Watkins Books, London

Name: Watkins Books
Address: 19 Cecil Court, London, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 20 7836 2182

#1489 among attractions in London

Shopping, Bookshop

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Map

Gallery

Facts and practical information

Watkins Books is London's oldest esoteric bookshop. It specialises in esotericism, mysticism, occultism, oriental religion and contemporary spirituality. The book store was established by John M. Watkins, a friend of Madame Blavatsky, in 1897 at 26 Charing Cross. John Watkins had already been selling books via a catalogue which he began publishing in March 1893. The first biography of Aleister Crowley recounts a story of Crowley making all of the books in Watkins magically disappear and reappear. ()

Alternative names: Coordinates: 51°30'38"N, 0°7'40"W

Address

19 Cecil CourtCity of Westminster (St. James's)London United Kingdom

Contact

+44 20 7836 2182

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London

Day trips

Watkins Books – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: National Gallery, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, Empire.

~690 ftS
Major art from 13th to 19th centuries
National Gallery, London
4 min walk • The National Gallery in London is an emblematic institution that stands as a testament to the city's rich cultural heritage. Located in the heart of the capital, at Trafalgar Square, this renowned museum houses a vast collection of European paintings that span from the...
~730 ftS
Church, Baroque architecture, Georgian architecture
St Martin-in-the-Fields, London
4 min walk • Nestled in the heart of London's bustling Trafalgar Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields stands as an iconic example of Georgian ecclesiastical architecture and a beacon of music and compassionate outreach within the city. This Anglican church, with its striking...
~100 ftNW
Nightlife, Cinema, Restaurant
Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London
1 min walk • The Odeon Luxe Leicester Square is a prominent cinema building in the West End of London. Built in the Art Deco style and completed in 1937, the building has been continually altered in response to developments in cinema technology, and was the first Dolby Cinema in the United Kingdom. The cinema is often used for film premieres.
~590 ftW
Nightlife, Cinema
Empire, London
3 min walk • The Empire, Leicester Square is a cinema currently operated by Cineworld on the north side of Leicester Square, London. The Empire was originally built in 1884 as a variety theatre and was rebuilt for films in the 1920s.
~510 ftSW
Square, Theater, Concerts and shows
Leicester Square, London
3 min walk • Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leicester House, itself named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester.
~560 ftSE
Nightlife
The Harp, London
3 min walk • The Harp is a public house at 47 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4HS. It was The Welsh Harp until 1995, when it was taken over by an Irish woman Binnie Walsh, who subsequently bought the pub. The pub was subsequently sold to Fuller's in 2014.
~560 ftW
Monuments and statues
Statue of Charlie Chaplin, London
3 min walk • The statue of Charlie Chaplin in Leicester Square, London, is a work of 1979 by the sculptor John Doubleday. It portrays the actor, comedian and filmmaker in his best-known role, as The Tramp.
~640 ftNE
Nightlife
Lamb and Flag, London
4 min walk • The Lamb and Flag is a Grade II listed public house at Rose Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2. The building is erroneously said to date back to Tudor times, and to have been a licensed premises since 1623, but in fact dates from the early 18th century. The building became a pub in 1772.
~270 ftN
Nightlife, Dancing, Entertainment district
West End theatre, London
2 min walk • West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London. Along with New York City's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.
~620 ftNW
Nightlife, Cinema
Prince Charles Cinema, London
3 min walk • The Prince Charles Cinema is a repertory cinema located in Leicester Place, 50 yards north of Leicester Square in the West End of London.
~160 ftN
Theater
Wyndham's Theatre, London
1 min walk • Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham. Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Watkins Books?

Nearby attractions include Cecil Court, London (1 min walk), Wyndham's Theatre, London (1 min walk), Noel Coward Theatre, London (1 min walk), Duke of York's Theatre, London (2 min walk).

How to get to Watkins Books by public transport?

The nearest stations to Watkins Books:

Metro

Leicester Square • Lines: Northern, Piccadilly (2 min walk)
Charing Cross • Lines: Bakerloo, Northern (5 min walk)

Bus

Cambridge Circus • Lines: 38, N38 (5 min walk)
Trafalgar Square / Charing Cross Station • Lines: N26 (5 min walk)

Train

Charing Cross (8 min walk)
London Waterloo (22 min walk)

Ferry

Embankment • Lines: Green Tour, Rb1, Rb1X, Rb2, Rb6 (10 min walk)
Festival Pier • Lines: Green Tour (13 min walk)