Glen Newton Brewery

Business: William Meiklejohn

Location: Newton of Falkland

Type: Brewery

What was generally known as the Glen Newton Brewery was variously a brewery, bakery, distillery and maltings. The first evidence of brewers on the site uncovered to date relates to a property transaction by James and Robert Skinner in 1835, with Robert becoming the proprietor in 1838. Then in 1853 the property passed to John Skinner, who worked at the Procurator Fiscal's office in Dundee and  was described as the heir to Robert Skinner, maltster.

The complex was then let to Alexander Duncan, who established the short-lived Glen Newton Distillery. After Alexander's sequestration in 1855 the premises were offered to let, when they were described as consisting of "a bake-house, with two ovens; malt barns and kiln; distillery, which the landlord would arrange to convert into a brewery; a stable, dwelling-house and others".

In 1858 the property was assigned to Catherine Kellock, John's mother, as liferentrix. It was leased to Alexander Bonthrone, who terminated his lease in 1872. By this time Alexander had established his brewing and malting business at the nearby Newton Old Brewery.

By 1874 the complex had been leased to William Meiklejohn, Catherine's son-in-law. William had  become the owner by 1895 and remained so until his death in 1912, when it is assumed brewing ended; the brewery was described as "empty" in 1915.