Our story

The Old Mill stands in an idyllic setting on the bends of the River Avon. The Old Mill started life in 1914 as an electricity generator for the Netheravon Airfield using water power from the River Avon. The power from the river never managed to generate electricity to the extent needed, so diesel generators were installed to run the turbines. This soon proved not to be cost effective and the power station was closed down.

The years in between the power station and brewery, the building was put to many different uses. For a while, it served as a village hall hosting dances and boxing matches. Also, a fiberglass factory was in operation for some years. For long periods the towering Old Mill was boarded up and only the ghost was rummaging the stairs and corridors.

In 1983 Tony and Robinetta Bunce bought the old power station from the MOD and converted it into a brewery. They started brewing in 1984 and changed the building into a Grade II listed premises. Had it not been for the Bunces, we probably would not have been brewing at The Old Mill today.

In 1993 Master Brewer Stig Anker Andersen, his wife Anna Marie Andersen, and their 7 month old daughter Amalie uprooted from Denmark to take over Stonehenge Ales. Stig and Anna-Marie created many award-winning handcrafted English beers, which we continue to brew today.

In March 2022, we, Nicola & James Robinson made the move from Epping Forest in Essex to take over the reins of the brewery and carry forward its legacy as one of Wiltshire’s oldest microbreweries. Owning a Brewery has been our dream for years and we love every part of this challenging journey.

Our brewery is designed to enable the natural downward flow of brewing ingredients and wort, reminiscent of early tower breweries.

Throughout the process, a single pump transfers the hot wort through a plate cooler before fermentation.
Each beer is crafted to a unique recipe using the traditional infusion mash method, with only the highest quality malt, whole hops, Stonehenge Spring Water, and our own brewery yeast.

Following fermentation, the beer is run off into sterilised stainless steel casks, sealed, and then allowed to naturally condition within the cask.

Once delivered to pubs or venues, the beer still needs the care and attention of the landlord or cellar manager for a first-class pint to be poured.

In 2015 we began bottling the refreshing and pristine Stonehenge Spring Water from the Salisbury Plain aquifer. Today this can be found at local pubs, gyms, and tourist attractions including the Stonehenge Visitors Centre where the ancient and enigmatic stone circle rests above the water flowing below.

In 2022 our handcrafted Stonehenge Gin was added to the family, it is infused with lemon verbena creating a light and citrusy gin. Serve with premium tonic and a slice of grapefruit. You can find our gin in local pubs, our home delivery service, and here at the brewery for collection.