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An esoteric guide to visiting LondonBy Feòrag NicBhrìde
(edited by George Knowles).This walk is a circular stroll taking in some of the more interesting shops to be found in central London. Most of the shops are bookshops, some specialising in occult materials, others simply stocking a good range of esoterica. How long it takes depends on how much of a bookshop addict you are - it could be done in a couple of hours, but it wouldn't be much fun (if your like me, it could take most of the day :-) Starting at Tottenham Court Road tube station, take the exit which comes out on the north side of New Oxford Street and the east of Tottenham Court Road. Walk along New Oxford Street until you come to the traffic lights. Cross over Bloomsbury Street before turning left into it. A few yards along at the junction with Streatham Street is "Unsworth, Rice and Coe" - (http://www.unsworths.co.uk/Unsworth). This bookshop specialises in History and Humanities, and has an unusual selection of occult material (found under the heading of religious books). Turn into Streatham Street and turn right then left around Pizza Express. Take the next right into Museum Street, you will be almost opposite the now famous "Atlantis Bookshop" - (http://www.theatlantisbookshop.com/) a specialist in new and second-hand occult material. As well as books across the whole spectrum of esoterica, they also sell a range of Pagan magazines and newsletters, (this is the famous shop that Gerald Gardner and other personalities used to frequent in the 1950's - early 60's, indeed the then proprietor was Michael Houghton, also known as Michael Juste, the guy who published Gerald Gardner's first book, an occult novel called “High Magic’s Aid” in 1949). Since this walk was originally written, a couple of shops have sprung up in this area. The small occult shop on Little Russell Street didn't last too long, but the shop selling Egyptian stuff on Bury Place was still there last time I looked. Turn left outside Atlantis and take the next left into Bloomsbury Way. The Tibet Shop, which sells books, tapes and crafts as well as providing up-to-date information on Tibet-related campaigns used to be here, but has now moved to St. James' Market, Noris Street, near Piccadilly. Further along just beyond Southampton Place is the spectacular Sicilian Avenue. Turn into here and a few shops on the right is "Skoob Books" - (http://www.skoob.com/) a mostly second-hand bookshop which also publishes some unusual occult material. The occult books are tucked away in an obscure corner of the basement. Upon leaving, turn right and then right again into Southampton Row. Cross over High Holborn at the traffic lights and continue down Kingsway. Take the second right into Great Queen Street. There are a couple of Masonic suppliers on the right, and a huge 1930s edifice on the left - this is the Grand Lodge, HQ of the English Freemasons (http://www.grandlodge-england.org/), note the interesting symbolism on the building (I know this place well, I had the honour of being initiated here into my third degree as a 'Master Mason', indeed I still wear on my left hand a silver ring to commemorate my advancement, which I bought from one the shop's on the right). Continue until you reach Endell Street and turn right. Take the next right into Shelton Street, past the London Ecology Centre on the right. The next right brings you into Neal Street and the left after that enters Shorts Gardens. There is a small passage on the right just past Neals Yard Wholefoods which leads into Neals Yard itself. Here you will find "New World Aurora" (http://www.tylwythteg.com/ukpagan.html), purveyors of all things twinkly including: New Age music and Neals Yard Apothecary, who stock every herb and oil you could possibly want. There is also various healing places and self-development centres situated here. Leave Neals Yard by the passage opposite the one you came in by. Turn right and you will find yourself at "Mysteries" (http://www.mysteries.co.uk/) - a huge occult and New Age shop selling books, cards, jewellery, oils, incense and periodicals etc. On leaving, turn left and continue along Monmouth Street until you come to a junction with a monument in the middle. Going widdershins, turn into the second right, Earlham Street. There should be a couple of market stalls here. A few yards on the left is the "Dover Bookshop", publishers of cheap, out-of-copyright books (http://www.doverpublications.com/). Their range includes translations of books such as the Malleus Maleficarum, folklore and mythology and books of old woodcuts and illustrations, including special volumes of mythological creatures and witchcraft images. Turn right out of the shop and go back to the junction. Take the first right and continue down Monmouth Street, Upper St. Martins Lane and St Martins Lane. Eventually you will come to Cecil Court on the right. About half-way along on the left is "Watkins" (http://www.watkinsbooks.com/), a specialist occult bookshop. The ground floor has new books and an impressive range of tarot cards; the basement contains a fascinating selection of second-hand and antiquarian books. Continue along Cecil Court and turn right into Charing Cross Road. About 100m past Leicester Square tube station on the right is "Silver Moon" - (http://www.silvermoonbookshop.co.uk/) a women's bookshop. They have a wide range of women's spirituality and Goddess-related publications in the basement, plus jewellery of goddesses, moons, etc. Some of the other shops on this row are also worth a browse. Unfortunately, this fascinating row of shops is at risk because of excessive capitalist greed. Continuing northwards along Charing Cross Road, you come to a number of huge bookshops. "Books etc." is now called "Borders", and while I haven't found the occult section yet, it is sure to be there and have all sorts of hard-to-get American publications, especially magazines, plus nearly all of the Llewellyn range. "Waterstones" - (http://www.waterstones.co.uk/) has it's occult section on the first floor. "Foyles" - (http://www.foyles.co.uk/), has it's occult material again on the second floor but tucked away in a room shared with mythology and other related topics. They also have a system where you hand your book to a member of staff in the department who gives you a bill. You take this to a pay desk and pay there before retrieving your books (a recent visit suggests that this system is slowly being replaced with something a little more conventional). Turning left out of "Waterstones" or "Foyles", and right out of "Borders", brings you back to Tottenham Court Road station. There is a variation to this walk which involves starting at Waterstones (formerly Dillons) on Gower Street, which is a continuation of Bloomsbury Street. The shop has new occult books on the top floor and a few second-hand books on the floor below. It can be found on the corner of Gower Street, Torrington Place and Malet Street, and the nearest tube is Goodge Street. From here you would walk southwards along Gower Street to reach Unsworth, Rice and Coe. (In addition to the above you can also add a visit to "Treadwells
bookshop" at Enjoy your visit :-)
Source - Feòrag NicBhrìde (Edited by George Knowles)
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