18 July 2019

Clarendon Press's letterpress story

Clarendon Press, based in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire was established back in 1981 by Pete Roberts, after many years in the printing sector in different locations around the country. His enthusiasm for print keeps him actively involved in the day to day running of the company and he likes nothing better than showing customers round the facilities - especially his two 1955 Heidelberg letterpress machines which are both fully operational and still providing quality products to customers.

The company have opened a subsidiary - Cotswold Letterpress, to promote the old letterpress craft which has become increasingly popular in recent years and enjoys considerable success in the wedding invitation and personal stationery marketplace. This has even led to a number of video clips of the fully running machines with both educational content and live production shots of the machine gold foil blocking!

Pete added, "The industry has come full circle right back to the early days of letterpress and skills I learned in the early 60's have a renewed value today. Who'd have thought! We have motorised an 1880 'Cropper' treadle operated press and put it on show in our window on the High Street. It has a remote control which we operate much to the delight of the passing walkers on the Cotswold Way!"

For further information please see:

http://clarendonpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/whatgoesoninWotton/videos/309477883266926/