The show kicked off last night (7 February) at 8.30pm on BBC Four with a look at the 4th-century Codex Sinaiticus and the illuminated Winchester bible, the largest surviving 12th-century bible.

The episode is now available to watch on the BBC iPlayer.

Over the course of the next three episodes, which will be broadcast weekly at the same time on BBC Four, focus will shift towards modern-day techniques.

The series will conclude with a look at modern-day paperback book printing, part of which was filmed at CPI's Bookmarque facility in Croydon.