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Print's Past: Henry Pepwell

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Henry Pepwell is someone I would like to get to know better yet, despite his seemingly illustrious status, little is known of his life.

Warden of the Stationers Company (1525–1526) and executor of Wynken de Worde, Pepwell was known more as an extensive publisher and bookseller than printer.

Born in Birmingham in the second half of the 15th century, Pepwell moved to London setting up his business in 1518 at the
former house of the stationer Henry Jacobi in St Paul’s Churchyard.

Most of Pepwell’s trade as a bookseller involved the selling of works that had been printed abroad at the expense of merchants or literary men.

The first book he printed was William Neville’s The Castell of Pleasure, which was followed by a further 17 titles by English humanists.

On his death, he was buried in the church of St Faith, beneath St Paul’s; and, as a devote Catholic he bequeathed to the parish of Bermondsey a printed mass book of five shillings for prayers to be said for his soul.

Caroline Archer is a writer and eminent print historian
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