Ye Olde Coaching Inns

Colmbrook Inns
@Ronrybs (17836)
London, England
November 25, 2020 2:01pm CST
I frequently cycle through the village of Colnbrook, a few miles west of Heathrow Airport. Now overflown by international travellers, way back when horses were the means of travel Colnbrook was on the old main road from London to Bath, Bristol and the West Country. Some 25 miles from the city, following the windy roads, it was ideally place for a night stop on the way west or a night’s rest before entering London. In the 16th century the main industry for the village was hospitality and there were ten coaching inns. The photos show the large archways for the coaches, with driver sitting atop, to enter. These two former inns have been converted to homes. Three of the inn buildings survive in Colnbrook, with another remaining in the nearby village of Poyle. The last inn of Colnbrook I will cover in another discussion as it has a chequered history and became notorious.
10 people like this
8 responses
CarolDM
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
25 Nov 20
You must be very healthy with all the cycling you do. I love this quaint place you have shared.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
I do try to get about, but the continued course of the virus has put a bit of a damper on things. Still, I have been getting out a bit more
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
@CarolDM Not very often I get close to anyone and of course, we are mostly avoiding each other
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CarolDM
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
26 Nov 20
@Ronrybs Please stay safe out there.
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OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (86520)
• United States
25 Nov 20
What a lovely name ..Coinbrook. I had not heard of this one Ron. I cannot wait now to hear about the notorious of it. Love those old buildings so pretty there in the sunlight.
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
The little river Colnbrook flows through it and there used to a watermill. sadly the mill is no more
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OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (86520)
• United States
26 Nov 20
@Ronrybs Yes how sad the mill is gone now
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
@RebeccasFarm I have found most of the dozen, or so, around here and once we are back on a more normal footing I know of a at least one that still exists in South London
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Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
27 Nov 20
I love staying at a coaching Inn especially if they have added a gastro restaurant
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Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
1 Dec 20
@Ronrybs that is what we look for and we have had some wonderful meals
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
28 Nov 20
Quite the thing in the UK, now, to be a 'gastropub' and many have a good rep for the food
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325377)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Nov 20
What vibrant, busy places these would have been. There is a coaching inn in Donnybrook but it's now a private residence.
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
Seems to have been the fate of many of them, if they weren't knocked down.
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George B Vieto
@Deepizzaguy (94310)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
26 Nov 20
Thank you for sharing this story of the village of Colnbrook.
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
It is a lovely little place. I say little, being so close to the London and the airport, it has expanded a fair bit, but still a nice bike ride
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Faye
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
26 Nov 20
What beautiful buildings. Thanks for sharing
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
I have pedaled past it many times, but never really noticed them. Still haven't found the one in Poyle
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maximax8
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
25 Nov 20
That sounds like an amazing village and I can imagine the people of the past having a rest there before traveling onto London or Bath. I live close to Bristol. At train can take me there in just 20 minutes. I have flown from Heathrow Airport a number of times.
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Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
I have been past Bath, but can imagine the little villages dotted along the route form London to the west that grow on the travel industry, such as it was, of the day. Since I live so close to Heathrow, I fly from there... or rather I used to!
Vicki, #1 Creek Girl
@1creekgirl (40425)
• United States
25 Nov 20
Very interesting..thanks!
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
26 Nov 20
It is a nice village with a narrow and bendy main street. If it wasn't for the planes flying over you think you were in the middle of nowhere, not next to an airport
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