The First Printing Press in England: William Caxton and the Birth of English Publishing

This episode tells the story of how William Caxton brought the first printing press to England in 1476, changing the course of English language and literature forever. We trace Caxton's journey from merchant in Bruges to pioneering printer at Westminster, his choice of English over Latin or French, and the challenges of standardizing a language with countless dialects. Learn about his landmark publications: 'The Canterbury Tales,' 'Le Morte d'Arthur,' and the first printed English translation of the Bible. We also explore the economics of early printing, censorship under the church, and how Caxton's press laid the groundwork for the Tudor propaganda machine. The episode features Caxton's own famous prologue about 'honest and virtuous clerks' and the spread of literacy in late medieval England. A forgotten story of a businessman, diplomat, and cultural revolutionary who gave England its voice on the page. #WilliamCaxton #PrintingPress #EnglishLanguage #Westminster #Bruges #Incunabula #TheCanterburyTales #LeMortedArthur #ThomasMalory #GeoffreyChaucer #MargaretOfYork #EdwardIV #HistoryOfTheBook #EarlyPrinting #Literacy #MedievalEngland #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo