Oakwellgate Brewery

Baillie's directory of 1801 describes the Oakwellgate Brewery of McCleod & Sons as 'one of the largest in the north producing great quantities of porter and beer'. The brewery building was said to be 'very elegant', formerly the residence of Sir John Coll, later converted to a textile mill in 1762 and later a brewery. It was notable for having a steam engine for grinding malt (smaller breweries at this time used horse power). McCleod & Sons had 20 public houses in 1801. They left the brewery in 1812 and the building became a brass foundry.