Exploring ghostly Gloucestershire
Cheese, flooding and madcap rural rituals are all famously associated with Gloucestershire, but can ghosts be added to that list?
"Yes" is the emphatic answer from the county's most dedicated spook-hunter, who thinks it should really be renamed Ghostlyshire.
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Ross Andrews from Lansdown in Cheltenham
Ross Andrews has spent the past 20 years chasing ghosts throughout Cheltenham and elsewhere in the county.
The 37-year-old, who lives in Lansdown, Cheltenham, said: "I have been doing this all of my life and some of the things I have seen are hard to believe.
"There are so many haunted places in Gloucestershire and people don't realise that."
Ross, who works as a cabaret singer when he is not hunting ghosts, said he first became interested in the paranormal while growing up in his parents' house in Up Hatherley.
He said: "There was a ghost in there which would flap around, a bit like a bat. I told my brother about it and he said, 'Yeah, it's been there for years'."
Ross is now the chairman of Parasoc, a Gloucestershire group dedicated to finding ghosts and UFOs, and spends most of his spare weekends travelling across the county with a host of expensive equipment.
He said: "We have night vision cameras, electromagnetic sensors and loads of other gear, which all costs quite a bit.
"We've recently been doing some work in St Briavels Castle where we have seen up to three ghosts a night. That place is seriously haunted."
In Cheltenham, Ross believes the most haunted place he has visited is the Namaste and Thai Emerald restaurants in St George's Place, which he explored while it was the Megazone building. He said: "I was in there when suddenly this young girl appeared beside me. It scared me so much I jumped up and ran off.
"I can only have gone a few feet when I felt like someone had walloped me hard in the stomach. I ran back into reception and the first thing someone said was: 'You look like you've seen a ghost'. I said 'Do you know what, I have'."
To mark his efforts, Ross is now putting together a book chronicling his experiences and has appealed for anyone else who has had a ghostly experience in Cheltenham in the past five years to come forward.
For more information email Ross at tozerivich@hotmail.com or visit www.parasoc.org
13 Comments
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by Ross, Cheltenham
Sunday, January 10 2010, 9:15PM
“Hi folks
Just to say my book is finally out - order a signed copy from me at tozmusic@hotmail.co.uk only £10 + £2 p&p.
Have a happy and spooky 2010!
Or join an investigation for yourself, next event 26th & 27th March 2010. Hope to see you there!”
by jennyfoof, Stroud
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 7:52PM
“I will look forward to getting this book. I personally love anything paranormal so to look at the 'darker side' of Chelt really appeals. Phantomfest is in September you say? I'll definitely be there!”
by Magsdoc, Middlesex
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 4:01PM
“Tom,
This guy does not need his head examined. You infer that seeing something as a child, is not to be given any validity.
Whereas most believe that children are more open minded and see things that adults don't.
When I lived in Bristol as a child, I saw two ghosts in one house which was a Regency era house and another in a modern 1930's buidling.
I have had many experiences as an adult, in many different locations, some witness by others.
I have heard firm non believers say that they have changed their mind because they have experienced something that science cannot explain.”
by Ben Perkins, Cheltenham
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 1:10PM
“I had a ghostly encounter once. I was interfered with by an apparition”
by Victoria, Oxford
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 12:53PM
“Hi Tom,
I guess one way you could end this discussion is by seeing for yourself...Visit the castle, there is an event in September I believe?? 11th and 12th I think!”
by J-Lo, Cheltenham
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 9:03AM
“Tom,
Matured! This is not cheese you know.
I saw it, my parents saw it as a adults, and my sister saw it back in the 70's too.
I just want an explaination of somebody please. I am perfectly open to it not being a ghost, I just want to know what it was.
With regard to orbs, these can easily be explained. In a camera there is a concept of 'depth of field'. When a dust particle passes between the lens, and the depth of field in focus, the dust particle will appear as a blob. It is quite simple and well documented on the web.
When 'Most Haunted' and other programs enter dusty houses, with bright camera lighting and stirring up dust, it would actually be very unusual not to see a so called 'orb'.
Sorry orb fans....”
by Tom, Glos
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 8:54AM
“J-lo it doesnt matter what job you have now, like you said you were a child, you only saw it once within the 10 years you lived there. Thats because you matured!”
by Inspector Gadget, Cheltenham
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 8:51AM
“Cheese, flooding and madcap rural rituals. Is that all you can sum up the county of Gloucestsershire with?”
by D. Akroyd, In Ghostlyshire hunting ghosts
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 8:33AM
“I ain't afraid o' no ghosts!”
by emma, chelt
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 8:26AM
“ghosts/orbs spirits whatever ppl would like to call them well they are real i used to laugh when somone told me they saw a ghost but i have seen them with my own eyes and have many photos in my collection of them especially one i personally took in my living room of my house in day time (no im not on drugs, drunk or have mental problems)”