Arkell's Brewery

Arkell's Brewery was founded in 1843 by John Arkell, a Gloucestershire-born farmer who had previously emigrated to Canada before returning to England. Settling near Swindon, he began growing barley and brewing beer for his own Kingsdown Inn. Recognising the opportunities created by the rapid expansion of Swindon's Great Western Railway works, John began supplying other local pubs. Demand soon outgrew his original operation, and in 1861 he built a new steam-powered brewery at Kingsdown, establishing the Victorian tower brewery that remains at the heart of Arkell's today.

As Swindon grew into a major railway town, Arkell's expanded its estate of public houses across Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. By 1900, the brewery owned more than a quarter of the pubs in the Swindon area, having remained in family hands following John's death in 1881. Successive generations continued to develop the business, introducing new beers and expanding into Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire. Its traditional ales became closely associated with the region, particularly 3B Best Bitter, first introduced in 1910, and the stronger Kingsdown Ale, launched in 1976.

Arkell's has balanced its brewing heritage with a willingness to experiment. Alex Arkell became head brewer in 2012, bringing experience gained through brewing studies in the United States and Germany. Under his leadership, the brewery has expanded its range beyond traditional cask ales to include modern craft styles, lagers and seasonal releases. Its 1843 Lager won gold at the SIBA National Beer Awards in 2014, while Kingsdown was named Champion Beer at the 2016 Taste of the West Awards. The brewery continues to celebrate significant events through special releases, including anniversary, coronation and commemorative beers.

More than 180 years after its founding, Arkell's remains an important part of Swindon's brewing heritage and local hospitality industry. The family continues to operate its historic Kingsdown brewery while maintaining an extensive estate of pubs across southern England. In 2018, the brewery opened its Grape & Grain warehouse and archive, and in 2023 introduced regular public brewery tours to celebrate its 180th anniversary. Visitors can now explore the traditional tower brewery and discover how generations of the Arkell family have preserved its character while adapting to changing tastes and brewing techniques.