Adrian Dennis is a new writer. He is just putting his work out into the wild and he has asked Shared Creation to help him out. So welcome to the Adrian Dennis project. Adrian is going to be publishing some of his work in Shared Creation, the idea is that it’s a public place where his work can be viewed and been seen to develop.
To start things off welcome to an early article about The Ostrich. An old Inn with an interesting history.
If you’d like to know more about Adrian take a look at his Myspace Page (it is very new - so like the articles expect more in the future).
The Ostrich
There probably aren’t many pubs in Britain that can claim to have a
fully grown stuffed ostrich on display in the bar, but it is something
that can be seen at The Ostrich Inn in Colnbrook near Slough.
Reputedly the country’s third oldest inn, The Ostrich was once
a coaching inn – the road on which it stands was once the main
road from Bath to London – dating back to the 15th century. It’s
built on the site of an even older hostelry called The Hospice from
which the name The Ostrich was derived. The Hospice dates back
to the 1100’s and King John as alleged to have stopped off there on
his way to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215.
Nowadays the Inn attracts visitors around the clock. During
it’s business hours it’s a welcoming pub with an excellent restaurant
offering, amongst other fare, ostrich steaks! In the summer
months many people sit outside and watch aircraft approaching the
nearby Heathrow Airport. At night, after being featured on
LivingTV’s ‘Most Haunted’ in 2001, The Ostrich is a favourite
location for paranormal investigation groups.
There have been various reports of paranormal activity at the
inn over the years. These include sightings of ghostly figures,
auditory phenomena, doors closing by themselves and electrical
appliances mysteriously turning themselves on and off.
Much of the phenomena is alleged to occur as a result of
terrible acts carried outby a couple called Mr & Mrs Jarman
who owned the Inn during the14th century.
The story goes that the Jarmans would ply wealthy visitors to the pub
with expensive ale,
after which Mr Jarman would offer thenow very intoxicated guest the ‘Blue Room’
to sleep in for the night.
When their ‘victim’ was in bed and asleep, the Jarmans would pull a lever
which tipped the bed. The drunken traveller would be tipped from his resting place
, through a trap door, and into a vat of boiling liquid in the kitchen below.
After being fleeced of any valuables and money, the body would be disposed of
in the local river.
The pair were eventually caught out when locals spotted adonkey belonging to
Thomas Cole – a regular visitor to the inn –wandering around the village.
Cole was the Jarman’s last victim. Mr Jarman was later apprehended in Windsor Forest.
The couple admitted murdering around 60 wealthy guests and were allegedly hanged
at the infamous Tyburn.
An interesting point to consider about the Jarman’s reign of
terror is that it took place during the 14th century. The Ostrich Inn
as people recognise it today dates back to the 16th century.
Although the story of the Jarmans is intrinsically linked with The
Ostrich as it is now, they would have actually been owners of the
original Hospice coaching inn around 200 years before the present
hostelry came in to being.
Working as part of a team of eight paranormal investigators, my
own experiences at The Ostrich came on a hot summer night in July
2006. This was to be the last overnight investigation at the inn
before being closed for 3 months while undergoing a £500,000
refurbishment. Some digging had already been started at the rear
of inn and, together with the recent roadworks at the front,
members of staff informed us that there had been an increase in
poltergeist activity. This included crockery moving on it’s own and
the kitchen’s rear door unlocking itself four times in ten minutes.
Hopes were high within the group that we would experience similar
activity during the course of the night.
We elected to use the upstairs Elizabethan Room as a base for
the night. After the pub had closed, we took our equipment up and
discussed plans for the investigation. It was decided that we should
split into two groups and start proceedings in the downstairs bar
and restaurant areas. With one group in the bar area attempting
table tipping and the other group trying glass divination in the
restaurant, it became obvious that whatever spirits were present
were not going to make communication easy. Both groups
witnessed a strong feeling of being watched and of a building
atmosphere in their respective areas. However, after around forty
minutes of no evident communication we decided to conduct a
séance in the kitchen area.
The kitchen is located behind the main bar and is where the
Jarman’s victims would drop into a vat of boiling liquid after being
ejected from the bed in the room above. As we stood in a circle
holding hands and asking for protection from our spirit guides, I had
a strong sense that we were not welcome and that someone was
angry. Rachel openly asked that if the spirits of any of Jarman’s
victims were in the kitchen with us they should make themselves
known. Over the next fifteen minutes or so, each of us felt either a
cold draft across our face or slightly dizzy. I asked if Jarman
himself was with us as I still has a feeling that someone was less
than happy with us being there. Within seconds Brian announced
that he felt sick and light headed and wanted to vomit. I rapidly
closed the séance down and Brian made a dash for the toilet. As
we left the room we all heard a disgusted sounding snigger as if
someone were feeling smug that they had managed to get us out.
After a short break for coffee, we decided to head upstairs in
an attempt to obtain some definite communication. Having been
joined by Ishmael, one of the inn’s barmen, we headed for the
upstairs office.
The Ostrich Inn’s office now has a linoleum floor and houses
various files and shelving along with computer, fax and telephone
equipment. It’s difficult to imagine that this was once the ‘Blue
Room’ where, seven centuries ago, Jarman’s victims were tipped
out of bed into the boiling liquid below. We thought some glass
divination might get a spirit communicating with us so six of us sat
round a table with our fingers resting lightly on an upturned glass.
As we asked various questions hoping to get a link, I noticed that
Rachel’s facial features were changing to that of an old woman.
Could the spirit of Mrs Jarman be trying to communicate using
Rachel as an instrument? As I checked myself to ensure my mind
wasn’t playing tricks on me, I watched Rachel’s face changing from
that of a woman in her twenties to that of a much, much older
female. I mentally requested that whoever was using Rachel be
gentle with her. At this, Rachel leapt up screaming that she had
seen a dark form moving towards her. Her facial features were
now her own again and were very much hysterical! I thought it
best not to inform her of what I had seen until much later as it
would be far too distressing for her just now.
After escorting her down to the bar and eventually persuading
her to let go of me, I left Rachel with a strong coffee and another
member of the inn’s bar staff who had joined us and I made my
way back upstairs. The rest of the group had assembled in the
Function Room and were having another go at some glass
divination. As I took my place at the table I was sure I could see,
in my peripheral vision, a figure watching us from the far corner of
the room. I didn’t mention this until Julie told me she was sure
there was someone there. This confirmed that it wasn’t sensory
deprivation on my part given the late hour and that fact that we
were in darkness. At this point, Pat’s Dictaphone stopped working
despite having brand new batteries. We asked if there was a spirit
with us who was affecting the machine. The glass started moving
around the table in large circles. Each of us lifted our finger off in
turn to clarify that the glass was moving as a result of spirit
communication and not human manipulation. Although no solid
information was forthcoming, we did establish that the spirit’s name
was Tom and that he had won the inn in a card game in the 17th
century but was beaten to death before ever taking ownership.
Shortly after this last fact was volunteered, the glass stopped
moving and Tom had left us.
As the sun was showing the first signs of a new morning and
the whole atmosphere had lifted, we decided to join Rachel
downstairs, have a final coffee and make our way home. We all
agreed that the night had provided proof that The Ostrich Inn is
indeed haunted and still very active. Although we hadn’t made solid
contact with the Jarmans we were sure that they are still present in
the pub’s residual energy and were aware of us being there during
the night.
One has to wonder whether the refurbishment will uncover
any more of The Ostrich’s extensive past and what will be stirred up
as a result. I’m sure we’ll return to find out!
Technorati Tags: Myspace, Writing
