The Muffin Man - a 16th century story or a mere myth? Either way, people are only just realising the truth surrounding the nursery rhyme in his name.

In a video shared to , a British historian (@notmrspock_fact) began by reciting the first verse: "Do you know the Muffin Man who lives on Drury Lane?" He went on to reveal the Muffin Man's true identity, Frederick Thomas Lynwood, who was said to be a serial killer in the 1500s.

"He killed children and his method of doing so - being a baker - was tying bits of string around a beautiful, tasty muffin and drawing the children in before he killed them," the TikTok user explained rather gruesomely.

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"Thanks for the story," penned one TikTok user in response. "I'll never sing this song again." Another added: "I only found out about the dark references to nursery rhymes from a crime book I read recently."

A third exclaimed: "Wow that really freaked me out, fact." A fourth admitted in shock: "Oh my God I always read that to my God Son." And a fifth explained: "Most nursery rhymes were scary when you decipher them and make my skin go cold."

"There is speculation he never existed," wrote another respondent hoping to allay others' fear. "His bakery shop no longer exists (obviously) and his burial place may have been moved few times. So it's hard to find any records of him."

says of the myth: "The muffin man in the rhyme lives on Drury Lane, which is right next to Covent Garden in London. In the 18th century, it was a very poor area and had a terrible reputation.

"Many people went there to drink, gamble and sometimes even commit crimes. The Muffin Man would've sold his muffins to many of the people who lived and worked nearby."

According to The White Hart pub, meanwhile, which is situated on Drury Lane in London's West End, the Muffin Man reportedly lived on the same street between 1589 and 1598. explains: "The story goes that Linwood killed as many as 15 children by luring them into dark alleys with a muffin tied on a string.

"He was also said to have killed seven rivals pastry chefs with a sharpened wooden spoon. While it's accepted that the origins of the Muffin Man story is now most likely an urban myth, who doesn't love a good old 16th century British horror story!"