Bell House Print Room & Bindery

The Print Room & Bindery was founded by Simon Trewin & Tania Hurt-Newton. It sits in the basement of Bell House, Dulwich, which was built in the 1770s for Thomas Wright (master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and later Lord Mayor of London). Today, Bell House is a vibrant hub offering creative and educational resources for the wider community.

The clatter of vintage presses and the smell of fresh ink echoes the house’s print legacy, but today our mission is resolutely modern:

To rediscover the heritage crafts of  letterpress printing and bookbinding, for a new generation of enthusiasts with the curiosity to be creative using these vintage techniques.

We are proud members of  the Heritage Crafts Association and are supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

WHAT WE OFFER

  • Open Studio on the first Saturday of the month (except January), 11.30 am - 1.00 pm

  • Workshops for all abilities from 16+

  • Collaborative projects working with creatives, educational organisations and galleries

  • Talks, exhibitions and advice for those new to printing and bookbinding

    *Please be advised that the basement is not wheelchair accessible

  • Bespoke workshops can be arranged on request and are suitable for all levels. To enquire, please contact Simon/Tania at [email protected].

OUR TOOLS INCLUDE

  • An 1860s Albion Press

  • A variety of tabletop presses

  • An intaglio press

  • An etching press

  • Over 50 cases of vintage wood  & metal type

  • A well equipped bindery with all the tools of the trade. Everything is made by hand, by eye, and with an enthusiasm for traditional processes

Creative directors, Simon Trewin and Tania Hurt-Newton

Upcoming workshops
Bookbinding: Stab Bound Albums
Jul 11
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Stab Bound Albums
Bookbinding

Join a small, focused group session where Anna will guide you through the process of creating your own hard cover stab-bound A4 album.

£60.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Introductory Lino workshop (evening taster)
Jul 15
Printing
Introductory Lino workshop (evening taster)
Printing

Learn the step-by-step method of linoprinting, a printmaking process used by artists such as Picasso and Matisse.

£50.60 | In-person | Book here

Printing
Suminagashi Taster: An introduction to marbling (evening workshop)
Jul 16
Printing, Art
Suminagashi Taster: An introduction to marbling (evening workshop)
Printing, Art

Join local print-maker Alice Peake for this introductory workshop into the Japanese craft forms of Suminagashi.

£35.60 | In-person | Book here

Printing, Art
Introductory Lino workshop (evening taster)
Jul 30
Printing
Introductory Lino workshop (evening taster)
Printing

Learn the step-by-step method of linoprinting, a printmaking process used by artists such as Picasso and Matisse.

£50.60 | In-person | Book here

Printing
Introduction to Bookbinding Workshop
Sept 11
Bookbinding
Introduction to Bookbinding Workshop
Bookbinding

Come and start the new academic year in our Print Room & Bindery where you’ll take home four books!

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Japanese Stab Binding Workshop
Oct 9
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Japanese Stab Binding Workshop
Bookbinding

A session introducing the art of Japanese stab binding where you will make templates for three soft backed books.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Secret Belgian Binding Workshop
Oct 16
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Secret Belgian Binding Workshop
Bookbinding

A workshop designed to introduce you to an alternative and decorative form of bookbinding known as crisscross binding.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Coptic Binding Workshop
Oct 23
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Coptic Binding Workshop
Bookbinding

Learn the fundamentals of Coptic binding as used by Christians in Egypt (The Copts) as early as the 2nd century.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Case Binding Workshop
Nov 6
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Case Binding Workshop
Bookbinding

Discover how to make a hard cover and casing in for all levels!

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Round Back Case Binding Workshop
Nov 13
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Round Back Case Binding Workshop
Bookbinding

For those with prior bookbinding experience, explore an intermediate level of making a hard cover and casing.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Sewn boards & Drum Leaf Binding (2-Day Workshop)
Nov 20
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Sewn boards & Drum Leaf Binding (2-Day Workshop)
Bookbinding

Learn two modern bookbinding techniques, suited to those with previous bookbinding experience.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Visible Stitches Book Binding Workshop
Dec 4
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Visible Stitches Book Binding Workshop
Bookbinding

A session designed to introduce you to the exposed stitch style of binding that will make great sketch books as they open flat.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Concertina Book with Slip Case Workshop
Dec 11
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Concertina Book with Slip Case Workshop
Bookbinding

Learn the fundamentals of paper grain, bone folding, glueing and making hard covers with book cloth and end papers.

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Accordion Sewn Spine Album Workshop
Dec 18
Bookbinding
Bookbinding: Accordion Sewn Spine Album Workshop
Bookbinding

Make something unique and handcrafted in this workshop which you could gift this Christmas!

£80.60 | In-person | Book here

Bookbinding