Some Gloucestershire Ghosts.

The owner, a freemason called William Leigh, ran out of money and then died. However, nobody seemed too keen to step into his shoes and finish building this grand gothic mansion.

Indeed, it seems the builders did not even want to return for their tools which can still be seen to this day. Is it because they had seen and heard things which scared the living daylights out of them?

Woodchester was built on the site of a much earlier mansion called Spring Park. There is evidence though, almost certainly because of the area's natural springs, of occupation stretching back to Roman Times.

A ghostly roman soldier has been seen in the park and, yes you guessed it, our old friend the hooded monk is said to haunt one of the lakes. This monk sighting is quite strange because it involves a coffin floating above the lake. It is thought a monk once committed suicide here in the middle ages.

At least one of the owners of Spring Park was a murderer. A man called Sir Rupert de Lansigny killed his own cousin to gain control of the estate. A phantom horseman has been seen to roam the park. This is said to be Sir Rupert, condemned forever to wander the land he was compelled to kill for.

Inside the mansion, some witnesses have reported seeing a young girl running up and down the stairs. Two male spectres, dressed in black and wearing hats have also been seen. One of them is thought to be aware that he is being observed.

This, to my mind, is the most important form of sighting because it implies that ghosts have some sort of self awareness and are not simply "recordings".

During the Second World War a tragedy happened on one of the lakes. Twenty U.S soldiers, training for D Day, drowned in the lake. The presence of these GI's has been sensed by some modern visitors. People have heard swing music and laughter. Some claim to have smelt food cooking in the open air outside the mansion.

One of the more disturbing spirits of Woodchester is said to reside in the cellar. Some investigators have 'tuned in' to an entity that has been described as demonic. When it manifests itself this entity is said to resemble a dwarf in ragged clothes. The cellar is said to be haunted by many spirits, some of whom aren't too keen on visitors.

So, if you are easily spooked, don't go down the cellars!

Another fascinating old building in Gloucestershire is Berkeley Castle, one of the best preserved medieval castles in the British Isles.

Incredibly, it has been owned by the same family since it was built in 1154. The Berkeleys must have been a pretty clever lot to avoid all those beheadings. They even managed to survive the wrath of Elizabeth I who wanted to give the castle to her favourite, the Earl of Leicester. She was most annoyed when the Berkeleys, unsurprisingly, objected to this plan and refused to budge.

Like many other castles, up and down the country, Berkeley was the subject of a bitter and bloody siege. The Berkeleys had taken the side of King Charles I and, for this, Cromwell battered the castle into submission. Much damage was done, not to mention all the death and bloodshed.

Happily, the Berkeley family and their castle have survived into the 21st century. It is one of those great places, to be found all over Britain, where you can combine a love of history with a fascination for the paranormal.

You won't be surprised to hear that Berkeley's ancient rooms and corridors play host to all sorts of spirits from its long and turbulent history.

The last ever court jester in England died here after he fell (or was he pushed?) from a minstrels gallery. He should never have told that last joke about Lord Berkeley's mother-in-law.

The most famous ghost here though is Edward II, the subject of one of the most gruesome killings in Royal history.

Edward II was not very popular with his nobility (or even his wife Isobella). They thought him dangerously weak and too easily influenced by his undesirable male friends.

In 1327 his enemies finally deposed him and he was imprisoned in a squalid room at Berkeley Castle. His gaolers wanted to kill him but had to find a way which would leave no visible marks on his body.

The next bit is pretty horrible so, if you're squeamish, turn away now!

Edward was held down while a copper tube was inserted into his rectum. A red hot iron was then shoved through the tube deep into his intestines. Apparently his killers had forgotten to gag him and his screams could be heard for miles around.

Once a year on October 11, the date of his death, some people swear they can hear the dreadful screams of Edward II.