The Ostrich Inn, Colnbrook, Berkshire

Dick Turpin & The Ostrich

Colnbrook is associated with numerous highwaymen who frequented the area due to the rich pickings to be gained from robbing travellers on the route between London and Bath.

The famous highwayman Dick Turpin is known to have associations with The Ostrich and is believed to have hidden out at the inn. Legends tell of him escaping from retribution either by the simple means of jumping out of a window, or fleeing via a secret tunnel under the Inn.

The Murders At The Ostrich Inn

The murders at The Ostrich Inn are believed to have possibly been the inspiration behind the fictional story of "Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - originally a 19th century serialised "penny dreadful" horror tale about a murderous barber (the eponymous "Sweeney Todd"), who slits the throats of his customers in order to rob them. He disposes of the bodies by pulling a lever on his barber's chair which releases a trapdoor which opens into a pit. Once in the pit, the corpses are made into meat pies by an accomplice to provide an additional means of income! Quite terrifying, but seemingly based on fact if legend is to be believed!

The murders which may have inspired the creation of Sweeney Todd were committed at The Ostrich by a seventeenth century landlord of the Inn, a man known simply as "Jarman" (some sources give his name as "Jerman").

Like the highwaymen, the enterprising Mr Jarman saw a means of supplementing his income by relieving rich travellers of their money, clothing and goods. He didn't want to take the same risks of face to face robbery that the highwaymen did, so he devised a cunning plan. In one of the Inn's best bedrooms (referred to in some accounts as "The Blue Room"), he built a trapdoor directly under the bed. Once he was sure that his intended victim was fast asleep (and one can imagine him plying the hapless individual with enough alcohol to ensure that he was out for the count), the evil publican would sneak into the room and release the lever that held the trapdoor shut. The bed frame was fastened securely to the trapdoor, so the poor customer would suddenly be rudely awakened by being tipped downwards into a vat of boiling water (some versions substitute water for boiling oil or fat) situated in the room directly below.

Once the boiling water had done it's work, Jarman would then strip the body of all valuables and dispose of it by throwing it into the River Colne. By selling the victim's horse to local gypsies there would be no remaining trace of the traveller and if any enquiries were made, he would deny all knowledge of the missing traveller ever having visited his Inn.

Nemesis caught up with the wicked Mr Jarman when he killed a well known merchant named Thomas Cole. After killing Cole, he disposed of the body as normal, but for some reason Cole's horse escaped and was found wandering nearby. The animal was recognised as belonging to the missing Thomas Cole. To make things worse for Jarman, Cole had been seen entering The Ostrich and the authorities were informed.

A search of the premises was made and Jarman's ghastly machinery of death was discovered, as were the remains of the unfortunate Mr Cole floating in the Colne. Some versions of the tale state that Colnbrook gained it's name because of the murder of Thomas Cole, i.e. "Cole-in-the-brook", but as I've already mentioned, the name Colnbrook pre-dates the demise of Mr Cole by several hundred years, so whilst it would be a wonderful tribute to his memory, unfortunately this isn't the case.

Jarman and his wife (who had been an active participant in the murders) met their ends on the gallows and the ghost of poor Thomas Cole is believed to haunt the upper storey of The Ostrich.

Ghosts Of The Ostrich Inn!

The spectre of Thomas Cole is apparantly not the only resident ghost at The Ostrich!

Mark Bourne who worked at The Ostrich said;
"Strange noises, ghostly figures and objects moving by themselves are all in a days work if you are employed at the Ostrich Inn".

According to GhostStory.co.uk;
"A woman in Victorian dress has been seen, and other shadow figures have been seen in the upstairs corridors. Noises have been heard and staff have opened locked rooms to find lights and electrical equipment switched on. There have been reports of feelings of despair and cold spots in the downstairs ladies toilet. This used to be the pantry, and the spot were Jarman would have stored the bodies of the victims he murdered."

Spooky...is it true? I don't know. I've visited The Ostrich several times and have never encountered any phantoms...but who's to say I won't in the future!

Several paranormal investigations have taken place at The Ostrich and the inn was featured on the TV show "Most Haunted" in 2002 (Season 1, Episode 6).

I can't end without a tribute to Esmerelda, the stuffed Ostrich who had pride of place at the Inn for more years than I care to remember!

Here she is...the very wonderful...

Esmerelda!

*Photo of Esmerelda courtesy of steve_redshaw.

UPDATE OCT 2009!!!!!! - I am deeply indebted to ICW who has let me know that despite my fears, Esmerelda hasn't been consigned to the scrap heap!

ICW says;
"Esmerelda is still there. Head up the stairs and there she is gazing out from an old door way next to the music room."

That's fabulous news - thanks ICW for putting me right! :)