'Colnbrook' is a large
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. It is situated 5.5 km (3.5 miles) southeast of central Slough, 9 km (5.5 miles) east of
Windsor and 30 km (19 miles) west of
London.
Colnbrook forms part of the
Windsor constituency, and thus its local
Member of Parliament is
Adam Afriyie (
Conservative).
History
Mentioned in William the Conqueror's Domesday 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.
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 beer. Their bodies were then disposed of in the Colne River. Jarman was hanged for robbery and murder.
Colnbrook is also the place where Cox (a retired brewer) first grafted the
Cox's Orange Pippin at his orchard named The Lawns.
Transport
Colnbrook has a railway line running into
West Drayton, formerly carrying passenger traffic, today only carrying goods desired for the
Heathrow airport extension (Terminal 5). This railway line formerly continued to
Staines and there are plans to re-use the southern part of it for the
AirTrack rail link from Staines to Heathrow Airport.
Local bus services are operated by
London United and
First Group.
External links
★
Colnbrook with Poyle Parish Council