Arkell's brewery founder honoured with blue plaque

A blue plaque has been unveiled honouring the founder of a 180-year-old brewery in Wiltshire.

Founded by John Arkell, Arkell's brewery in Stratton St Margaret, Swindon, has been making beer in the town since 1843.

Displayed on the side of the farmhouse where the brewery began, head brewer Alex Arkell said the plaque represented the company's "tradition and heritage."

"He was an entrepreneur beyond any of us," he added.

Sixth generation Arkell, Alex, said his great, great, great grandfather John Arkell set up the "incredible brewery totally out of the blue."

He said the farmer who worked in Gloucestershire for a long time, "lost all his money" and "really struggled in farming" before moving to Canada to try again.

However, despite settling there, he moved back to the UK, and to a farm in Swindon, where he would set up Arkell's microbrewery and marry in 1843.

Mr Arkell told BBC Radio Wiltshire the brewery then "went from strength to strength".

Eventually, as the company grew bigger and bigger, John built the steam brewhouse in 1861, which according to Mr Arkell, is still used today in "exactly the same way as he did back then".

Mr Arkell said his predecessor would have been "honoured" by receiving the blue plaque and they had celebrated in the "classic, traditional way", by toasting "three cheers" to him.

On the family's connection to the town, Mr Arkell said: "Swindon's our core really and hopefully it will be for the next 180 years."

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