The new brewery complex was designed by architect Sir John Soane and possessed an early Boulton & Watt steam engine.

[2] Over time the brewery expanded, coming to occupy large quantities of land alongside the River Kennet on both sides of Bridge Street.

[2][3] Simonds developed rapidly, but expansion was held back until legislation restricting the setting up of new public houses was repealed by the Beerhouse Act 1830.

In January 2007, the rights for the production, marketing and sales of the Courage brands were sold to Wells & Young's Brewing Company of Bedford.

In the 1870s, they developed a lighter beer called 'SB' (Season's Brew) and, in the following decade introduced a new system of fermentation known as the 'Burton Union Method'.