Sunken Knave was founded in Worthing, Sussex, by brewer Henry Kirk, who built his career at Joseph Holts, Harveys, Fullers and Dark Star before turning to recreating historic English ales from old recipe books. Its debut beer, Mumping Ale, launched in 2024, alongside a 1914 Strong X mild, a 1909 pale ale and the historic Prize Old Ale, reviving recipes from lost breweries including Chapman's, Kemptown and Fremlins.