an excursion out into the Cambridge hinterlands yields a Find in the town of Saffron Walden: Lankester Antiques and Books, which is exactly what it says on the tin:
that is to say, a stacked and dangling jumble of curios, oddities and knick-knacks, hemmed in sternly by shelves of books — all seeming to tremble on the cusp of total chaos; and the proprietor buried in among the antique postcards, typewriters and first editions — the solemn center around which all this wonderful, mere anarchy turns.
better still is the fact that the jumble and chaos is contained within such prim, white order on the outside. here is a metaphor for Self, or somesuch…
a historian's craft 
January 31st, 2010 at 12:01 am
Well, it’s changed a bit, but not much; they may have sold one or two books since 1967, but that’s about all.
I was born and brought up in Saffron Walden and during the first year vacation at Library School, in Newcastle upon Tyne, I came home and found a part time summer job, classifying (well, sorting) the incredible number of second hand books in Lankesters shop, which had opened in the historic old Sun Inn on Chuch Street. Even in a town well endowed with such shops, Lankesters, with it’s uniquely historic location (there are said to be links to Oliver Cromwell and the events that led to the trial and execuation of Kings Charles) attracted many visitors, and the rather Victorian, old curiosity shop, ambiance always gave the impression of hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered. How encouraging that it’s still there.
Graham Matthews
Braithwell
South Yorkshire
November 1st, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Hey, I am writing a feature for my uni work on independent bookshops and romantic fictions called “The Importance of being Independent” and I am planning to feature Lankester books, is there any chance I could use your picture of the outside of the building, please?
Many thanks
Alexandra Whittle
November 2nd, 2012 at 8:45 pm
of course – I’d love a photo credit, but you’re free to use it as you wish.
June 2nd, 2013 at 6:35 am
[…] home to Lankester Antiques & Books. I couldn’t find a website but I did find this nice link. The building is famous for being Oliver Cromwell’s headquarters in 1647 and for it’s […]
March 29th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
[…] of this picture, I’ve always had a hankering to check it out. I googled it and found a blog post from 2008 and a flickr image from 2010 — so there’s a chance it’s still alive […]
July 15th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
Sadly, Lankester Books closed late last year (2015), but happily its owner has gone into retirement after selling on the building – a well-deserved retirement after some 50 years of trading. There was, and is, no other shop like it.