With 80 years’ experience under our belt, the Abbey Bookbindery has bound books for private collectors, major London clubs and publishers, and even the occasional prog rock icon. As huge Genesis fans, we almost needed defibrillators when keyboardist Tony Banks wandered into the bindery one day to pick up the book we had bound for his wife. He was so impressed that Genesis showed it off at one of their concerts (okay, we dreamed that.)

Our books are all handbound using traditional methods and very little modern machinery. Unless you count the kettle, which remains vital to the operation. Over the years we have worked on some very prestigious projects. In 1982, we bound the Order of Service for Pope John Paul II’s visit to Westminster Cathedral. 30 years later, we bound a book celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, which was presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Founded in 1955 by Father Anscar Neilson at St Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, the Abbey Bookbindery has a proud history. Although we’re no longer based at the Abbey, we’re still restoring books with the same level of care, patience, and faint smell of incense. And while Father Anscar is no longer with us, we like to think that he is keeping watch over the bindery, making sure we never forget our roots.

Have a read of our History to find out how we went from monk-run to owned and managed by experienced bookbinder Paul Berry from his home.

Paul Berry, Owner

A qualified bookbinder with over 50 years’ service, Paul Berry joined the bindery as an apprentice in 1973, when he was only sixteen. He attended Guildford College and obtained an Advanced Craft Certificate in Bookbinding with the City and Guilds of London Institute, taking the exam a year early because (not to brag) he was just that good.

Outside of binding, Paul enjoys hiking, theme parks, and prog rock that occasionally sounds like aliens with kitchen utensils. Talking of aliens, Paul is a lifelong Star Trek fan who’s regularly trying to persuade his wife Sandy to watch that instead of Downton Abbey (which he loves as well, but it does lack Borg).

Luckily Paul and Sandy are united in laughter when Fawlty Towers is on, Paul’s favourite sitcom, which he’s been quoting daily for 50 years. So if you’re a German customer, he’ll try not to mention the war. And if you’re a happy customer, he might just say after you leave – “Satisfied customer, we should have him stuffed.”