During the 17th century, The Ostrich Inn became the site of one of England's most heinous serial killing sprees. Innkeeper John Jarman and his wife devised a horrific murder method targeting wealthy travelers. They modified one of their best bedrooms, installing a hinged bed over a trap door that led directly to the kitchen below, where a large vat of boiling liquid awaited. When a prosperous guest retired for the night, the couple would activate their deadly mechanism, sending the sleeping victim plunging to their death in the scalding cauldron. This method was chosen for its efficiency and the fact that it left no blood evidence. The victims, numbering over 60 according to the couple's eventual confession, were robbed of their possessions and their bodies disposed of. These innocent travelers, who had simply sought a night's rest during their journeys, became trapped spirits unable to find peace after their brutal murders. Their collective presence creates an atmosphere of terror and injustice that permeates the inn to this day.