Arkell's Brewery
Encyclopedia
Arkell's is an English
brewery
located in the town of Swindon
, Wiltshire
. The brewery has been owned by members of the Arkell family since its establishment in 1843. It is Swindon's oldest established company. In 1846, John Arkell took sole control of the brewery from the existing initial partnership between himself, William Large and Robert Arkell.
Originally a Steam Brewery, with the engines now being powered by electricity, Arkell's is a tower brewery which works on the principle that raw materials are fed into the top of the building and beer comes out in casks at the bottom.
The brewery owns 97 pubs in the Swindon area and surrounds, including locations in Oxford
, Newbury
, Reading
, Cheltenham
, Gloucester
and Ascot
; and sells its products to free house
s in the Thames Valley
and London
.
In 2005, the brewery entered into a contract with rail company First Great Western
to have its beer stocked in their buffet cars.
The brewery building is a Grade II listed building and the site has been designated an Urban Conservation Area by Swindon Borough Council.
Arkell's have also sponsored events at Newbury Racecourse
since 1979.
The brewery has been visited by Her Majesty the Queen and politicians such as Michael Howard
and William Hague
.
Arkell's also won Silver and Bronze awards at the Taste of the West Food & Drink Awards 2006 for its Bee's, Kingsdown and 3B beers.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
located in the town of Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. The brewery has been owned by members of the Arkell family since its establishment in 1843. It is Swindon's oldest established company. In 1846, John Arkell took sole control of the brewery from the existing initial partnership between himself, William Large and Robert Arkell.
Originally a Steam Brewery, with the engines now being powered by electricity, Arkell's is a tower brewery which works on the principle that raw materials are fed into the top of the building and beer comes out in casks at the bottom.
The brewery owns 97 pubs in the Swindon area and surrounds, including locations in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and Ascot
Ascot, Berkshire
Ascot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting...
; and sells its products to free house
Free House
Free House may refer to:*Free House , an American Thoroughbred racehorse.*Free house , a British pub that is owned independently of the breweries that supply it....
s in the Thames Valley
Thames Valley
The Thames Valley Region is a loose term for the English counties and towns roughly following the course of the River Thames as it flows from Oxfordshire in the west to London in the east. It includes parts of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and west London...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In 2005, the brewery entered into a contract with rail company First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
to have its beer stocked in their buffet cars.
The brewery building is a Grade II listed building and the site has been designated an Urban Conservation Area by Swindon Borough Council.
Arkell's have also sponsored events at Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
since 1979.
The brewery has been visited by Her Majesty the Queen and politicians such as Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
and William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
.
Arkell's also won Silver and Bronze awards at the Taste of the West Food & Drink Awards 2006 for its Bee's, Kingsdown and 3B beers.