The de Cawood Family

The first record of a de Cawood family in the village of Cawood is in 1201 .

Johannes de Cawood was a King’s Forester in the Ouse and Derwent Forest from Henry lll’s patent rolls in 1200. He had been instructed to walk the the bounds of the forest to mark it out.

The most famous was John Cawood who was a printer for Elizabeth 1. He printedcawood printers markbest most of her documents including some bibles.

John went to London to serve his apprenticeship with printer John Reynes

He was royal printer to Mary, Edward and Elizabeth.

His printing works was in St Paul’s graveyard and attached was his bookshop ” Holy Ghost ”

This was John’s printers mark and can be found on his bibles and proclamations

At this time St Paul’s was in disrepair and the chancel was used as a market place.

After John (1514-1572) the family came back to live in Yorkshire to Ackworth near Pontefract

A suggested family tree though not necessarily correct. It is said that John Cawood printer was from a Yorkshire family but didn’t specifically say Cawood. It’s possible he lived elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Family tree for Cawoods