By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:56 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:43 EST, 19 October 2013 . A rare copy of the first ever newspaper printed in Britain is to be auctioned nearly 350 years after it came off the press. The Oxford Gazette was published on November 7, 1665, at a time when London was in the grip of the devastating bubonic plague. It was the first newspaper in the world to be printed in English. Read all about it: This is a copy of the first ever newspaper printed in Britain published on November 7, 1665 . The two-page first edition contained an eclectic mix of news including military and naval engagements, debates in the House of Commons and overseas dispatches. Its front page story was about the Reverend Dr Walter Blandford's election as the Lord Bishop of Oxon. There was also the news of a group of MPs' possible impeachment for treason, and the edition ends with a story noting 1,050 people had died from the plague. The Oxford Gazette was so named . because at the time Charles II had removed his court to the university . city from London, which was being ravaged by the plague. The Gazette was published by journalist Henry Muddiman, and its first publication is noted by Samuel Pepys in his diary. Charles returned to London as the plague dissipated, taking the Gazette with him. It was renamed the London Gazette and the first issue under the new name was published on February 5, 1666. 'Published by Authority': The Oxford Gazette later became The London Gazette, first published on 5 February 1666, and included this edition dated August 24, 1668. The publication is still published to this day as the official organ of Government in which all official notices are printed. The paper is considered the Holy Grail among collectors and is tipped to fetch £15,000 when it goes under the hammer at Mullock's, in Ludlow, Shropshire. It was consigned by a private UK collector. Richard Westwood-Brookes, auctioneer, said: 'This is an incredibly rare example of the very first newspaper ever published. 'It is unclear how many were printed and how many remain, but in private hands there are very few indeed, and you can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. 'It is many years since the last one was sold. 'It is printed on foolscap paper and is in good condition considering its age. Originally this paper was posted to it readers. 'The London Gazette is still published today and records things such as bankruptcies and decorations for servicemen.' The newspaper will be sold at Mullock's on November 5. The world's first newspaper printed in English was published on November 7, 1665. It was the first of the official journals of record of the British government in which certain statutory notices are required to be published. Charles II, pictured right, and the Royal Court had moved to Oxford to escape the Great Plague of London, and courtiers were unwilling to touch, let alone read, London newspapers for fear of contagion. The Gazette was 'Published by Authority' by Henry Muddiman, and its first publication is noted by Samuel Pepys in his diary. The King returned to London as the plague dissipated, and the Gazette moved too, with the first issue of The London Gazette (labelled No. 24) being published on 5 February 1666. During the 17th Century, it was believed that national efficiency depended on the intelligence received by the Crown and that the reckless publishing of news might endanger it. An embargo on the printing of news other than reports of events abroad, natural disasters, royal declarations and sensational crime continued until 1640. This had the effect of delaying the development of the press in the UK. Censorship was introduced in 1643, followed by licensing of news publications. The London Gazette had incomparable sources of information from overseas; in peace time, its 'foreign correspondents' were the British embassies abroad; in time of war the British generals themselves. The first news of Wellington’s victory at Waterloo was carried in the Gazette, and when the newly founded Times stopped its presses to carry the news of this famous battle, it was the despatch which had been published as a Gazette Extraordinary which was reprinted in full. Source: The London Gazette .
First edition of The Oxford Gazette was published on November 7, 1665 .
It became The London Gazette - the official journal of the Government .
Ancient document had been in a private collection until recently .
Paper is considered the Holy Grail among collectors .
Edition expected to fetch £15,000 at auction in Ludlow, Shropshire .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:56 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:43 EST, 19 October 2013 . A rare copy of the first ever newspaper printed in Britain is to be auctioned nearly 350 years after it came off the press. The Oxford Gazette was published on November 7, 1665, at a time when London was in the grip of the devastating bubonic plague. It was the first newspaper in the world to be printed in English. Read all about it: This is a copy of the first ever newspaper printed in Britain published on November 7, 1665 . The two-page first edition contained an eclectic mix of news including military and naval engagements, debates in the House of Commons and overseas dispatches. Its front page story was about the Reverend Dr Walter Blandford's election as the Lord Bishop of Oxon. There was also the news of a group of MPs' possible impeachment for treason, and the edition ends with a story noting 1,050 people had died from the plague. The Oxford Gazette was so named . because at the time Charles II had removed his court to the university . city from London, which was being ravaged by the plague. The Gazette was published by journalist Henry Muddiman, and its first publication is noted by Samuel Pepys in his diary. Charles returned to London as the plague dissipated, taking the Gazette with him. It was renamed the London Gazette and the first issue under the new name was published on February 5, 1666. 'Published by Authority': The Oxford Gazette later became The London Gazette, first published on 5 February 1666, and included this edition dated August 24, 1668. The publication is still published to this day as the official organ of Government in which all official notices are printed. The paper is considered the Holy Grail among collectors and is tipped to fetch £15,000 when it goes under the hammer at Mullock's, in Ludlow, Shropshire. It was consigned by a private UK collector. Richard Westwood-Brookes, auctioneer, said: 'This is an incredibly rare example of the very first newspaper ever published. 'It is unclear how many were printed and how many remain, but in private hands there are very few indeed, and you can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. 'It is many years since the last one was sold. 'It is printed on foolscap paper and is in good condition considering its age. Originally this paper was posted to it readers. 'The London Gazette is still published today and records things such as bankruptcies and decorations for servicemen.' The newspaper will be sold at Mullock's on November 5. The world's first newspaper printed in English was published on November 7, 1665. It was the first of the official journals of record of the British government in which certain statutory notices are required to be published. Charles II, pictured right, and the Royal Court had moved to Oxford to escape the Great Plague of London, and courtiers were unwilling to touch, let alone read, London newspapers for fear of contagion. The Gazette was 'Published by Authority' by Henry Muddiman, and its first publication is noted by Samuel Pepys in his diary. The King returned to London as the plague dissipated, and the Gazette moved too, with the first issue of The London Gazette (labelled No. 24) being published on 5 February 1666. During the 17th Century, it was believed that national efficiency depended on the intelligence received by the Crown and that the reckless publishing of news might endanger it. An embargo on the printing of news other than reports of events abroad, natural disasters, royal declarations and sensational crime continued until 1640. This had the effect of delaying the development of the press in the UK. Censorship was introduced in 1643, followed by licensing of news publications. The London Gazette had incomparable sources of information from overseas; in peace time, its 'foreign correspondents' were the British embassies abroad; in time of war the British generals themselves. The first news of Wellington’s victory at Waterloo was carried in the Gazette, and when the newly founded Times stopped its presses to carry the news of this famous battle, it was the despatch which had been published as a Gazette Extraordinary which was reprinted in full. Source: The London Gazette .
Oxford Gazette was published on November 7, 1665, Gazette later became The London Gazette, first printed. The paper is considered the Holy Grail among collectors and is tipped to fetch £15,000 Ludlow, Shropshire. It was consigned by a private was published on November 7, 1665. It was the first of the official journals of record of the