The History of Print in Oxford and Why It Still Matters
Oxford isn’t just about dreaming spires and world-class thinking. Did you know it’s also a city built on ink? It’s home to one of the oldest printing traditions in the country. Oxford has shaped how ideas, stories and information have travelled through time. And while the digital age charges forward, print is far from done here. In fact, it’s thriving in new ways.
Oxford’s print story began in 1478, just after printing arrived in England. Theodoric Rood, a printer from Cologne, set up the first press. By 1586, the University of Oxford had legal rights to print books, laying the groundwork for Oxford University Press. Since then, Oxford has helped spread knowledge worldwide from theology to the Oxford English Dictionary.