Arkell’s home page – pub accommodation, food and drink in the south of England
The Angel, Purton

Click to enlarge

Arkell's Mural in County Road, Swindon

Click to enlarge

Our History

By 1900, Arkell's owned more than a quarter of the pubs in the Swindon area and was firmly established as a cornerstone of life in the town, which was now almost unrecognisable from its humble status of 60 years before.

But there was a limit to how fast Arkell's could expand and the latter years of Thomas and James' management of the brewery saw a period of consolidation of the tied estate. When Thomas died in 1919 at the age of 80, the brewery had bought no new pubs in two decades, though another five were added to the chain before James, aged 75, passed away in 1925.

Arkell's became a private limited company in 1927 with all shares owned by the family - as, indeed, is the case today. Now at the helm were James' sons, Thomas Noel (later Sir Noel), James Graham and John Oliver Arkell.

By now the brewery was over 70 years old and it was time to modernise, so the 1930s saw the closure of the maltings and the opening of a high-tech bottling plant which employed up to 25 people. The period also saw the foundation of a mineral water plant which gave birth to the fondly-remembered Ace brand of soft drinks. Meanwhile, the new brewery chimney was added to the Stratton skyline for the first time.

Despite the slow recovery period after the Second World War, a handful of new pubs were added to the Arkell's estate and, in 1954, Peter Arkell, the eldest son of Sir Noel, joined the company as a director.

Next Page Next Page



Back Back

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
  • Best Western Lansdowne, Calne
  • The Volunteer. Great Somerford
  • 2008
  • The Riverside, Lechlade
  • First official Royal visit to brewery - HRH The Duke of Kent