(Plymouth Website only!!!) The following is a list of defunct breweries in the South West of England which we believe to have been in existence at some point. Where possible, the closure year has been given, although this may have been lost in the fullness of time, as memories fade and accurate information may have been lost. If you have any corrections or omissions, please email ku.gro.armac.nosiailyrewerb@rotanidrooc.tsewhtuos

A large number of CAMRA publications have been used in this compilation, including “Where Have All The Breweries Gone?” (1980), “Devon Real Ale Guide” (1990), “Moor To Sea – A Deon Real Ale Guide” (1993) and the “Good Beer Guide” (various years).

This page was last updated on 18 April 2024.

Box

Edwin S Pinchin, Box Brewery. Sold to Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd on 29th July 1924, with six licensed houses for £10 000. The brewery was converted into housing in 1929.

Bradford On Avon

F Ruddle & Son, Bravon Brewery, 6 Silver Street. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in 1924 with 12 public houses.

G & T Spencer’s Brewery Ltd, Whitehead’s Lane. Registered in 1889. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in 1913 and was closed.

Wilkins Brothers & Hudson Ltd, Newtown Brewery. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in 1924 with 50 tied houses.

Willy Good Ale!, the Old Forge, Hartley Farm, Winsley BA15 2JB. This award-winning brewery was set up by well-travelled Will Southward in 2010.whilst in North America, Will discovered a taste for well hopped beers, and a flair for flavours. The brewery at Hartley Farm quickly out-grew demand, and expanded to a six-barrel plant in 2011. Local pubs, shops and restaurants were supplied directly. Will decided to pursue another career and the brewery closed and the equipment removed by March 2019.

Calne

George Harris Halley & Sons, London Road Brewery, 85 London Road. Ceased brewing c1935.

Chippenham

Castle Combe, the Brewhouse, Preston West Farm, Preston SN15 4DX. Production started in 2014 on a farm in North Wiltshire with a five-barrel plant. They concentrated on their five core beers, with only occasional additional brews available. They supplied outlets within about 30 miles of the brewery. The beer names referenced the picturesque village from which the brewery took its’ name. Castle Combe merged with Flying Monk in mid-2017, with all brewing taking place on the Flying Monk plant in Malmesbury.

Chippenham, Unit 109 The Citadel, Bath Road SN15 2AB. This micro-brewery was established in Chippenham in early 2016, with a core range of three ales. All beers were available in both cask and bottle-conditioned formats. Unfortunately, all brewing had ceased by August 2018.

Dowding & Son, Chippenham Brewery, London Road. Offered for auction on 10th June 1913 and was bought by Wilkins Brothers & Hudson Ltd with five licensed houses.

Hop Therapy, Unit 3, Warkup Barn, Manor Farm, Draycot Cerne, Chippenham, Wilts SN15 1ND. Established in 2020 by CAMRA member Tom Kyte, Hop Therapy was a 1.5-barrel nanobrewery, and produced a number of unfined, hop-forward beers. The beers were available in cask and keg, with some occasionally available from the wood. The brewery closed after the owners emigrated in 2021.

Lion Brewery (Chippenham) Ltd, Market Place. Registered in 1904. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd and was wound up in 1919.

W Slade & Sons, Union Road. Taken over by Bristol Breweries (George’s) & Co Ltd in 1926.

Corsham

MRP Stevens, Pickwick Brewery. Taken over by Wilkins Brothers & Hudson Ltd in 1896.

Devizes

JW Phipp & Son, Three Crowns, Maryport Street. A home brew pub which was acquired by Wadworth & Co Ltd in 1919.

George Wild & Co, 24 Escourt Street. The brewery and six tied houses were offered for auction on 8th October 1902. The brewery, and the adjoining Bell Inn only, were bought by Wadworth & Co Ltd, who are still trading today (2020).

Highworth

J Wadley & Co, Sun Brewery. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in 1918 with 17 tied houses.

Laycock

FJ Kingsford. Taken over by JH & J Blake Ltd, or Trowbridge, in 1897. The brewery building was sold to a Melksham contractor for £200 in March 1924.

Langley Burrell

Ralph Pearce, Langley Brewery. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in November 1927.

Longbridge Deverill

Wessex, Rye Hill Farm, Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire BA12 7DE. This four-barrel brewery was hidden away on a farm industrial complex in the West Wiltshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It was established in 2001. The brewery sourced its malt from the nearby Warminster Maltings. A handful of regular outlets were supplied, with wider availability via selected wholesalers. The brewery was also able to brew beer for other concerns when capacity permitted. Sadly, all brewing had ceased by mid-2022. The brew plant was dismantled and sold to various other breweries.

Malmesbury

Duck & Co, Crosshayes Brewery, Silver Street. Taken over by the Stroud Brewery Co Ltd in 1920 with 22 tied houses.

Charles Richard Luce, Mill and Abbey Breweries. Taken over by the Stroud Brewery Co Ltd in 1912 with 42 tied houses, and was closed. It is believed that the brewery buildings are still standing today (2020).

Marlborough

Arthur M Adams, Marlborough Brewery, High Street. The brewery and eight licensed houses were offered for auction on 19th September 1911, and were sold to Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd.

WS Butler, Kennett Brewery. Taken over by the Stroud Brewery Co Ltd in 1920 with 11 tied houses.

Eastbury, New Finches Business Park, Baydon SN8 2XA. A micro-brewery and bottling plant established in the heart of the Valley of the Racehorse, in the Wiltshire/Berkshire/Oxfordshire borders area in December 2014. Three ales and a porter were brewed, along with regular seasonal ales. Eastbury’s ‘New Finches Bottling Plant’ offered a bottling service to the micro brewing industry. Sadly, all brewing had ceased by mid-2017.

Melksham

It’s Brewing, 59 Spa Road SN12 7NU. Due to numerous difficulties, this brewery never became established during 2018/2019.

Netheravon

Thomas Whiting Hussey, Netheravon Brewery. Offered for auction on 19th June 1013 with 23 tied houses. The brewery was withdrawn, but the pubs were sold to Strong & Co Ltd, of Romsey, for £28 475.

Pewsey

Three Castles, Unit 12, Salisbury Road Business Park, Pewsey, SN9 5PZ. Three Castles were an independent, family-run brewery which was established in 2006, and delivered cask ales direct to around 80 pubs and independent retailers. Regular and monthly seasonal beer offers were available, together with a range of bottle conditioned beers. Their Core Beers were Blonde (ABV 4.0%), Best (ABV 4.2%), Gold (ABV 4.2%) & Corn Dolly (ABV 4.7%) available in cask. Three Castles filed for voluntary liquidation on 28 January 2022. All plant and associated equipment were put up for auction with Lambert Smith Hampton auctioneers. The deadline for all bids was 24 February 2022. The successful bidder was Broadtown Brewery of Broad Town, Swindon.

Rowde

Devitera, The New Bakery, High Street, Rowde near Devizes SN10 2PL. Brewing began in 2017 using a four-barrel brew plant. The brewery was named after the Latin 'ad divisas', meaning boundaries and 'terra', meaning land. They brewed six vegan-friendly beers generally available in bottle-conditioned format, although the occasional cask was provided to local beer festivals and pubs. Sadly, all brewing ceased unexpectedly in June 2019 and all equipment was sold, some rumoured to have been bought by a local cider producer.

Salisbury

W Fawcett & Son, 35 Endless Street. Taken over by the Lamb Brewery Co, of Frome, Somerset, in 1912 with six licensed houses.

John Foliott, Old George Steam Brewery, Rolleston Street. Taken over by the Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd, in 1919.

Gibbs, Mew & Co Ltd, Anchor Brewery, Gigant Street. Registered in May 1898 to acquire Bridger Gibbs & Sons, of the Anchor Brewery, and Herbert Mew and Co, Castle Street Brewery. Laterly, their office address was Anchor House, Netherhampton Road SP2 8RA. In 1997, they closed the Anchor House brewery to concentrate on its’ tied pub estate of about 330 pubs. It was purchased by Enterprise Inns, a pub operating company, in February 1998. Wiltshire Traditional and Salisbury Best were brewed under contract by Usher’s, with Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) brewing Deacon and Bishop’s Tipple.

Halfway Brewhouse, Halfway House, 225 Wilton Road SP2 7JY. No further information is known. See Sarum Shield below.

Hidden, Unit 1 Oakley Industrial Estate, Wylye Road, Dinton SP3 5EU. The Hidden Brewery was founded in 2003, and focussed on bottling, with particular emphasis on the export market. The brewery was named after its’ location, hidden away in the Wiltshire countryside. Sadly, all brewing had ceased by March 2011. See Salisbury below.

John Lovibond & Sons, St Anne’s Brewery, Salisbury, and at Greenwich Brewery, 177 Greenwich High Road, London SE10. Founded in 1831 and registered in July 1896. Brewing ceased in November 1960, and the public houses sold, but the company still operated 106 off-licenses.

Salisbury, Unit 1 Oakley Business Park, Wylye Valley, Dinton SP3 5EU. The brewery was established in late 2010 at Dinton in the ancient Wylye Valley near Salisbury, to supply the Free Trade with traditional cask and bottled beer. Unfortunately, all brewing had ceased by November 2017. See Hidden above.

Sarum Shield, Halfway House, 225 Wilton Road SP2 7JY. Situated in the cellar of the Halfway House pub, Sarum Shield started brewing on a one-barrel plant in early summer 2013, with the first beers launched at the Salisbury Beerex in June 2013. Cask and bottled beers were produced, primarily for the pub. All brewing had ceased by November 2013. See Halfway Brewhouse above.

Shaw, near Melksham

Taylor & Co, Shaw Brewery. A Receiving Order was made in 1911.

Slaughterford

Little & Son, Slaughterford Brewery. The partnership was dissolved in 1917, and all brewing ceased c1939.

Swindon

Archers Brewery, London Street. Founded by Mark Archer in 1879 in a former railway workshop. They relocated to Penzance Drive, Swindon SN5 7JL. The company was taken over by new management in 2007. In July 2009, it was bought by Wiltshire Ales, owned by Simon Buckley of Evan Evans, where all beer brands were then brewed. Plans to build a new brewery in Wiltshire have never materialised (so far).

James Arkell & Son, Kingsdown Brewery, Upper Stratton. Founded in 1843 and registered in December 1927. Still brewing today (2024).

RB Bowley & Co Ltd, North Wilts Brewery, 10-12 High Street. Registered in 1899. Taken over by Simmonds, of Reading, in 1945, and was closed.

Godwin Brothers, Belmont Brewery, Devizes Road. Registered in October 1907. Brewing has ceased by c1937.

William Pound & Co, Stratton St Margaret. Merged with Howard Horsell, of (Royal) Wootton Bassett, in 1893, to form Swindon & North Wilts Breweries Ltd. this company was dissolved on 24th December 1907.

Tisbury

FHS & TW Styring, Wiltshire Brewery, Tisbury, and at Marnhull, Dorset.taken over by Eldridge Pope & Co Ltd in 1913. The Marnhull brewery and 15 tied houses were sold to Hall & Woodhouse in 1937.

Trowbridge

JH & H Blake Ltd, Union Street. Registered in August 1897. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in 1922 with 49 public houses, and was closed.

Walter Pearce, Silver Street. The brewery and 2 tied houses were sold to Frome United Breweries Co Ltd on 10th November 1905 for £5 850.

Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd, Parade House. Founded in 1824, registered in April 1889. Also brewed at the Sovereign Brewery, Bayswater, London, from 1890 until after 1919, when they relocated to Church Road, Paddington. This brewery was damaged by bombing, and thew site sold in 1946. Merged with Watney, Mann Ltd in May 1960, and re-named Usher’s Brewery Limited in 1964.

Warminster

Bartlett & Co, High Street. Taken over by the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Co . of Shepton Mallett, in 1898, but was sold again to Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd, in 1920 with 44 tied houses, and was closed.

Bow House, Bow House, 44 Chitterne, Chitterne BA12 0LG. first brewed in autumn 2008 using a 2-barrel plant. They relocated to this address in late 2009, upgrading to a 10-barrel plant. However, all brewing had ceased by August 2011.

Morgan & Bladworth, Silver Street. Taken over by the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Co, of Shepton Mallett, in 1898.

Charles Price, West Street. The brewery was offered for sale on 20th August 1904 and was bought by Fussell & Sons Ltd, of Rode, Somerset, in 1912.

Westbury

Brotherhood, Oakfield Business Centre, Northacre Industrial Park, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 4WF. This dynamic 10-barrel brewery was founded by three brothers, in 2016, at Westbury Wilts. They supplied a range of eight high quality, cask, craft and canned beers to outlets across the country. Sadly, they were hit very hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and, by August 2020, had not sold any beer for over 200 days, and time was called.

Henry Mead, Oak Brewery, Warminster Road. Taken over by Fussell & Sons Ltd, of Rode, Somerset, in 1936, and closed shortly afterwards.

Edward Smallcombe, George Inn, Warminster Road. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery Co Ltd in 1914.

Westbury, Horse & Groom, Alfred Street, Westbury BA13 3DY. No further information is held.

(Royal) Wootton Bassett

Howard Horsell, Beaufort Brewery, Station Road. Merges with William Pound & Co, of Swindon, in 1893 to form Swindon & North Wilts Breweries Ltd. From 1905-1910, Marston, Owen and McNaught were listed at the Beaufort brewery. The brewery and six licensed houses were offered for auction on 27th June 1916, some of them selling.

Malmesbury, Whitehill Industrial Estate, Royal Wootton Bassett SN4 7DB. The brewery was founded by husband and wife team, Fiona and Richard Auty in 2013. Brewing started in October 2013, and the brewery regularly supplied more than 50 outlets in the South and South West of England. All beers were named after local locations or historic figures. All brewing had ceased by November 2015.

Other Selected Brewing Companies, out of Wiltshire

Starkey, Knight & Ford Ltd, 54 High Street, Bridgewater, Somerset, and at Tiverton. Registered in November 1887 as Starkey, Knight & Co Ltd, and changed to the above in April 1895 when Thomas Ford & Son, of Tiverton, were acquired. Pubs in the Plymouth area were adorned with "Tivvy Beers" and a black horse on the outside of the pub. Taken over by Whitbread & Co Ltd in December 1962, with 400 tied houses.The business was merged with Norman & Pring Ltd, of Exeter, in 1964.

Samuel Allsopp & Sons Ltd, Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffs. Allsopp’s was founded in 1709, registered in February 1887, and merged with Ind Coope Ltd in 1934 to form Ind Coope & Allsopp’s Ltd. Formed Allied Breweries in 1961 after merger with Ansell’s Brewery Ltd and Tetley Walker.

Ind Coope Ltd, High Street, Burton-Upon-Trent, and Star Brewery, Romford, Essex. The company was founded at Romford in 1708, with the Burton brewery being established in 1856. It was registered in November 1886, and merged with Allsopps in 1934, and then Ansell’s and Tetley Walker in 1961 to form Allied Breweries.

Allied Breweries, 107 Station Street, Burton-Upon-Trent. Established in 1961 after the merger of Ind Coope & Allsopp’s, Ansells and Tetley Walker, and operated a small number of pubs in the Plymouth area under the name of Halls, who owned the Plympton Brewery, Furguson’s, in Valley Road, Plympton.

H & G Simonds Ltd, founded in 1774 at Broad Street, Reading, moved to Bridge Street in 1790. Taken over by Courage, Barclay & Co Ltd, of London, in 1960. Brewing ceased in 1979.

Courage & Co Ltd, Anchor Brewery, Horselydown, Bermondsey, SE1. The brewery was acquired by John Courage in 1787. They merged with Barclay, Perkins & Co Ltd in 1955 to form Courage, Barclay & Co Ltd. Taken over by Imperial Tobacco Co in August 1972.

Courage Ltd, Bristol Brewery, Bath Street, Bristol. The former George’s Brewery was the only Courage brewery in the south of England brewing cask ales by 1992, following the closure of breweries in London, Reading and Plymouth, and the sale of Ushers, of Trowbridge, with a management buyout.

Whitbread & Co Ltd, Chiswell Street, London EC1. Founded in 1742 and registered in July 1889. A new brewery was built in Luton in 1969, but brewing ceased here in 1975. Most real ales were brewed at the Cheltenham brewery (West Country Breweries below.

Flowers & Sons Ltd, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire. It was founded in 1831 and registered in February 1888. It was taken over by JW Green, of Luton, in 1954, who changed the name to Flowers & Sons Ltd. It was closed in 1968, when Whitbread merged Flowers with West Country Breweries, to form Whitbread Flowers Ltd.

West Country Breweries, 256 High Street, Cheltenham. Initially incorporated on 15th April 1888 as the Cheltenham Original Brewing Co Ltd, to acquire the business of JT Agg-Gardner, which was founded in 1760. The name was changed to the Cheltenham & Hereford Brewery Ltd in 1945, when the Hereford & Tredegar Brewery Ltd was taken over. The name was later changed to Cheltenham Brewery Holdings Ltd. They then merged again, with Stroud Brewery Co Ltd in 1958, to form West Country Breweries, with 1275 licensed houses. Finally, in 1963, they were taken over by Whitbread & Co Ltd, forming Whitbread Flowers Ltd.

JA Devenish & Co Ltd, 15 Trinity Street, Weymouth, and Redruth, Cornwall. Founded in 1742, and had 390 tied houses, with the Redruth plant trading under the name Cornish Brewery Company.Brewing took place at both sites until 1985, when the Weymouth site closed. Brewing continued in Redruth until 2004.

Watney, 91 Brick Lane, London. This was the brewing arm of the food, drinks and retailing group, Grand Metropolitan PLC. Most of their estate traded under the name Usher’s, until the Usher’s management buyout of 1992 brought Usher’s out of this large conglomerate.

William Hancock & Sons (Wiveliscombe) Ltd, Wiveliscombe, Somerset. Registered in 1896, and merged with Arnold & Sons Ltd, of Taunton, in 1927, forming Arnold & Hancock Ltd. Taken over by Usher’s Wiltshire Brewery in 1955. It may be in farm use today (2018).

Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton Ltd, 137 High Street, Burton-Upon-Trent. It was founded in 1777 and registered in January 1880. Further merged with Bass, Mitchell’s & Butler, then Bass Charrington PLC, of 30 Portland Place, London, who were once the country’s largest brewer, and owned over 7 000 pubs.