Archive record · Brewery
Theakston Brewery
Masham, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1827
- Archive ID
- TB-CMYTXDB0
- Last checked
- 2026-09-17
Who owns this brewery?
Independent ownership is recorded. No parent company is held in the archive.
From the record
Summary
Founded 1827 in Masham; famous for Old Peculier. Controlling interest bought by Matthew Brown PLC in 1984 after a contested court action; Matthew Brown taken over by Scottish & Newcastle in 1987; bought back into family control in 2003 by Simon Theakston and his brothers Nick, Tim and Edward with former S&N director Collin Wood, the first modern buy-back of a family brewery from a national brewer. Corrected 2026-09-17 on a reader's tip.
A summary written during research. The sourced facts are in the sections below.
Tally’s Take
Famous for Old Peculier; the family pulled a rare move by buying the brewery back from corporate owners to restore independence.
Ownership & corporate history
- Acquired by Matthew Brown PLC1984 – 1987
What the sources say
'the controlling interest of the company being purchased by Matthew Brown PLC, brewers in Blackburn, following a contested court action' after a family disagreement (Theakston, Our Story).
- Controlled by Scottish & Newcastle plc1987 – 2003
What the sources say
'Brewers Scottish & Newcastle plc takes over Matthew Brown. Theakston becomes part of the wider S&N business' (Theakston, Our Story). S&N itself was bought by Heineken and Carlsberg in 2008, after Theakston had left it.
- Acquired by Simon Theakston2003
What the sources say
Buy-back into family control from S&N, 'led by Simon Theakston and former S&N director Collin Wood, together with Simon's brothers, Nick, Tim and Edward' (Theakston, Our Story). Correction prompted by Laura Hadland, 2026-09-17.
- Acquired by Nick Theakston2003
What the sources say
Buy-back into family control from S&N, 'led by Simon Theakston and former S&N director Collin Wood, together with Simon's brothers, Nick, Tim and Edward' (Theakston, Our Story). Correction prompted by Laura Hadland, 2026-09-17.
- Acquired by Tim Theakston2003
What the sources say
Buy-back into family control from S&N, 'led by Simon Theakston and former S&N director Collin Wood, together with Simon's brothers, Nick, Tim and Edward' (Theakston, Our Story). Correction prompted by Laura Hadland, 2026-09-17.
- Acquired by Edward Theakston2003
What the sources say
Buy-back into family control from S&N, 'led by Simon Theakston and former S&N director Collin Wood, together with Simon's brothers, Nick, Tim and Edward' (Theakston, Our Story). Correction prompted by Laura Hadland, 2026-09-17.
- Acquired by Collin Wood2003
What the sources say
Buy-back into family control from S&N, 'led by Simon Theakston and former S&N director Collin Wood, together with Simon's brothers, Nick, Tim and Edward' (Theakston, Our Story). Correction prompted by Laura Hadland, 2026-09-17.
Ownership history is kept as dated events, so a change of owner never overwrites the one before it.
Where it is
54.22230, -1.65975
Supplied by the research pass; method not recorded
Open on a mapThe Beer Library
Beers
Old Peculier
Year-RoundOld Ale
Named for the Peculier of Masham, a genuine ecclesiastical court that governed the parish outside the bishop's authority. The spelling is not a mistake — it is a legal term.
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Straight answers
Common questions about Theakston Brewery
- Who owns Theakston Brewery?
- Theakston Brewery is independently owned — there is no parent company above it on record. It is based in Masham, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
- Is Theakston Brewery independent?
- Yes. Theakston Brewery is recorded as independent, with no parent company. Independence is recorded as the brewery states it; where a stake is a minority holding or joint venture, this archive leaves it unmapped rather than calling it ownership.
- When was Theakston Brewery founded?
- Theakston Brewery was founded in 1827 in Masham, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
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