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Arkell's Brown Jack

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The Moonrakers soon after opening

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Our History

By 1867 the business had even outgrown the new brewery and John was forced to convert the old Kingsdown Inn into offices and build a new pub across the road. Yet the expansion was still gathering pace and John was to buy up another 20 pubs in the next ten years. Acquisitions reached a peak with the addition of three pubs in one year (1877) and a further seven by 1881. Now the majority of the expansion was aimed firmly at Swindon.

Sadly, John Arkell was to see his tied estate grow no more. He died on 21st October, 1881, much mourned by a local community who always knew him as 'Honest John'. The Swindon Advertiser noted that shops were closed and blinds drawn as the funeral cortege passed to Stratton Church and added: "He was open and above board and Radical in all he said and did. The poor had lost a good friend, a plain and simple friend."

Despite his loss, there was no question of the brewery floundering after John's death. After all, he had built his business on solid foundations and strong and fair principles which would be passed down from generation to generation while the business remained tightly in family hands.

Sons Thomas and James took over and Arkell's continued to expand, still focusing on the boomtown of Swindon. The pubs would serve both Arkell's and the community well as the railway works headed for its heyday after the turn of the century.

Arkell's mainly bought up pubs thrown on to the market when rival breweries folded. It was the company's ability to not only survive but also to thrive when other smaller breweries were closing or facing takeover that has been perhaps the most remarkable feature of the story.

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Timeline

  • 1802
  • John Arkell born
  • 1830
  • John Arkell emigrated to Canada and established the village of Arkell
  • 1833
  • John Arkell returned to England
  • 1843
  • Arkell's Brewery established in Swindon Road, Stratton St Margaret
  • The Kingsdown Inn (relocated in 1867)
  • 1856
  • The Carriers Arms (later The Lord Raglan; closed in 1907)
  • 1861
  • Arkell's Brewery built at Kingsdown
  • The George, Kempsford
  • 1862
  • The Fox Inn, Highworth
  • The Harrow, Wanborough (10-year lease)
  • 1864
  • The Golden Cross, Cirencester
  • The Artillery Arms, Regent Street, Swindon (Demolished 1936)
  • 1866
  • The Tavern Inn, Greatfield (later renamed The Butchers Arms, closed 2000)
  • 1867
  • The Kingsdown Inn rebuilt on its present site
  • The Plough Inn, Swindon
  • 1868
  • The Crown Inn, Stratton St Margaret
  • 1869
  • The Brewers Arms, Cirencester
  • The Eight Bells, Fairford
  • The Duke of Wellington, Swindon
  • 1870
  • The Bakers Arms, Faringdon
  • 1871
  • The Wheatsheaf, Stratton St Margaret
  • The Great Western Hotel (now The GW)
  • The Plume of Feathers, Cirencester (now The Bee's Knees)
  • 1872
  • The Wild Deer, Swindon
  • The Mechanics Arms, Cheltenham Street, Swindon (closed and demolished in 1961)
  • 1873
  • The Brewers Arms, Wanborough
  • The Dolphin, Swindon
  • The Duke of Edinburgh, Swindon
  • 1874
  • The Red Lion, Lechlade
  • 1875
  • The White Hart, Moredon, Swindon (closed in 1877)
  • The Bull, Highworth (closed in 1881)
  • 1876
  • The Borough Arms, Wootton Bassett
  • 1877
  • Maltings Erected
  • The Talbot Inn, Cirencester
  • The Red Lion, Swindon (now The Boundary House)
  • The Carpenters Arms, Gorse Hill, Swindon (demolished in 1964 and rebuilt in Chapel Street, now The Swiss Chalet)
  • 1878
  • The Bell Vue Inn (now Long's Bar)
  • The White Hart, Stratton St Margaret
  • 1879
  • The Fox and Hounds, Wroughton
  • 1880
  • The New Inn, Cromwell Street, Swindon (demolished in 1969)
  • 1881
  • The Bakers Arms, Swindon
  • The Clifton Hotel (now The Clifton)
  • The Carpenters Arms, South Marston
  • John Arkell died
  • 1883
  • The Saracens Head Hotel, Highworth
  • The Running Horse, Swindon
  • 1884
  • The New Inn, Stratton St Margaret
  • The Angel, Purton
  • 1885
  • The Kings Arms Hotel (now The Kings), Swindon
  • The Foresters Arms, Fleet Street, Swindon (demolished in 1959)
  • The Gardeners Arms, Westcott Place, Swindon (demolished in 1979)
  • 1886
  • The Lamb and Flag (now Bar Cuba)
  • The Mason Arms, Old Town, Swindon (demolished in 1969)
  • 1889
  • The Three Tuns, Wroughton
  • 1891
  • The Black Horse, Wanborough
  • The Sun Inn, Swindon
  • 1892
  • The Freke Arms, Swanborough
  • 1883
  • The Saracens Head Hotel, Highworth
  • The Running Horse, Swindon
  • 1884
  • The New Inn, Stratton St Margaret
  • The Angel, Purton
  • 1885
  • The Kings Arms Hotel (now The Kings), Swindon
  • The Foresters Arms, Fleet Street, Swindon (demolished in 1959)
  • The Gardeners Arms, Westcott Place, Swindon (demolished in 1979)
  • 1886
  • The Lamb and Flag (now Bar Cuba)
  • The Mason Arms, Old Town, Swindon (demolished in 1969)
  • 1889
  • The Three Tuns, Wroughton
  • 1891
  • The Black Horse, Wanborough
  • The Sun Inn, Swindon
  • 1892
  • The Freke Arms, Swanborough
  • 1896
  • The Bakers Arms, Upper Stratton
  • The Plough Inn, Highworth
  • 1897
  • The County Ground Hotel, Swindon
  • The malt Shovel, Highworth (demolished 1907)
  • 1899
  • The Plough Inn, Stratton St Margaret (now The Rat Trap)
  • 1900
  • The Plough Inn, Fairford
  • 1904
  • The Axe and Compass, Wanborough (closed in 1907)
  • 1906
  • The Bakers Arms, Badbury
  • The Wheatsheaf, Wootton Bassett (now Sally Pussey's Inn)
  • The Old Bear, Cricklade
  • 1907
  • The Plough Inn, Badbury
  • 1910
  • Launch of Best Bitter Beer (later called BBB, then 3B)
  • 1922
  • The Jolly Tar, Hannington
  • The Royal Oak, Lechlade
  • 1923
  • Present Chairman, Peter Arkell, born
  • The Duke Hotel, Hilmarton
  • 1924
  • The George Hotel, Lambourn
  • The Masons Arms, Aldbourne (sold in 1990)
  • 1926
  • The Bell, Purton Stoke
  • 1927
  • Arkell's becomes a private limited company
  • Bottling plant opened
  • 1931
  • The Crossways Club, Upper Stratton (now The Moonrakers)
  • 1943
  • Arkell's 100th Anniversary
  • 1951
  • Present Managing Director, James Arkell, born
  • The Curriers Arms, Wootton Bassett
  • The Royal Oak, Bishopstone
  • The Tavern Inn, Kemble
  • 1954
  • Present chairman, Peter Arkell, became a Director
  • 1955
  • R Holgate-Smith appointed Head Brewer
  • 1959
  • The Steam Train, Swindon (now The Manor)
  • 1962
  • John Arkell Vintners established
  • 1964
  • The Carpenters Arms, Swindon (now The Swiss Chalet) relocated
  • 1967
  • Don Kenchington appointed head brewer
  • Austin Amusements established
  • 1971
  • Peter Arkell became Chairman
  • 1972
  • The Highwayman, Elkstone
  • 1973
  • Present Managing Director, James Arkell, became a Director
  • The Bull Hotel, Fairford
  • The White Hart Hotel, Cricklade
  • 1976
  • Launch of Kingsdown Ale
  • The Victoria Inn, Eastleach
  • 1978
  • Launch of Arkell's Shandy
  • 1979
  • Arkell's buys 50 per cent of shares in Edmont Joinery
  • The George, Fairford (closed in the same year and added to the adjoining Bull Hotel
  • 1980
  • The Liden Arms, Swindon
  • 1982
  • First Arkell's Passport promotion
  • 1983
  • The Duke of Edinburgh, Winkfield
  • 1985
  • The Woodshaw Inn, Wootton Bassett
  • 1986
  • The Crown Inn, Broad Hinton
  • 1987
  • Launch of Noël Ale
  • The Bear, Marlborough
  • Globe Inn, Gloucester
  • 1989
  • The Lord Lyon, Stockcross (now Rybaks)
  • The Thames Head Inn, Cirencester
  • 1991
  • The Plough, Stratton, Cirencester
  • The India House, Gloucester
  • The Whitesmiths Arms, Gloucester
  • The Sir Colin Campbell, Gloucester
  • The Adam and Eve, Cheltenham
  • The Exmouth Arms, Cheltenham
  • The Hereford Arms, Cheltenham
  • The St James Hotel, Cheltenham
  • 1992
  • Don Bracher appointed Head Brewer
  • The Coopers Arms, Newbury
  • Ye Old Red Lion, Chievely
  • 1993
  • Arkell's 150th Anniversary
  • 1994
  • The Rose and Crown Hotel, Ashbury
  • 1996
  • The Cross Keys, Newbury
  • The Friar, New Marston
  • 1997
  • Peter Arkell awarded OBE
  • The Globe, Gloucester
  • The Original Swan, Cowley
  • 1998
  • Arkell's Brewery website launched
  • 1999
  • The Eagle Tavern, Oxford
  • The Hare and Hounds, Foss Cross
  • The Cat and Fiddle, Cheltenham
  • Cassidy's, Cheltenham (now Bar Cuba)
  • 2000
  • The Bantam, Burghfield Common
  • The Bolingbroke Hotel, Hook
  • The Jovial Monk, Shaw Ridge, Swindon
  • 2001
  • Organic Ale launched
  • The Winkfield, Winkfield
  • 2002
  • Jubilee Ale launched
  • 2003
  • Arkell's 160th anniversary
  • Chairman Peter Arkell's 80th birthday - Moonlight Ale launched
  • The White Hart, Whitchurch
  • The Rising Sun, Reading
  • The Tawny Owl, Taw Hill, North Swindon
  • 2004
  • The Punchbowl, Woodstock
  • 2005
  • The Great Arkell's Adventure launched
  • Swindon Pride Ale launched
  • The King's Arms, Chipping Norton
  • The White Horse at Woolstone
  • 2006
  • Her Majesty the Queen's 80th Anniversary Ale launched
  • The Bear Hotel, Wantage
  • 2007
  • Cask-conditioned Organic Ale launched
  • The Bear, Marlborough
  • Globe Inn, Gloucester