Telephone box libraries - a gazetteer (NEW PAGE)

Village library & pump at Gawcott in Buckinghamshire

Copyright Philip Jeffrey and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

A new kind of independent library has appeared over the past few years - the telephone box "library" (aka the "book exchange" or the "book swap"). Libraries like this are being created by local communities in otherwise obsolete telephone boxes (usually of the classic "K6" variety - see above). 

Though the AIL's original purpose was to preserve, develop and give access to historic independent libraries, it now also seeks to encourage and support the creation and delivery of new independent libraries. It was appropriate then for us to bring the whereabouts of these new libraries to wider public attention by dedicating this page to as full a listing of examples of the telephone box library phenomenon as possible and to indicate other sources of information about each of the libraries listed.

Perhaps your community has an old telephone box which could be converted into a library!

Telephone box libraries are listed under both their county and their own place name. To enable this listing of the libraries already created to be both up-to-date and comprehensive, the contribution of further examples of telephone box libraries and of other links as well as an indication of dead links and of any libraries no longer operating would be very much appreciated. It would also be useful to have any contact details for those running telephone box libraries. Please contact us at: independent.libraries@gmail.com.

Previous internet listings of telephone box libraries have been published and these have been used as a starting point. The most comprehensive listing and study of the telephone box library in the UK to date has been undertaken by Chris Gilmour and his one hundred libraries (in b below) are given with their appropriate number after an additional G prefix in both the county-by-county gazetteer and the alphabetical index of location. Cross-refer to Chris's list and you will find additional information including a library's earliest known date and the distance from a telephone box library to its nearest public library.

a Chris Gilmour's list of phone box libraries (1)
b Chris Gilmour's list of phone box libraries (2)
c Lesley's Google map of telephone box libraries
d Illandancient's Google map of phone box libraries

1

UK county-by-county gazetteer (last updated 2013-11-08):

Bedfordshire:

• Flitton (flitton&greenfieldpc) G086

Berkshire:

• Ashampstead (jimmourilyan-flickr)

• Bucklebury (bbc;telegraph&argus;heart;thebreeze;newburytoday;southendstandard et al) G078

Buckinghamshire:

• Gawcott (geograph) 

Cambridgeshire: 

• Apethorpe (apethorpe news) G004 

• Boxworth (waymarking;symonreynolds-flickr;geograph) G052

• Coton (kirsty-flickr) G063

• Guilden Morden (simonwebster-flickr;guildenmordenpc;fluidr) G059

• Hemingford Abbots (thetanjarablog)(huntspost24)(julesfoto-flickr) G065 

• Hemingford Grey (houseatnabend)

• Little Shelford (littleshelford;cambridgenews;trevorcairneyblog;rants-n-humour) G007 

• Thornhaugh (waymarking;geograph) G046

• Wood Ditton (newmarketjournal;woodditton-ccan) G042

Cheshire  (chesterchronicle) :

• Cotebrook (northwichguardian;chesterchronicle) G013

• Hatton (warringtonguardian;warringtonworldwide) G011

• Lach Dennis (sicrit-flickr) G064  

Cornwall: 

• Cargreen (flickr) G032 

• Feock (inthek(er)now;facebook) G009

• Kenwyn (thisiscornwall;matthewfox-flickr) G076 [two telephone box libraries]

• Lowertown (thisisthewestcountry)

• Point (bbc;inthek(er)now) G005

County Durham:

• Hutton Magna (teesdalemercury#1;teesdalemercury#2) G043  

Derbyshire: 

• Little Eaton (workplacesregusblog;bbc;littleeatonpc;digitaljournal) G039

• Marston Montgomery (marstonmontgomery) G044

• Netherthorpe (simonmccheung-flickr) G077

• Parwich (parwich)

• Shirley (bbc;xrisglmv14;thisisderbyshire;ashbournenewstelegraph) G018

Devon: 

• Beer (devon24;isisbridge-flickr) G054

• Cotleigh (cotleigh) G096

• Eastleigh (thisiscornwall)

• Kenn (hilarybradt)

• Sheepwash (thisisdevon) G060

• Thurlestone (bbc) 

Dorset:

• Kington Magna (blackmorevale;dorsetlocalnews;bnps;newsuk24)

• Ryme Intrinseca (geograph#1;geograph#2;dorsetlife;yourlocalweb;cathywarne-flickr) G075

East Lothian:

• Athelstaneford (edinburghnews;athelstaneford;mrsmith-blipfoto;urbanghostsmedia; portylightbox)

Essex: 

• Arkesden (xrisglmv14;cambridge-news;saffronwaldenweeklynews) G024   

• Feering (thisistotalessex;waymarking;trevorpowell-flickr) G070

• Felstead (bbc;itv;clerksandcouncils) [two telephone box libraries]

• Galleywood (stuartaxe-flickr)

• Great Sampford (thickcreamydischarge;nicolariley-flickr;sampford community#1;sampfordcommunity#2) G079 

• Henham (thickcreamydischarge;cambridge-news;saffronwaldenweeklynews) G025

• Little Bentley (bcukconvention;trevor powell on flickr;eadt24) G067 

• Wix (harwichandmanningtreestandard;bcukconvention) G069 

Gloucestershire (thecreativenomad) : 

• Box (bbc;thisisgloucestershire) G021

• Chedworth (rangerstuff;swns;stephenbear-flickr;chedworthsociety;davidd-flickr) G028

• Halmore (geograph;garethwilliams-flickr) G047

• Little Rissington (purseypig-flickr) G038

• Paxford (eveshamjournal;thisisgloucestershire)

• Sheepscombe (stroudnewsandjournal)

• Tockington G091

Hampshire: 

• Barton Stacey (bookcrossing;johnspooner-flickr;thickcreamydischarge) G066

• Candover Valley (candovervalley)

• Ellisfield

• Emery Down (emerydownphonebox;bbc) G045

• Longstock (kathryndawson;bookcrossing) G072

• Minstead (johnp)

• Redenham

• Thruxton (thisishampshire) G008

• Upper Clatford (bookcrossing;upperclatfordpc) G100

Herefordshire: 

• Llangrove (llangrove) G088
  

Hertfordshire: 

• Kimpton (bookcrossing)

• Little Hadham (thickcreamydischarge;awesomelovelies-flickr) G037 

Kent:  

• Bodsham (kentonline) G068

• Cowden (thickcreamydischarge) G057

• East Langdon (thisiskent) 

Leicestershire: 

• Burton Overy (lutterworthmail) G083

• Cotesbach (dreamwall1;iamintothis) G061

• Sibson

• South Kilworth (southkilworth) G095 

Lincolnshire: 

• Ashby-cum-Fenby (thisisgrimsby)

• Brattleby (brattlebypc) G089

• Goxhill (bbc) G049

• Ingham G087

• Little Hale (sleafordstandard) 

Norfolk: 

• Bawdeswell (oswaldrepents)

• Great Snoring (edp24) 

Northamptonshire:

• Moulton (moultonpc;panoramio) G094

• Northampton (northamptonchronicle)

• Pitsford (pitsfordvillage) [added 2013-10-23]

• Rushton G093 

Nottinghamshire: 

• Caythorpe (walkingbritain) G041

• East Bridgford (newarkadvertiser) G081

• Lambley

• Tollerton (nottinghampost) G016

• Woodborough (dumbles;nottinghampost) G020 

Oxfordshire:

• Kingston Winslow

• Long Wittenham (longwittenham1;longwittenham2) G084 

Pembrokeshire: 

• Brynberian (xrisglmv14;touristvstraveller) G027 

Perth & Kinross: 

• Kinnesswood (lindamellor-flickr) G031 

Shropshire: 

• Coreley (shropshirestar) 

Somerset:

• Blagdon (bbc)(blagdon)(create-signs) G014

• Burnett (comptondandopc) G098

• Burrow Bridge

• Carlingcott (peasedownstjohnpc) G097

• Charlton Musgrove (charltonmusgrove) G099

• Coxley (thisissomerset;highbeamresearch) G012

• Dinder (wellspeople) G015

• East Horrington (highbeamresearch) G035  [see also West Horrington]

• Haybridge (xrisglmv14) G023

• North Cadbury (thisissomerset)

• Oake (somersetcountygazette) G085

• Polsham (highbeamresearch) G026

• Rode [added 2013-11-08]

• Saltford

• Shipham

• Stanton Wick (colinsharples-flickr) G034

• Staplehay (thisisthewestcountry;xrisglmv14;somersetcountygazette) G010

• Stratton-on-the-Fosse (thisissomerset) [added 2013-10-23]

• Timsbury (timsbury;highbeam) G017

• Trudoxhill (trudoxhillpc) G092

• Ubley

• West Monkton (westmonkton) G074

• West Horrington (highbeamresearch) G035  [see also East Horrington]

• Westbury-sub-Mendip (dailymail;bbc;thisissomerset;guardian;collaborate;inhabitat; 24dash) G001

• Wiveliscombe

• Yatton (westonworle&somersetmercury) 

Suffolk:

• Burrough Green (newmarketjournal)

• Burrowbridge (thisisthewestcountry)

• Cowlinge (xrisglmv14;thethreetunspub) G019

• East Bergholt

• Great Livermere (eddieolliffe) G053

• Nayland

• Preston St Mary (richiewisbey-flickr;simonbarnett-flickr) G056

• St Cross South Elmham (richiewisbey-flickr) G051

• St Margaret South Elmham (easterndailypress;themirror) G002

• Thurston

• Ufford (bbc) 

Surrey: 

• Horsley (bbc;thisissurreytoday) G006 

Sussex: 

• Fairwarp (twitter) 

Torfaen: 

• Coed-y-Paen (southwalesargus) G022 

Vale of Glamorgan: 

• Michaelston-le-Pit (penarthramblers) 

Warwickshire: 

• Deppers Bridge (leamingtoncourier) G082 

Wiltshire: 

• Brinkworth (swindonadvertiser) G030

• East Dean G055

• Great Hinton (glennphillips-flickr;geocaching) G071

• Heddington (thickcreamydischarge)

• Lea (northwilts-communityweb) G090

• Limpley Stoke (ian-flickr;thisisbath) G048

• Marsden (riazalicharlie-pepper-too/)

• Milbourne

• Tisbury (tisbiz) G073 

Worcestershire: 

• Belbroughton (express☆belbroughton;markwilson-flickr) G029

• Clent (chicagopubliclibrary) [added 2013-10-23]

• Great Comberton (wikipedia;mrsminion-flickr) G058 

Wrexham: 

• Pen-y-cae (theleader) G050 

Yorkshire, East Riding: 

• Burton Fleming (smallmotorhome) G036    

Yorkshire, North: 

• Alne (alne)

• Colton (geograph) G062

• High Hutton (moorscoastsandhills;huttonsambovillage) G080

• Marton-cum-Grafton (downyourway;bbc;york press) G003

• Thorganby (bbc;arssoul-flickr) G033

• Wighill (leedsbookclub;alexbcann-twicsy) 

Yorkshire, South: 

• Thorpe Salvin (christine hall on flickr) G040

• Todwick (todwick 1;todwick 2;todwick 3) 

Yorkshire, West: 

• Booth (hebdenbridgetimes;pinterest)

2

UK Alphabetical by place

Alne Yorkshire, North

Apethorpe Cambridgeshire G004

Arkesden Essex G024

Ashampstead Berkshire

Ashby-cum-Fenby Lincolnshire
Athelstaneford East Lothian

Barton Stacey Hampshire G066

Bawdeswell Norfolk

Beer Devon G054

Belbroughton Worcestershire G029

Blagdon Somerset G014

Bodsham Kent G068

Booth Yorkshire, West

Box Gloucestershire G021

Boxworth Cambridgeshire G052

Brattleby Lincolnshire G089

Brinkworth Wiltshire G030

Brynberian Pembrokeshire G027

Bucklebury Berkshire G078

Burnett Somerset G098

Burrough Green Suffolk

Burrow Bridge Somerset

Burrowbridge Suffolk

Burton Fleming Yorkshire, East Riding G036

Burton Overy Leicestershire G083

Candover Valley Hampshire

Cargreen Cornwall G032

Carlingcott Somerset G097

Caythorpe Nottinghamshire G041

Charlton Musgrove Somerset G099

Chedworth Gloucestershire G028

Clent Worcestershire
Coed-y-Paen Torfaen G022

Colton Yorkshire, North G062

Coreley Shropshire

Cotebrook Cheshire G013

Cotesbach Leicestershire G061

Cotleigh Devon G096

Coton Cambridgeshire G063

Cowden Kent G057

Cowlinge Suffolk G019

Coxley Somerset G012

Deppers Bridge Warwickshire G082

Dinder Somerset G015

East Bergholt Suffolk

East Bridgford Nottinghamshire G081

East Dean Wiltshire G055

East Horrington Somerset G035
East Langdon Kent

Eastleigh Devon

Ellisfield Hampshire

Emery Down Hampshire G045

Fairwarp Sussex

Feering Essex G070

Felstead Essex [two telephone box libraries]

Feock Cornwall G009

Flitton Bedfordshire G086

Galleywood Essex
Gawcott Buckinghamshire

Goxhill Lincolnshire G049

Great Comberton Worcestershire G058

Great Hinton Wiltshire G071

Great Livermere Suffolk G053

Great Sampford Essex G079

Great Snoring Norfolk

Guilden Morden Cambridgeshire G059

Halmore Gloucestershire G047

Hatton Cheshire G011

Haybridge Somerset G023

Hemingford Abbots Cambridgeshire G065

Hemingford Grey Cambridgeshire

Henham Essex G025

High Hutton Yorkshire, North G080

Horsley Surrey G006

Hutton Magna County Durham G043

Ingham Lincolnshire G087

Kenn Devon

Kenwyn Cornwall G076

Kimpton Hertfordshire

Kingston Winslow Oxfordshire

Kington Magna Dorset

Kinnesswood Perth & Kinross G031

Lach Dennis Cheshire G064

Lambley Nottinghamshire

Lea Wiltshire G090

Limpley Stoke Wiltshire G048

Little Bentley Essex G067

Little Eaton Derbyshire G039

Little Hadham Hertfordshire G037

Little Hale Lincolnshire

Little Rissington Gloucestershire G038

Little Shelford Cambridgeshire G007

Llangrove Herefordshire G088

Long Wittenham Oxfordshire G084

Longstock Hampshire G072

Lowertown Cornwall

Marsden Wiltshire

Marston Montgomery Derbyshire G044

Marton-cum-Grafton Yorkshire, North G003

Michaelston-le-Pit Vale of Glamorgan

Milbourne Wiltshire

Minstead Hampshire

Moulton Northamptonshire G094

Nayland Suffolk

Netherthorpe Derbyshire G077

North Cadbury Somerset

Northampton Northamptonshire
Oake Somerset G085

Parwich Derbyshire

Paxford Gloucestershire

Pen-y-cae Wrexham G050

Pitsford Northamptonshire
Point Cornwall G005

Polsham Somerset G026

Preston St Mary Suffolk G056

Redenham Hampshire

Rode Somerset
Rushton Northamptonshire G093

Ryme Intrinseca Dorset G075

St Cross South Elmham Suffolk G051

St Margaret South Elmham Suffolk G002

Saltford Somerset

Sheepscombe Gloucestershire

Sheepwash Devon G060

Shipham Somerset

Shirley Derbyshire G018

Sibson Leicestershire

South Kilworth Leicestershire G095

Stanton Wick Somerset G034

Staplehay Somerset G010

Stratton-on-the-Fosse Somerset
Thorganby Yorkshire, North G033

Thornhaugh Cambridgeshire G046

Thorpe Salvin Yorkshire, South G040

Thurlestone Devon

Thurston Suffolk

Thruxton Hampshire G008

Timsbury Somerset G017

Tisbury Wiltshire G073

Tockington Gloucestershire G091

Todwick Yorkshire, South

Tollerton Nottinghamshire G016

Trudoxhill Somerset G092

Ubley Somerset

Ufford Suffolk

Upper Clatford Hampshire G100

West Horrington Somerset G035
West Monkton Somerset G074

Westbury-sub-Mendip Somerset G001

Wighill Yorkshire, North

Wiveliscombe Somerset

Wix Essex G069

Woodborough Nottinghamshire G020

Wood Ditton Cambridgeshire G042
Yatton Somerset