Christopher Stopes and Robert Hurnard commenced brewing on this site in 1828 (hence this date appearing twice on the extant buildings) and by 1887, following a number of mergers, the business was known as the Colchester Brewing Co. Ltd. However, in 1882 Christopher and his son Henry Stopes had designed and built a new Eagle Brewery on this site which Henry Stopes further extended in 1888. By this time Christopher had died (in 1883) and Henry had established his own firm of brewers’ engineers – H. Stopes and Co. – and had become an influential figure in the world of malting and brewing. The business continued to expand by take-overs including that of the adjacent East Hill Brewery of Charrington Nicholl and Co. in the early 1920s. However it too was swallowed up by Ind Coope and Co. of Romford about 1925. Brewing ceased the site becoming regional offices and a depot. In the late 1980s the entire site was sold and the front offices converted for further office use and the tower brewhouse to residential use.

The extant structures are of one of the most decorative breweries remaining in Essex. The main office block (east) which has an eagle above the date 1828, is of gault and red brick and stone under a slate roof. Decoration of this 3 to 4 storey block includes ornamental round arches over windows with central columns and also square headed first floor windows. The upper part has strip pilasters and there is a corbelled parapet. Inscribed stone plaques record the date of the building of the extension (1888) and an inscribed foundation stone. Next to this block (to the west) is a two storey block in red brick with stucco dressings under a slate roof. Thirdly, to the west is the last block, probably the original re-build of 1882. This is in white gault brick on the ground floor with red brick and white pilasters above, again with a slate roof. It has three arched bays with a carriage entrance in the centre. <1>.