WINKLEIGH Cider Company is celebrating its centenary year, including the construction of new buildings and a new bottling line.

A limited edition centenary cider will also be released to mark the occasion.

Cider has been made on the site since 1916 when Sam Inch started making cider.

His reputation as a cider maker grew and the business could have taken off, but aggressive marketing was not Sam Inch’s style.

In 1952 Inch’s Cider was first sold in bottles and the distinctive image of a tailcoated gentleman downing a glass of cider with a barrel in the background became Inch’s trademark.

Sam’s son Derek later entered into the business and increased the marketing, which in turn increased the sales distributing all over the UK, Europe, United states and the Middle East.

Derek continued to build the business and made cider a more up-market drink - and the company became a multi-million pound business.

Bulmer’s bought Inch’s Cider in 1996 and over the next two years staff numbers dwindled and profits declined.

In 1998 Bulmers announced that it was to close the cider making site and all but four of the 100-year-old oak vats were destroyed.

David Bridgman, who was the cider maker for many years decided to take action and in January 1999 the Winkleigh Cider Company was born.

Cider making has gone back to it roots to produce proper ciders and Scrumpies and is now named after its mentor “Sam’s Cider.”

The four remaining 100-year-old oak vats, now take pride of place at Winkleigh Cider Company, as well as all its history.

David’s daughter and son in-law (Kylie and Chris Beardon) have now gone into partnership to take the business to the next level.

Chris’s Great uncle was in fact the founder of Inch’s Cider, Sam Inch himself.