Brewers & Boozers Tour

Island Green Brewery

Founded in 1856 by William & John Jones who came from Caia Farm (now a pub). Their mother was a brewer and she passed on the trade to her son John. Island Green had a 16 quarter brewhouse and 32 quarter maltings. ( 8 bushels of barley equal one quarter which would produce 150 gallons of beer on average).

The Jones brothers ran the brewery until 1905 and were pillars of the local community. Their charitable trust paid for half of the Wrexham & East Denbighshire Memorial Hospital after the First World War (see Historic Tour of Wrexham.) In 1931 Island Green Brewery merged with two local breweries to form Border Breweries. The brewery buildings became little more than a store, said to be haunted by a figure they named John Jones. He was probably none too pleased at the fate of his business. In the 1970s the site closed down and fell into dereliction. The brewery has now been converted into flats.

Follow the Gwenfro, crossing a small footbridge, make your way along the side of the Island Green complex. Cross Brewery Place looking out on the right for the Mitre Brewery on Pentre Felin.

The Mitre Brewery was brewing between 1868 - 1916. The brewhouse and its chimney have survived. On your left is the former Old Three Tuns public house. The pub moved here in 1896 after the original Old Three Tuns was knocked down to make way for the Ellesmere - Wrexham Railway.

Once you have joined the road turn left and head along Brook Street. Look out on your left for the small ruined bonded warehouse. Wrexham had many such warehouses in its brewing heyday. If you have some spare capital, help save some of Wrexham's heritage by buying and preserving this building.

Proceed to Vicarage Hill>>

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