In 1979, Morland created Old Speckled Hen, one of their most popular beers, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory in Abingdon, England.

[1] A farmer, John Morland, set up the brewery in 1711, and the ale and porter was bought by pubs in London.

In 1889, the company took over two brewers, H. B. Saxby and Field & Sons, keeping their names on the labels of their beers.

Morland opened their own restaurants called 'Artist Fayre as well as another 100 pubs from Whitbread & co Plc.'.

[citation needed] Morland Plc owned over five hundred pubs when the brewery closed in 2000.

A large wooden house built for head brewer James Dymore Brown great-grandson of Jas Dymore Brown Reading Brewery once lived in was demolished when the company built a large air-conditioned draught beer warehouse.

Bell Amusements a subsidiary of Morland owned was based in Northampton, and office in the old malthouse.

[citation needed] Old Speckled Hen beer was first brewed by Morland in 1979 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory there on 30 November 1979.