Three Tuns (Bishops Castle)

Courtesy Roy Denison

Courtesy Roy Denison

Courtesy Roy Denison

1994

Three Tuns Brewery, 8 Salop Street, Bishops Castle, Shropshire.

Home-brew house in existence 1642 and trading for many years as John Roberts & Son. The current tower brewery was built in 1888.

Ceased 2001, re-opened 2003 after pub and brewhouse sold separately. Trading as Three Tuns Brewery.

Mike Brown, BHS Archivist, expands the story

First licenced in 1642, the Three Tuns is listed in the Universal British Trade Directory 1791 as a principal inn in the town with John Griffiths, Butcher & Victualler as landlord. However, documents from 1717 mention the New Club in this part of the town and Rent Books for the Powis estate from before 1771 and up to 1788, record tenant Samual Watters and sub-tenant Mathew Reynolds of “The New Club“. In 1788, Samuel Griffiths, (tenant and sub-tenant Mathew Reynolds), and shortly after, John Griffiths, as main tenant and occupant of “a messuage called The Three Tuns, late The New Club“, a major name change which has lasted up to the present. A short-lived tenant, Stephen Nelson, in 1880, left after two years to move to Liverpool.

Three Tuns Inn, the Boars Head Inn and the Harp Inn, all paying for a special licence in 1642.

1880 John Roberts grandfather who built tower brewhouse tower brewhouse built 1890s.

John Roberts to 1923 then with son Erskine as John Roberts & Son to 1940, when Ltd Co formed.

John Roberts retired 1976 then July for sale around £75k; capacity 24 bpw. Bought by Peter Milner an engineer from Sussex. The yeast was from M&B Springfield brewery in Wolverhampton.

March 1982 Three Tuns for sale and bought by Jack Wood, brother of Basil at Craven. Ernie Jones retained as brewer. Jim Woods with son Dominic, cousin of Edward brewing at Wistanstow.

1991 Three Tuns for sale 1995 ceased October.

July 1996 Three Tuns re-opened after break of 8 months bought by three local families. Brewer Steve Dunn, founder of Dunn Plowman Brewery in Leominster.

Jan 1997 Three Tuns Robert Anthony.

Ceased 2001, re-opened 2003 after pub and brewhouse sold separately.

2003 June Three Tuns £90,000 refurbishment of brewhouse by new owner Bill Brainbridge.

C.1888 copper cooling tank replaced.

John Roberts Brewing Co Ltd, Three Tuns Brewery

The brewery and adjoining store next to the Three Tuns Inn are listed grade II. The three-storey tower brewery was built between 1880 and 1888, and is an enlargement of a seventeenth century building. This is a rare survival of a small working rural brewery. Most of the original fittings still remain, including grit hoppers and a liquor tank in the attic, the mash tank on the second floor, the rare open copper cooler on the first floor, and fermenting vats on the ground floor.

An assortment of views of the brewery

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  The brewery in 1972. Courtesy Roy Denison
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  The brewery in 1973
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  The brewery in 1973
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  The brewery in 1973
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  John Roberts at the bar in 1973
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  Cooling vessel, 1973
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  Fermenter, 1973
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  The brewery in 2000
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  The brewery in 2000

The brewery in the 1990s. Courtesy Walter Dunlop

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Views of the brewery in 1994

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Advertising, labels, etc

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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison
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  Courtesy Roy Denison