Our story

About Bookbinders of Lewes

Bookbinders of Lewes was established in 1992 as a small hand bindery in the heart of East Sussex, specialising in both one-off and limited edition bindings. For more than three decades the workshop has occupied its home at Unit 12, Star Brewery on Castle Ditch Lane — a short walk from Lewes Castle and the town's independent shops and galleries.

Jill Prole has been a professional bookbinder for nearly forty years. She helped found the bindery in 1992 and has shaped its character ever since. Her work spans the full breadth of the craft: restoration of fragile and antique volumes, presentation bindings for companies and institutions, limited editions for private collectors, and special commissions that arrive with stories attached. Jill also leads the tuition programme, teaching traditional hand bookbinding to students of all levels in the fully equipped bindery.

Rachel Ward-Sale brings her own expertise to the workshop, working alongside Jill on the full range of bindery services — from theses and document binding for university students to bespoke portfolios, albums, and archival boxes. Together they handle every commission by hand, from the first conversation about materials and cloth to the finished object leaving the workshop.

Every piece that leaves the bindery is made to last. The workshop holds a wide range of cloths, leathers, and papers, and both Jill and Rachel are happy to discuss the options in person. If you have a book that needs care, a document that deserves a proper binding, or simply want to learn the craft yourself, the bindery in Lewes is the place to start.

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