is said to be Britain’s oldest brewery, with a heritage that can be traced back to at least 1698. The port of Faversham in southeast England had already enjoyed a tradition of brewing when its mayor, Captain Richard Marsh, founded a brewery conveniently situated over an artesian well. Monks at a neighboring Benedictine abbey had long known that its pure spring water and locally grown malting barley produced a heady concoction.

Around 1741, ownership of Marsh’s brewery passed to Samuel Shepherd, who was joined by his sons Julius and John. Obvious visionaries, they installed a revolutionary steam engine to grind malt and to pump water and started buying pubs, some of which are still owned by the brewery. A steam engine survives, as do unlined Russian teak mash tuns installed in 1914, plus the brewery’s wood-panelled interior with its decorative hop moldings reflecting its position amid the hop yards of East Kent. An innovative visitor center set in a medieval hall creates a fine harmony.

Shepherd Neame’s state-of-the-art brewhouse and its 370 pubs have earned accolades for social responsibility, environmental concerns, and community focus, culminating in a 2006 Queen’s Award for sustainable development.

It remains that rarity in modern British brewing—an independent family company—now in its fifth generation from when Percy Beale Neame assumed control from the Shepherds in 1877. Its core ales are Spitfire (4.5% ABV), a malt and citrus-tinged delight, and the generously fruity Bishop’s Finger (5.0% ABV).

See also britain.