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A history of the Cirencester Brewery

Joyce Moss

There has been occupation of the brew- These would be traditionally long narrow ery site in Cirencester town centre for properties, with shop, living quarters, nearly 2,000 years. Soon after the workshops, yards and allotments going Romans occupied this area of Britain a back from the street. Behind would be fort was established and with it a vicus open agricultural plots. These can be or civil settlement. Around AD 70, as the seen on the 1795 map of Cirencester, conquest was consolidated, the fort was drawn up by Richard Hall.2 thrown down and the town handed over to a civil authority. Cirencester became Prior to the refurbishment of Brewery the capital of the tribe (Corinium Arts, and as part of the Arts Council Dobunnorum), growing from the original Lottery Fund grant procedure, between vicus and designed on the usual Roman the 12 and 17 July 2001, two test pits grid pattern, in a series of insulae or were dug in the south-west area of islands. The brewery site was in one of Brewery Arts courtyard. The results were these islands, being some way north of perhaps disappointing, but in Pit 1 there the forum and administrative buildings. was a silty dark grey-brown clay, identi- Most likely it was a residential and shop- fied at other sites in the town as a ping area. medieval cultivated area, above Roman levels, and possibly part of a Castle The archaeological evidence is sketchy, Street tenement. Above this, 18th and but a report in 1944 shows that a mosaic 19th century pottery was found, no doubt floor and coloured wall plaster were partly from the Cirencester Brewery, recovered in 1849 to the rear of the which pre-dated Brewery Arts. In Pit 2, a Cirencester Brewery site.1 Roman mate- well was discovered with post-medieval rial was found in test pits dug before the glazed pottery. building of Bishop's Walk, Tesco and the Link Building. No Anglo-Saxon finds One of the medieval buildings fronting came up, but medieval ones did. It is Street was the Bell Inn. This known that Castle Street and Cricklade was a courtyard inn on a site opposite the Street were major town arteries in former Woolworth's store. It had always medieval times, so it is certain that they been associated with the brewery and contained medieval shops and houses. there is conclusive evidence to suggest

54 Journal of the Brewery History Society this. The Bell Inn is mentioned as Le The Cirencester Brewery Prospectus of Bell, along with several other Cirencester 1930, a copy of which is lodged in the inns - the Angel, Crown, Hartished Corinium Museum's files, confirms the (Hart's Head), Katherine Wheel, King's connection. It says that the Cripps' family Head and Lyon - in a 1540 Court of brewery had been in existence since Augmentations list.3 This means that it 1798 and that belonged, with the other inns, to the Abbey of St. Mary, at that time situated the oldest transaction on record of the busi- behind the Parish Church, and was taken ness, now known as the Cirencester Brewery into crown hands at the Dissolution of Ltd, is a way bill, dated November 29th 1803, the Abbey. Often abbeys owned inns in for materials conveyed to Cirencester by the the later to cater for visitors. by barge, loading Another mention of the Bell comes in at the Hawk's Wharf, Upper Thames Street, 1685, in the will of Giles Cambridge of London. The barge was consigned to a Mr. Coates. The Bell was bought by Giles Gibbs, who was then the landlord of the Bell from one Edward Barston. Giles willed Inn, premises identical with part of the build- the inn to his wife, who died in 1698 and ings, which still form part of the Brewery. then to his son, Andrew.4 As the result of several 20th century More relevant to our story, there is a list brewery takeovers, the original brewery of Cirencester inns in the Cirencester documents have largely disappeared, but Parish Papers in in the 1930s this would not have been Archives, dating to about 1800, which the case and they would have been kept contains 73 entries. Of these, 41 had in the brewery offices. There is no doubt recently been suppressed (there were that we are looking at increased trans- always too many inns). The Bell Inn is port along the canal system, created in listed, but had evidently been moved to a the 18th century. By November 1789, the new building, as the original Bell Inn, link between the , via the ‘now the Brewery’, is listed as sup- Stroudwater Canal, and the River pressed, with Clifford as the occupier. Thames at was complete. This is the essential early link between Cirencester became the terminus of a the Bell Inn and the brewery. From the branch of this canal and the basin was 1790s, a new Bell Inn appeared at the situated between Quern's Hill and corner of Cricklade Street and Castle Quern's Road, with three wharves and a Street and was only closed in 1957. The wharfhouse. The first coal barge arrived building is now occupied by the estate in the town in May 1789.6 agent Savills and the sign of the Bell can still be seen on the corner of the build- The Bell Inn, like all other inns at the time, ing.5 The old Bell Inn had become part of would have had its own small brewhouse, the brewery buildings. but as the 1803 way bill is specifically

Brewery History Number 138 55 Figure 1. The Old Bell Inn. From Welsford, J. & Grace, P. (1990) Cirencester in the 1930s & '40s. Nelson: Hendon Publishing. Courtesy of Peter Grace.

mentioned in the 1930s prospectus, it Archives for Cirencester, from 1780 looks as though the new Bell Inn, as well onwards, the Cripps family, who owned as the old, was owned by the brewery. As the brewery for much of the 19th century, people moved, in the late 18th century, paid substantial Land Tax on several from the country to the towns and as properties in the parish, but their name is population increased and transport net- not specifically linked with a brewery. In works became easier, domestic brewing the Journal, 17 March 1792, at home decreased and went into the also in Gloucestershire Archives, the inns and some independent breweries following advertisement appeared: and malthouses grew up as well, often supplying the inns they owned. Cirencester, Gloucestershire. A Brewery for sale. I now want to discuss the 1798 date for the foundation of the brewery, given in To be sold, a modern well built Dwelling the 1930 Brewery Prospectus. In the House, with a garden and suitable offices, Land Tax records in Gloucestershire late the property and residence of Mr. William

56 Journal of the Brewery History Society Hewer, brewer deceased and also the malt tun and vats. It is described as a Brewhouse. Malthouse, Cellars and fixtures compact good business, well supplied of the same, which are in such good with water. Only by December had the condition and so conveniently put together, stock been sold. Could these advertise- as to be one of the most complete Breweries ments relate to the sale of the 1792 of its size, outside London, adding to the brewery again? No address is given, but, present extensive trade of the said Brewery again, it must have been prominent (which has been the work of years) and enough in Cirencester for everyone to the certainty, by proper management, of know where it was. Applications were to increasing it, in a very considerable go to a Mr at the premises or a degree, must render the whole a desirable Mr Whateley, Attorney at Law. purchase to a person inclined to enter the trade. Were these breweries linked with the start of our brewery in 1798? If they were Applications were to go to a Mr. John situated on the site of the later brewery, it Brown of Cirencester or a Mr. Howes of is possible that someone bought these Winston. The same advertisement substantial premises and expanded them appeared several times in the Gloucester by taking in the suppressed Bell Inn. Journal, a weekly paper founded in 1722. Alternatively, they could have started a Eventually there was an auction on 30 new business altogether in the Bell Inn April at the Fleece Hotel, at which, pre- and its environs after it was suppressed sumably, the brewery was sold. It is and available for development. We do not interesting to note that in the 1793 know and it is possible that there were Universal Directory (Gloucestershire other small brewing concerns in Archives), under Cirencester, William Cirencester, unrelated to inns, which Hewer is listed as the only brewer in the were un-named or unrecorded in the town, though there was a maltster 1790s. named Bowly. William Hewer had died earlier, but the Directory would be using It would be useful to put the late 18th cen- information collected well before its tury brewery in its historical context. Great publication date. Britain was at war with Revolutionary France and, in 1798, the Gloucester Unfortunately, there is no mention of the Journal tells us that a Cirencester location of the brewery. In 1798, again in Committee of Defence was set up to the Gloucester Journal, in June and July, defend the town under Lord Bathurst, in there is an advertisement for a brewery in case the French invaded. Both Joseph Cirencester to be sold with Tophouse, and Edward Cripps were members. In garden and premises, this time in the that year too, Nelson won the Battle of occupation of John Lucas, with a stock of the Nile in the Eastern Mediterranean, porter, ale and beer, 400 casks, a copper, forcing Napoleon back to France and

Brewery History Number 138 57 thereby putting Great Britain in future The Gloucestershire Directory of 1842, danger. There was not only increased by Pigot, lists Joseph Cripps and Co. as population, but war and soldiers to stimu- brewers in Cricklade Street (Gloucester- late the brewing industry. The new canals shire Archives) and the 1838 Tithe could transport barley and hops easily Apportionment Map for Cirencester, also across the country. Already, in the first at Gloucester, shows a large brewery part of the 18th century, the number of building behind Castle Street and breweries and brew-houses in England Cricklade Street. In 1847, Baily and and had doubled and the trend Jones' Gloucestershire Directory shows continued. Subsidiary industries like bar- the company as Cripps, Byrch and Co, rel making also stimulated trade. In this with Shergold and Kimber as independ- sort of industrial take-off, small concerns ent wine and spirit merchants in could become big breweries and buy up Cricklade Street. Keyworth's Directory of inns to supply. This, as we shall see, hap- 1861 has Cripps, Demainbray and Co. as pened to our brewery in the 19th century. brewers in Cricklade Street. The Cripps Cirencester was a small town but ideally had become senior partners but new placed on the road and canal systems partners were evidently taken on and for this development. changed as expansion continued. For example, the Gloucestershire directories The next reference to the brewery comes of Slater (1850) and Kelly (1856) add in the Gloucestershire Directory of Gell Mullings to the list of partners. Most of the and Bradshaw in 1820. It was situated in brewery buildings probably dated from Cricklade Street and was listed as the 1820s, as those remaining in New Croome, Cripps and Co. This is the first Brewery Arts are early 19th century. time the Cripps family are mentioned in connection with the brewery. Were they in In the Brewery Prospectus of 1930, we at the start in 1798 or did they buy into a are told that, since 1847, partnership with the Croomes, a well known local family, in the early 19th centu- through the foresight and business ry? Other brewers in the town were listed abilities of the late Mr. Frederick Cripps, a as John Masters in Thomas Street and prosperous business has been built up Francis Smith in Cricklade Street. In 1824, and developed on the site of the old an existing brewery on the crossroads public house. with Lewis Lane, further along Cricklade Street, was sold to Edward Bowly, a In Cirencester's parish register, there is Siddington gentleman, and a very suc- a Frederick Cripps, brother to William, cessful business, known as the Cotswold baptized in 1808 and son to Joseph Cripps, Brewery, developed there.7 Cirencester baptized in 1787, the probable part- was obviously enjoying the nationwide owner of the brewery. His grandfather expansion of the brewery trade! was Joseph, baptized in 1765.

58 Journal of the Brewery History Society The wealth of the Cripps family came on 1 October 1853. It appears that there originally from the wool trade and they was a ‘monster nuisance’ from putres- had been in Cirencester since the 16th cent hops, piled up at the brewery and century. By the 19th century, they were not removed. The article points out the rich and important enough to represent public health hazards, including mention the town in Parliament. From 1806-12 of recent measures taken locally to pre- and 1818-41, Joseph Cripps sat as an vent cholera. It was hoped the brewery independent-minded member and was owners would set an example to neigh- succeeded by his son. The other parlia- bours and clear up the mess. The 19th mentary seat was held by Lord Bathurst. century was a time of increasing public They were a numerous family with hous- health measures, but the smell from the es in Coxwell Street, Thomas Street and brewery chimneys and its detritus must Cricklade Street in the early 19th century. have overwhelmed the small town of There was also a branch of the family at Cirencester. in the later 19th century. The first mention of the Cirencester By the time they bought into the brewery, Brewery by name comes in Morris's the Cripps family owned a bank in Directory of 1865, with Cripps as brew- Coxwell Street and Joseph Cripps junior ers. By 1875, when the 6" Ordnance owned two clothing mills in the near vicin- Survey map of the area was published, ity of the town, making worsted and the brewery was huge. Its buildings went employing the poor.8 A brewery would be back from the Cricklade Street frontage an added investment at a time when as far as the building now containing industry was thriving in Great Britain. WH Smith's shop. It was the biggest Rich and influential middle class families industrial complex in Cirencester and the frequently put spare money into such largest employer in the town. The 1876 concerns. A glance at the Cirencester Gloucestershire Directory (by Morris) has Census Records from 1841 to 1881, in the entry ‘Cripps and Co, brewers and Goucestershire Archives, shows maltsters at Cirencester Brewery in Frederick Cripps of Coxwell Steet as var- Cricklade Street.’ All subsequent directo- iously a banker, brewer, farmer and mag- ries up to the 1930s follow suit. istrate. No doubt, this is the Frederick Cripps of the Brewery Prospectus. Which In 1882 the expanding Cirencester members of the Cripps family owned the Brewery acquired the Cotswold brewery is unclear from the records but I Brewery.9 Frederick Cripps of Ampney suspect it was a family concern involving Crucis bought it for £17,290 and included quite a few of them. in the sale were 16 local public houses. These were added to a growing number An interesting incident was reported in of public houses which, as we shall see, the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard were being purchased by the Cirencester

Brewery History Number 138 59 Brewery at the time and which included further improvements to the brewery. On inns as far afield as and both sides of the entrance to Brewery , though most were in the Yard, handsome additions were built in villages around Cirencester. Cotswold the Gothic Style for use as offices. Among Brewery stopped production. According to the buildings taken down for the rebuild- the Cripps papers in Gloucestershire ing was the Old Assembly Room of the Archives, the Maltings in Cricklade Street, Bell Inn. The offices were said to be very associated with, though not owned by the comfortable and an example of the archi- Cotswold Brewery, had already been tecture can still be seen in the building on bought in 1877 by Edmund William Cricklade Street, at the front of the former Cripps. Buying out rivals and purchasing Thresher's Wine Shop. The 1901 pubs must have made the Cripps' Cirencester Census names Frederick W Brewery one of the largest concerns in Cripps of Coxwell Street as Director of the Gloucestershire by the late 19th century. Brewery Co. He was born in Ampney Crucis.

By 1888 Cirencester Brewery had In 1914 Thomas Matthews died, aged 78, become a limited liability company. More and there was a tribute to him in the Wilts expansion saw another Maltings erected and Gloucestershire Standard on 17 and the wine and spirit business of January. It was reported that, as a young Shergold and Kimber taken over and lad, Matthews had moved from Sapperton enlarged. Mineral water was also intro- to Cirencester to be a clerk at the Cripps' duced as a new product.10 In the 1894 Brewery Co. and had worked there until Trade Directory for Gloucestershire (by his death. From his junior post he ‘rose in Baily and Jones), the brewery was listed virtue’, became a traveller for the compa- under its new name, the Cirencester ny, brewer and then general manager. Brewery Co., with one Thomas Matthews When Cripps became the Cirencester of 104 Dyer Street given as manager and Brewery, he was appointed company secretary. Handbills from 1894-1914 con- secretary. He was succeeded by his eld- firm the new status. Here is a typical one: est son, Ernest. The Matthews' family were associated with the brewery into the Cirencester Brewery Ltd., Brewers and Wine 1930s. Merchants, Successors to the business originally established by Messrs. Shergold In the Corinium Museum file, there is an and Kimber, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Cricklade Street.11 interesting First World War handbill, which reads: The brewery was diversifying its business into wine and spirits. Cirencester Brewery Ltd.

In the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard Order a Pint of Beer and drive a nail into the of 2 April 1892, there is an article about Kaiser's Coffin. Drink the National Beverage

60 Journal of the Brewery History Society Figure 2. The Cirencester Brewery in the early 20th century. From Welsford, J. & Grace, P. (1990) Cirencester in the 1930s & '40s. Nelson: Hendon Publishing. Courtesy of Peter Grace.

and Help your Country by paying your share Sparkling Moselle, Vermouth, Irish and in the War Tax Scots Whisky. The company bottled its own beers, ales and stouts and held a By 1920, the firm owned 92 licensed selection of Burton upon Trent beers for houses and 120 private properties in a those who liked the taste. The wine busi- radius of 25 miles of Cirencester.12 ness was particularly well developed, bottling being carried out on the premises. In the 1930 Cirencester Brewery Spirits were held in bonded stores. Prospectus, the list of products, other than beers, is very large. It included: The Prospectus continues: Aerated Waters, Bottled Ales, Burgundy, Chablis, Canadian Whisky, Champagne, Quite recently (1920s and 1930s), to meet Claret, Cocktails, Cordials, Cyder, Empire the demand for what our American friends Wines, Gin, Graves, Liqueurs, Madeira, call ‘soft drinks’, the manufacture of Minerals Olive Oil, Rum, Port, Sauterne, Sherry, has been undertaken by means of the most

Brewery History Number 138 61 Figure 3. The Entrance to Brewery Yard, Cricklade Street in the 1930s. Figure 2. The Cirencester Brewery in the early 20th century. From Welsford, J. & Grace, P. (1990) Cirencester in the 1930s & '40s. Nelson: Hendon Publishing. Courtesy of Peter Grace.

modern machinery from a remarkably pure post he held until 1937 when Cirencester and suitable supply of water from a well on Brewery was amalgamated with H & G the Brewery premises. Simmonds of Reading at which time he was made director of Cirencester The brewery's 1930 illustrated price list Brewery14 and Sir Frederick Cripps included the following beers: ‘Family retired as chairman and managing direc- Ales, Bitter, Pale, XXXX, Stout and No.1 tor.15 The following notice appeared in Barley Wine.’ On the front cover of the list the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard is a phoenix rising from the flames, which on 5 June 1937: is also Cirencester's emblem. Most beer bottles associated with the company We understand that on and after 30th June, carry this mark and are now enthusiasti- the Cirencester Brewery Company, will be cally collected.13 controlled by Messrs H&G Simmonds the well known brewing firm of Reading, and William Parry Cripps joined the family Davenport and that Captain E.T.Cripps and firm in 1928. He was appointed secretary Mr.B.J.B.Stephens will still be associated with and manager of the company in 1934, a the direction and management of the

62 Journal of the Brewery History Society company and will remain on the Board. It is form and beer was no longer made on expected that Mr. W.P.Cripps, the present the premises. secretary, will be elected as Director. These brewery buildings (now New Thus Simmonds, a much bigger brewery, Brewery Arts) were turned over to war had made an offer not to be refused and production between 1939 and 1945 as had acquired the Cirencester Brewery were the new shops, as yet unoccupied, and over 90 licensed properties connect- on Cricklade Street. These ‘shadow fac- ed with it. The public houses were, of tories’ produced Spitfire parts and the course, the point of the takeover for brewery buildings were used to manufac- Simmonds, who were in the process of ture the tail-fins of Lancaster bombers.17 buying up a series of West Country brew- eries during the 1930s.16 The brewery yard, in its heyday, must have been very busy, with horse-drawn Operations in Cirencester continued carts bringing in hops, barley and casks under the direction of the Cripps family. In and taking out full crates of beer and min- 1939 Kelly's Gloucestershire Directory eral waters. Sometimes used hops were listed the Cirencester Brewery Ltd. as sold to local farmers as cattle fodder and wine and spirit merchants, under the there would be terrier dogs to keep down direction of William Parry Cripps, Sir the rats. The enormous hop and barley Frederick's son. The brewery was finally sacks were hoisted up the gantry (still in liquidated in 1949, bringing to an end the front of the building) to be taken in for the long association of the Cripps family with beer brewing process. The brewery also brewing in Cirencester. had a well of very good water. This may date from Roman times, though the actu- In fact, after 1937 operations had been al structure, when excavated was 19th scaled down. In the late 1930s much of century in date. In 1921, it was estimated the brewery was demolished including that 8,000 gallons a day could come from the offices fronting onto Cricklade Street the well and, in the 1930s, in drought and the brewing areas, leaving a small conditions, it was suggested that this well office and store on the site of the former could supply the whole town, though it Thresher's wine shop. The Old Bell Inn, was never used for this purpose.18 with its courtyard, was also demolished - a terrible loss for Cirencester's medieval The present New Brewery Arts consists heritage. A row of shops replaced the Bell of solid stone, early 19th century buildings and offices and, from 1937 to 1949, used as storage areas. The Niccol Centre Simmonds operated from the small office was a barrel store and the front and rear already mentioned, simply distributing buildings, connected by walkways, con- beers and minerals. The brewery build- tained the later beer bottling plant and ings were now reduced to their present bottle washing area (the gallery and cof-

Brewery History Number 138 63 fee house). Most of the brewery's activi- 6. Welsford, J. (1987) Cirencester, A History ties, as we have already seen, took place and Guide. : Alan Sutton, p.94. in the buildings demolished after 1937. In 7. Peaty, I. (1994) ‘The Cotswold Brewery, the 1960s and 1970s, the Niccol Centre Cirencester’, Journal of the Brewery History was used as a council storage depot and Society, 77, Autumn, pp.27-31. Cotswold Archaeological Trust kept its 8. For the Cripps Family, see Welsford, J. excavating tools there. After the demise (1987) op. cit. p.89 and pp.110-12 and of the brewery, Johnson's sheet metal Beecham, K.J (1887) [1978] A History of engineering firm took over the front build- Cirencester. Stroud: Alan Sutton, pp.179-80. ing and it was Johnson's relocation in 9. Peaty, I. (1994) op. cit. pp.27-31. 1976 to the Love Lane Industrial Estate 10. Noted in Alison Merry's Corinium which caused the council to buy the Museum press release, 1977, from The Hop buildings, with a view to demolishing Leaf Gazette (H. & G. Simmond's brewery them prior to redevelopment. magazine), July 1937, pp.474-5. 11. ibid. 12. For the pubs owned by the brewery, go References to www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk and click on Breweries and Cirencester. 1. Darvill, T. & Gerrard, C. (1994) 13. www.geocities.com/bygonz/cirencester- Cirencester, Town and Landscape: An Urban brew.htm Archaeological Assessment. Cotswold 14. Peaty, I. (1994) op. cit. pp.25-7. Archaeological Trust, based on a 1958 work 15. Noted in Alison Merry's Corinium commissioned prior to a new development in Museum press release, 1977, from The Hop the town. Leaf Gazette (H. & G. Simmond's brewery 2. Part of the Bingham Collection, magazine), July 1937, pp.474-5. Gloucestershire Archives. 16. Hornsey, I.S. (2003) A History of Beer 3. Smith, A.H. (1964) The Place Names of and Brewing. Cambridge: Royal Society of Gloucestershire, Vol. II. Cambridge: English Chemistry, p.593. Place Names Society, pp 63-4. 17. Information about the 1930s and 1940s 4. www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk, the was given to me by Peter Grace, a local website of Geoff Sandles on Gloucestershire historian and author of Welsford, J. & Grace, pubs and breweries and Gloucestershire P. (1990) Cirencester in the 1930s & '40s. Archives. Nelson: Hendon Publishing. 5. Griffiths, P. (2002) ‘The Inns of 18. Information from Professor Allen Harker Cirencester’ in Emson, S. & Bull, M. (eds.) of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester [Ottakar's Local History Series] remembered by Katie Batchelor in the 1990s. Stroud: Tempus, pp.71-7.

64 Journal of the Brewery History Society