History of papermaking in the United Kingdom The first reference to a papermill in the United Kingdom was in a book printed by Wynken de Worde in about 1495 this mill belonging to John Tate and was near Hertford Other early mills included one at Dartford owned by Sir John Speilman who was granted special privileges for the collection of rags by Queen Elizabeth and one built in Buckinghamshire before the end of the sixteenth century