Yesterday we had a wandering sort-of-day in Central London, with nowhere to be and no-one to see - my perfect way to spend a Saturday. I'm currently reading The House of Mitford by Jonathan and Catherine Guinness (more about this in a future post!) so when we strolled past Heywood Hill Bookshop on Curzon Street I had to take a peek inside.
On the wall outside is the obligatory blue plaque, announcing the fact that Nancy Mitford worked here in the 1940s.
Inside we found a treasure-filled shop, with shelves groaning under the weight of a vast and varied collection of books - some old, many new and some obscure. The House of Mitford describes how Nancy's employment in the shop turned it into a "centre for chatting," where her many friends would congregate - which could prove off-putting to the uninitiated customer. However, on this visit we were left in peace to browse freely and without interruption. With great restraint I managed to leave empty-handed, but I will be back....!
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