Iconic Swindon brewer John Arkell remembered with blue plaque

John Arkell moved to Swindon in 1843, when he bought Kingsdown Inn and a nearby farm in Stratton St Margaret that he used to grow malting barley and brew beer.

As beer production began to outgrow the farm, he built a new steam brewery behind the original Kingsdown Inn in 1861.

By 1867, the business had even outgrown the new brewery, so John converted the old pub into offices and built a new pub across the road.

On the 180th anniversary year of Swindon's oldest business, his descendants, shareholders, and brewery staff gathered at the doorstep of John's old stone house on the corner of Beechcroft Road and Hyde Road.

An Arkell's van stops at the traffic lights outside John Arkell's house. (Image: Newsquest)

A commemorative plaque has been fixed to its outside wall as a permanent reminder of Mr Arkell's contribution to the area.

Brewery CEO James Arkell said: "You always hear about blue plaques being given to people who are very illustrious and worthy characters, so for John to have one is absolutely apt.

"He would be so thrilled to have one here in Stratton St Margaret.

"What could be better, on our 180th anniversary, in a coronation year, on the 80th anniversary of Alamein, what could be better than having a blue plaque over the front door where John Arkell started all this wonderful beer?

"He put down strong roots, he was very well-regarded, he worked hand-in-hand with [Isambard Kingdom] Brunel, and the Arkell name has kept going as a family business after all these years.

"We feel very lucky, it's a very exciting day."

John Arkell (Image: Arkell's Brewery)

Before coming to Swindon, John Arkell was born into a farming family in Kempsford in 1802

He emigrated in his late twenties and took a group of people with him who sought refuge from the tough conditions endured in agriculture at that time.

They arrived in Canada and began farming.  There, John established a village around his farm which is still named ‘Arkell’ to this day.

Three years later, he returned home for love - his fiancée preferred to live in England, so he came back to the UK to marry. 

He died on October 21, 1881, and was mourned by a community who always knew him as 'Honest John'. 

An Adver article from the time said: "He was open and above board and Radical in all he said and did. The poor had lost a good friend, a plain and simple friend."

Alex, James, and George Arkell in The Kingsdown pub (Image: Stratton St Margaret Parish Council)

Head brewer Alex Arkell added: “John, our great-great-great-grandfather built his brewery at exactly the most important moment in Swindon’s history. 

"Three miles across the fields from his farm, Isambard Kingdom Brunel opened his great Swindon Railway Works that same year.

"Our history is inextricably linked to the growth of the Railway Works and then the subsequent growth of Swindon in the surrounding area.

"John saw the potential of this little town and 180 years later, we’re still here and very thankful he chose this spot.” 

Arkell's is believed to be one of just eight tower breweries which are still operational out of more than 2,500 breweries in the UK.

Before Christmas, Stratton St Margaret Parish Council suggested honouring John Arkell with a blue plaque and set the wheels in motion to make this happen.

Coun Barrie Jennings said: "It's overdue. We really need to celebrate our own entrepreneurs who make a difference to the community.

"I'm very pleased on behalf of the parish to unveil this plaque for an achiever of great things."

James Arkell outside John Arkell's house on Beechcroft Road (Image: Stratton St Margaret Parish Council)

The blue plaque honouring Arkell's Brewery founder John Arkell (Image: Stratton St Margaret Parish Council)