Rainforests, Beavers, and Healing on Bodmin Moor

We wrapped up our spring/summer author season at The Bookery with a packed house and an evening that left us all inspired, thoughtful, and just a little bit more in love with the natural world. Our guest was Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, Cornish conservationist, veteran, and author of the powerful memoir Our Oaken Bones. Guiding the conversation with warmth, insight, and a deep understanding of the subject was Nick Bruce-White, CEO of Devon Wildlife Trust. Together, they took us on a journey through … Read more

The Bookery Supports Local Prison Libraries

Recently, as part of our drive to encourage reading within all parts of our surrounding community, The Bookery donated a large number of new books through The Shannon Trust to prison libraries at HMP Channings Wood and HMP Exeter. The books were from a variety of genres and were suitable for people with a wide range of reading abilities. Debbie, Library Manager at HMP Exeter said, “the prisoners are delighted to receive such a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction. … Read more

Love, Grief, Justice, Revenge: Emma Stonex returns to The Bookery

What a night! We were thrilled to welcome the brilliant Emma Stonex back to The Bookery for the launch of her new novel, The Sunshine Man. And as if having one superstar wasn’t enough, our audience got a surprise bonus: Emma’s good friend Melissa Lesage—the talented photographer behind the striking author photo on the inside jacket—was with us in our Link Room. A double bill of talent, right here in Crediton! Back in 2022, Emma joined us to launch The … Read more

Shakespeare on the High Street – Who Knew It Could Be This Much Fun?!

Well, that’s one way to kick off Independent Bookshop Week 2025 — with a bang, a Bard, and a very busy cartoonist! This Saturday, our quiet corner of the High Street transformed into something quite extraordinary as legendary comic book writer, artist, and all-round whirlwind of enthusiasm Kev F Sutherland rolled into town. Armed with a banner, a stack of brilliant graphic novels, and a marker pen moving at supersonic speed, Kev stopped shoppers in their tracks with lightning-fast caricatures … Read more

To Have Or To Hold – Good Question, Sophie!

What a brilliant way to kick off Independent Bookshop Week 2025! We were absolutely delighted to welcome the fabulous Exeter-based science communicator Sophie Pavelle to The Bookery. She was joined in conversation by the equally brilliant Marianna Brown—author, environmental journalist, and friend of the Bookery, having visited us back in March to talk about her book The Shetland Way. This time, Marianna returned to chair a vibrant, fascinating (and occasionally squirm-inducing!) discussion with Sophie about her brand-new book To Have … Read more

Exhibition: Wildflowers of the Mid Devon Hedgerows

The Bookery, is delighted to announce an Exhibition of Wildflowers of the Mid Devon Hedgerows paintings. The exhibition of 12 beautiful watercolour paintings of wildflowers found in the hedgerows around Crediton have been painted by local artist Sandra Chalton. The paintings are available to view in the community events room at The Bookery until the end of July, Monday-Friday 9.30-5pm, or on Saturdays 10am-2pm. Sandra Chalton has very generously offered the paintings on sale as a set with proceeds to … Read more

History That Hurts with Todd Gray

As our winter/spring Afternoon Author series drew to a close, we were privileged to welcome Dr Todd Gray MBE to The Bookery for a thought-provoking session on Writing Challenging History in Devon. Known for his meticulous research and dedication—working twelve-hour days, six days a week—Dr Gray has published over fifty books that explore lesser-known aspects of Devon’s history. Guests were settled with tea and biscuits before Dr Gray provided a trigger warning, acknowledging that some of his material would be … Read more

A Magical Morning with Julia Donaldson!

Hosting the UK’s bestselling author at The Bookery? Wow. Just wow. We had the absolute honour of welcoming Julia Donaldson CBE last weekend, and what an action-packed morning it was— book signings, photos, and a whole lot of happy readers! The excitement was palpable as children eagerly exchanged their Gozzle tokens for a copy of Julia’s latest book before lining up to meet the beloved author herself. Each ticket holder received a copy of Gozzle, which Julia signed – along … Read more

A Full House, Wild Words, and the Future of the Land

On a delightful spring evening at The Bookery, a packed house gathered to welcome conservationist, author, editor, and columnist Patrick Galbraith for a rich and vibrant conversation about land, access, and identity in the British countryside. Just 24 hours earlier, the High Court had ruled in favour of restoring the right to wild camp on Dartmoor — a landmark decision that resonated powerfully throughout the evening’s conversation. It was a timely and deeply thought-provoking event, full of insight, reflection, and … Read more

Folklore, Cake And Conversation

We were delighted to welcome a full house once again for a truly spellbinding evening of folklore and storytelling, embellished by an amazing of themed cake that Alexandra had baked for us to all enjoy! This special event celebrated the rich folkloric traditions of Devon, led by Crediton’s own Mark Norman, author of The Folklore of Devon, in conversation with Alexandra Dawe, author of The Stitchwort Curse and passionate supporter of The Folklore Podcast—which, as we learned, has now surpassed … Read more