Redruth Brewery

Kresen Kernow stands on part of the site of the former Redruth Brewery. The public research areas, exhibition spaces and learning rooms all sit within the former brewhouse.

Redruth Brewery stood on this site for over 200 years, from around 1792 until it closed in 2004.

You can explore the history of the brewery by clicking on the images below.

The original founders of the brewery on this site were Cornish businessmen William Davey junior, John Michell and Reuben Magor. The Davey and Magor families ran the brewery together for over 130 years (FOX/B/13/13).contract dated 1806
Situated in Cornwall’s industrial heartland, the brewery took advantage of its distinguished neighbours. Scottish engineer and inventor, William Murdoch, sold his new recipe for finings (used to clarify beer) to the brewery in 1809 (LEE/1/10/1).
The brewery site is shown here in 1854. The ornate gardens at the bottom of the picture were part of Penventon House, which was home to the Magor family. Today it is a hotel (X44/1).
This picture shows the brewery in its late 19th century heyday. In 1872 the brewery was valued at the modern equivalent of £1.3 million, and by the 1880s it also owned more than 115 pubs and hotels. (Image courtesy of Redruth Old Cornwall Society)
This advert also shows the brewery in its prime. In the 1880s it was taken over by William Wickett and further expanded to sell wine and spirits. (Image courtesy of John Baughan)
Vehicles were ideal for advertising brewery products. Here, the Redruth tram, which ran from 1902-1927, is emblazoned with an advert. In the early days horse-drawn drays were used to transport beer around the south west. (Image courtesy of John Baughan)
In the 1930s the brewery was taken over by J A Devenish & Co of Weymouth. They invested heavily in buildings and equipment. By the 1960s, when this aerial picture was taken, the brewery had suffered fires and floods, but had also launched its first canned beer. (Image courtesy of Tempest)
In 1986 the Cornish Brewery was formed and launched Newquay Steam beers, which became a household name. Inspired by the American craft beer trend, its ceramic bottle tops made it even more memorable. The brewery’s output was still huge at this date, and beer was exported all over the world (Redruth Brewery collection).
Financial difficulties in the 1990s meant the brewery’s pubs were sold off, and it was taken over in 1996, before eventually closing in 2004. Around 50 people were still employed when it closed. One recalled: “it was like being part of a family. We all pulled together…and we helped each other out in and outside of work”. (Image courtesy of John Baughan)
After the brewery closed the site was vulnerable to a series of arson attacks. The worst took place in May 2011 and left the site dangerous and derelict until 2016 when construction began on Kresen Kernow. (Image courtesy of Paddy Bradley)

via https://web.archive.org/web/20220831110916/https://kresenkernow.org/exhibitions/redruth-brewery/

Redruth Brewery – Kresen Kernow

Kresen Kernow stands on part of the site of the former Redruth Brewery. The public research areas, exhibition spaces and learning rooms all sit within the former brewhouse.

Redruth Brewery stood on this site for over 200 years, from around 1792 until it closed in 2004.
Redruth Brewery Company 1827-2004, Redruth Brewery,Tolgus Hill, Redruth

Owner of original	Kresenkernow
Date	5 May 2019
File name	2018.04.4.X44-1-CROP.jpg
File Size	8.1m
Dimensions	4365 x 3213
Linked to	Redruth Brewery Company 1827-2004, Redruth Brewery,Tolgus Hill, Redruth

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