Title

Caxton's English Contemporaries

Description

William Caxton was the first of several printers in England in the 15th century: in Westminster, London, Oxford and St Albans. His most famous contemporaries, and those who lasted for longest, were Wynkyn de Worde and Richard Pynson. Wynkyn de Worde worked in Caxton’s Westminster shop from the outset, and took it over after Caxton’s death. He continued to use Caxton’s device, typefaces and woodcuts. Richard Pynson began to print in 1490. Both men printed some of the same texts as Caxton, while also developing in their own ways. Printers who overlapped with Caxton and were active for shorter periods included Theodoric Rood and Thomas Hunt (Oxford), John Lettou, and William de Machlinia. Of these named printers, Thomas Hunt is the only native Englishman apart from Caxton.