintage (Exeter) : Circle Tales (Exeter) : The Pelican Press by The Pelican Project & Positive Light Projects (Exeter) : Sparkly Sonia Face Painting (Exeter)
The Book Market 2022
On Sunday 20 November, the Book Market returned! This time at Positive Light Projects, the indoor market featured 10 independent bookshops, illustration activities, and gorgeous food and drink.
Bookshops and Booksellers: Bookbag (Exeter) — Fieldfare Birds & Natural History Books (Sidmouth) — Gnash Comics (Ashburton) — Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) — Harbour Bookshop (Kingsbridge) — Liznojan (Tiverton) — Oxfam Books & Music (Exeter) — Sanctuary Bookshop (Lyme Regis) — The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) — Megan Stallworthy Hand Bound Books (Wiveliscombe) — Stevensbooks & The Mint Press (Exeter)
Bookish Activities: Author and illustrator Bethan Welby illustration workshops — drop-in bibliotherapy — Francis Kay Vintage typewriters
Food & Drink: South West Coffee Co. — Cake or Death — How On Earth — Rip & Dip Bagels
We were delighted to see so many book lovers, sellers and budding typewriter authors at our second book market.
A big thank you to everyone who attended!
The Book Market 2021
On 20th June 2021, Powderham Castle and Exeter City of Literature hosted a brand-new Book Market in the Castle grounds, featuring a plethora of independent booksellers and literary arts groups from across the county. Thirteen bookshops and booksellers filled the atmospheric Old Riding School barn, alongside local food and drink vendors, The Novel Cure bibliotherapy, Inky Fingers notebooks, CircleTales board games, a vintage typewriter station, and a Reading Nook.
Bookshops and Booksellers: Bookbag (Exeter) | The Bookery (Crediton) | Dogberry & Finch Books (Okehampton) | Fieldfare Books (Sidmouth) | Gnash Comics (Ashburton) | Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) | Harbour Bookshop (Kingsbridge) | Liznojan (Tiverton) | Oxfam Bookshop (Exeter) | Sanctuary Bookshop (Lyme Regis) | Stevensbooks & The Mint Press (Exeter) | The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) | Winstone’s (Sidmouth)
Arts & Literary Activities: CircleTales (Exeter) | Francis Kay Vintage (Exeter) | Inky Fingers Printshop (Exeter) | The Novel Cure Bibliotherapy (Somerset)
Food & Drink: Good Game | Authentic Thai | Cake or Death | Yarde Farm Ice Cream | Frobishers | Shepherd’s Hut Cafe
