Castle Hill Press

Finely produced editions of important original texts

Our aim at Castle Hill Press is to publish high-quality editions of important literary and historical texts that a trade publisher might not find commercially viable. In principle, we aim to publish one or two volumes a year.

In recent years general publishing has focused ever more strongly on profits - in an increasingly competitive environment. This has affected both editorial and production standards. Published texts are frequently marred by poor copy-editing. Electronic typesetting - which provides almost unlimited scope for fine typography - is simply used to reduce costs. To improve profit margins, publishers are constantly tempted to spend less on paper and binding. Even the great university presses, which should be the natural outlet for important non-commercial texts and the bastions of high-quality book production, have been afflicted by the drive for cost savings - if not profits.

At the other end of the scale, the private-press movement is flourishing; but its strength lies in small, short-run illustrated books. The results are a pleasure to handle and own; yet, in this environment, text has become secondary - in large quantities, a handicap. When working with text, only the most dedicated letterpress printers can achieve results that bear comparison with the best electronic typesetting and offset printing. If the aim is to publish long and important texts in editions that are beautifully typeset and printed - and to do so at a price anyone can afford to pay - then letterpress is no longer a viable solution.

We hand-typeset Castle Hill Press editions on a computer in-house, paying attention to every line, paragraph and page. The setting is then printed by quality-conscious printers on acid-free papers and bound to high standards in strong traditional sewn bindings.

The cost of preparing the text for our editions is usually high - we are not just reprinting established texts of literary classics. The Letters series editions in particular involve extensive and costly research. As a result, our books could not be cheap - and that in turn affects the size of our potential market. Most of our current publications are produced in editions of between 225 and 475 copies.

Short-run high-quality book production is expensive, but our overheads are lower than those of a city-centre trade publisher. That is why we are able to publish scholarly fine-press editions at prices that would be unthinkable elsewhere. We believe, and are frequently told, that our books represent excellent value for money.

We sell both through the book trade and directly to private collectors, scholars and libraries. In order to reduce the risks of low-margin publishing, most of our editions are offered, in the first instance, on private subscription.

Unsolicited manuscripts

Please do not send us a manuscript unless we have already stated in writing that we wish to see it.