Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did William Caxton introduce printing to England?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Morison, Stanley: Times New Roman sample — typography Stanley Morison designed the typeface called Times New Roman.

William Caxton introduced printing to England in 1476 after learning the craft in Cologne between 1471 and 1472.12

Before establishing his press in England, Caxton had been a successful merchant in the Low Countries. He first set up a press in Bruges around 1474, where he printed the first book in the English language, The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, which he had translated himself.12

Encouraged by Edward IV, Caxton returned to England in 1476 and established his press at Westminster. His first dated book printed in England, Dictes and Sayenges of the Phylosophers, was published in 1477. Caxton is primarily significant for his decision to publish in English rather than Latin, which helped standardize the language during a period of flux. Throughout his career, he enjoyed royal patronage from Edward IV, Richard III, and Henry VII.12