Colnbrook

Colnbrook is a village in the unitary authority of Slough, in Berkshire, England. It has formed part of the Colnbrook with Poyle parish since 1995, previously having been part of Iver parish in Buckinghamshire.

Colnbrook forms part of the Windsor constituency, and thus its local Member of Parliament is Adam Afriyie (Conservative).

Mentioned in William the Conquerors Doomsday Book, Colnbrook sits on a tributary to the main Colne river hence "Colnbrook". Coaching inns were the village's main industry. In 1106 the first one was founded by Milo Crispin, named "The Hospice" (now the Ostrich Inn). By 1577 Colnbrook had no fewer than ten coaching inns. Colnbrook's High Street was on the main London to Bath road and turn off point for Windsor and was used as a resting point for travellers. More detailed information relating to the ancient history of Colnbrook can be found here.

One 17th century landlord Jarman of the Ostrich Inn installed a bedside trap door in one of the bedrooms, and 60 of his richer clients were dropped into a vat of boiling water. Their bodies were then disposed of in the Colne River. Jarman was hanged for robbery and murder.

The Ostrich Inn was recently a focus of a supernatural TV program on Sky Television because of its resident ghosts. Many members of staff over the years have had experiences with the ghosts which tend to locate themselves in the restaurant in the upstairs of the Inn next to where the original murders took place.

Colnbrook is also the place where Cox (a retired brewer) first grafted the Cox's Orange Pippin at his orchard named The Lawns.

Colnbrook has a railway line running into West Drayton, formerly carrying passenger traffic, today only carrying goods desired for the Heathrow extension (T5). More information on railway line and station can be found here.

Below are a number of links relating to Colnbrook:

General web site about Colnbrook

Exploring Surrey's Past

Ostrich Colnbrook

Slough History Online

National Statistics

Wikipedia