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• 29 Dec 1940
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• Printing & the Press
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Printing & the Press


In the year 1500, St. Bride's had impressive neighbours. The clergy of the day were not able to afford the high charges of living right in the centre of the medieval city, and in any case they did not need quite the same protection from thieves as did the rich merchants who huddled together for safety. The fear of excommunication was a good burglar insurance. Accordingly, the area around St. Bride's became a centre for the eminent divines who were involved in national life and so had town houses. Salisbury Square, Peterborough Court, Ely Place are among the names which remind one of great episcopal houses in the vicinity. In those days the clergy had almost a monopoly of literacy. They were the printers' best customers. The modern image of Fleet Street was born when it became the scene of transformation of the medieval art and 'mistery' of printing to the most influential industry man has known. And a primary reason for this was the presence of so many parsons.

16th century printing press
Woodcut of 16th century
printing press
William Caxton learnt the recently invented technique of printing in Cologne. He returned to London in 1476 and set up a press by Westminster Abbey. In all, Caxton printed about 100 books, some 20 of which were translated from French or Dutch, on subjects that included history and geography, the lives of saints, fables, and instructional books (for example, on good manners and learning French). His output also included most of the works of Chaucer.

Caxton died in 1491. As a well-to-do cloth merchant, he had not needed to make his press commercially viable. Wynkyn de Worde, his apprentice who acquired that press, was in different circumstances. Having no other income, printing was his livelihood. So he followed commercial principles and took his goods to the buyer.

England's first printing press with moveable type was brought alongside St. Bride's because Churchmen who were literate and therefore their best customers lived here. Wynkyn was buried in St. Bride's in 1535. In his will he left £1 a year to the poor of the parish. Among the printers known to have settled nearby are Richard Pynson, Richard Redman and Thomas Berthelet (who also left £1 to St. Bride's in his will).


Fleet Street Editors in a Choir Stall
Back row - Morning Star, Sunday Sport
Middle row - The Observer, The Sunday Times, The European, The Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, The Guardian
Front row - Sunday Telegraph, The Times, Independent, Daily Mirror, Daily Record, Daily Star
For five hundred years Fleet Street has been the generic word for the Press, and its spiritual heart has been the church of St Bride.