The Ostrich Inn, Colnbrook, Berkshire

Colnbrook is now a village in the unitary authority of Slough, in Berkshire, England. The history of the village goes back a LONG way though, to a time when Colnbrook was a far busier and much more important place than Slough!

Mentioned in William the Conqueror's Doomsday Book in 1066, Colnbrook is so named as it is situated on a tributary of the River Colne, hence "Colne-brook".

In 1106 a man called "Milo Crispin" built an inn in Colnbrook called The Hospice. Over time, this name became corrupted and the inn eventually became known as The Ostrich!

Several more inns sprang up in the village and eventually Colnbrook became an important point on the main stagecoach route that ran from London to Bath. The numerous "coaching inns" in Colnbrook catered for the stagecoach travellers. They provided fresh horses for the coaches and food, drink and overnight lodging for travellers.

In 1925, in the book A History of the County of Buckingham, there is the following description of The Ostrich;

"It is of timber and plaster with a tiled roof and has a projecting upper story with gables at either end, and a gateway in the middle to the yard behind, the doors to which still remain. Inside there is a good deal of 17th-century panelling and a staircase of the same date. In a room on the first floor are the remains of a curious arrangement whereby a flap could be let down from the window to enable passengers to enter the room directly from the top of a coach. In a room on the first floor of one of the shops there is a shield above the fireplace with the arms: Argent a fesse dancetty sable. In a book written by Thowe of Reading, and quoted by Lipscomb, there is a description of the murder of thirteen persons by the landlord of the Ostrich Inn and his associates and the circumstances which led to their apprehension. In 1624 and 1666 this inn belonged to Maud wife of Thomas Langley, and was valued at £4 yearly. It is called Eastridge or Ostridge in 1682. There is preserved in the inn a pistol said to have belonged to Dick Turpin who used the house."

The structure of the Inn dates to the early 16th century and parts date back even earlier. No less a personage than King John is rumoured to have stayed overnight at The Ostrich on his way to nearby Runymede and the signing of the Magna Carta - one of the most significant events in history as it signalled the birth of democracy.

The Ostrich is now preserved as a Grade II* Listed Building.

The Ostrich Inn, Colnbrook - April 2009




Photograph of Colnbrook High Street with The Ostrich on the right hand side of the picture. Date unknown but believed to be late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Copyright holder unknown - if anyone owns the original of this photograph, please let me know so that I can give them the appropriate credit!

I took the photograph at the top of this section in the same location - Colnbrook High Street seems a lot less "cluttered" in 2009!

I like the way that it illustrates the passage of time with the horse and cart replaced by a Land Rover but The Ostrich still stands almost unchanged externally

The murders at the Ostrich Inn committed by Jarman, the evil landlord and a photograph of the model of the "murder bed " (which can still be seen in a display case in the bar area of The Ostrich) are featured in this book, along with lots of other "ghastly, grisly or gruesome" murders which happened in the county of Berkshire!

A Grim Almanac of Berkshire (In Old Photographs) is available from Amazon.co.uk

Haunted Britain and Ireland is available from Amazon.co.uk

Stand and Deliver!: A History of Highway Robbery is available from Amazon.co.uk

No feature on the Ostrich Inn is complete without a tribute to Esmerelda, the stuffed Ostrich who has graced the Inn for more years than I care to remember!

Esmerelda used to keep an eye on patrons in the bar area, but now she can be found up the stairs observing the world from a doorway next to the Music Room!



*Photo of Esmerelda courtesy of steve_redshaw.

The Ostrich website describes it's menu as; "honest, tasty food, prepared from fresh local ingredients, in relaxed and comfortable surroundings...".

A wide variety of dishes is provided to cater for a range of tastes and budgets. These include simple sandwiches, soups, salads and omelettes alongside much loved traditional "pub fare" such as homemade pies, fish and chips, steaks and burgers as well as tempting the palate of "foodies" with treats such as "Wild Boar and Apple Sausages, Creamy Mash and Onion Gravy" or "Poached Salmon Fillet with Garden Peas and Saffron Veloute".

They even serve Ostrich burgers and Ostrich steaks!

For thirsty customers The Ostrich has a wide range of both draught lagers and cask ales, along with a selection of bottled beers and a small, but thoughtfully chosen wine list.

Click here to see full details of The Ostrich's Menus

The Ostrich hosts live "Roots, Blues and Jazz" music sessions on Sunday lunchtimes and also stages the "Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club".

The inn regularly hosts "Ghost Hunt Nights!" - which are decribed as "a night with a Mystic Paranormal. The evening includes a 2 course 'ghost' supper, a history tour of The Ostrich, vigils with the medium and paranormal investigators and finally a grand seance!". Please see their website for details of forthcoming events at The Ostrich.

The interior of The Ostrich was refurbished in 2006 retaining all the best features of this very historic building!