The old Panton's Brewery site, Pound Lane, Wareham

During the third quarter of the 19th century James Panton managed two large breweries in Purbeck.  One was here in Wareham, adjacent to the site of the town's long-vanished castle; the other was in Swanage (in the location now occupied by the doctor's surgery, i.e. just opposite the entrance to the railway station).

The business was a substantial one, serving a total of about 90 public houses and covering a very large area.  Beer from the Swanage brewery was transported by ship to the Isle of White.

After Joseph Panton's death his family gradually relinquished control of the business, and in 1893 it passed to Strongs of Romsey.  The Wareham brewery continued producing beer, and in 1922 its role was reduced to a storage facility.  The good news is is that today some of Panton's beers - using the firm's old brewing recipes - can be drunk once more.

This photo shows, from left to right: part of the Under Brewer's house, Brewer's house, brewery gate and (in brick) the main brewery building. The road here is very narrow, the drivers of the horses and drays will have had little room for maneuver.

The "pound" in Pound Lane refers to the small pound a little further up the road, where stray animals were impounded until claimed by their owners.  Wareham's town pound has survived to this day!