Walter Chepman

Walter Chepman (died 1532) was a Scottish merchant, notary and civil servant active in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Chepman served at the Scottish court during the reigns of James IV and James V. In partnership with Androw Myllar he established Scotland's first printing press in 1508. Chepman was also a significant patron of Saint Giles' Kirk in Edinburgh. Life Chepman's first appearance in the historical record is in the accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland for 1494 in which he is recorded as receiving payment for clerical work at the royal court. He would continue to receive such payments for the remainder of his life. The impression that Chepman was well-educated is supported by the fact that he acted as a notary in and around Edinburgh. His service at court also suggests that he was trusted by King James IV. In 1503, to coincide with the King's marriage, James presented Chepman with a suit of clothes of English fabric.