The most prominent remaining building on Mount Street is The Nag’s Head. A pub has existed on this site for many centuries, with parts of the current building potentially dating back to the 17th or 18th century. The pub’s frontage was remodelled during the Victorian era.
The Nag’s Head, like many taverns, brewed its own beer. Initially, the brewery was run by William and Thomas Rowlands between 1834 and 1874. The ambitious Henry Aspinall then purchased the brewery, renaming it The Wrexham Brewery Co. He expanded the brewery onto land by the church, leading to a dispute with locals who believed the land was a public park. Aspinall declared bankruptcy in 1879. In 1879, the small brewery was acquired by the Soames family, who expanded it into a major industry. The tall brick chimney behind the pub is a relic of that expansion. The Soames’ brewery straddled both sides of Tuttle Street, with the brewery building on the left (now private flats) and the Nag’s Head on the right, next to additional brewery buildings that have since been demolished.
Arthur Soames, who purchased the brewery, appointed his 21-year-old son, Frederick, as manager. In ten years, Frederick transformed the business, constructing a 50-quarter brewhouse and expanding the business beyond Wrexham.
During the First World War, the brewery gained publicity when one of their requisitioned motorized drays was hit by a shell on the Western Front. The image was used for patriotic advertising throughout the war. In 1920, Frederick Soames built a new five-story brewhouse to accommodate the greater demand for their beers.
Frederick’s death and the Great Depression led to difficult times for the brewery. In 1931, the company merged with Island Green and Dorsett Owen of Oswestry. The new company faced challenges in maintaining market share, especially with limited expansion space. Slogans like “The Wine of Wales” and “Order a Border – The Prince of Ales” helped them through the 1950s and 1960s. However, by the 1980s, Border Breweries struggled in a competitive market.
In 1984, Marston’s and Burtonwood vied for control of Border Breweries. Real ale enthusiasts preferred Burtonwood, but Whitbread, which owned significant shares in both companies, backed Marston’s. Despite public assurances, the brewery was closed six months after the sale in October 1984. Marston’s, however, still owns The Nag’s Head.
