#BookReview Paranormal Warwickshire by @scskillman #TuesdayBookBlog #Paranormal #localhistory #Warwickshire

Title: Paranormal Warwickshire

Author: S.C. Skillman

Category: Non-Fiction Unexplained Mysteries

My Rating: 5 Star

Book Blurb:

Warwickshire is a county steeped in the supernatural, as befits the county of Shakespeare and the many ghosts and spirits that he conjured up in his works. The towns and villages of Warwickshire, its castles, houses, churches, theatres, inns and many other places both grand and everyday have rich and complex stories to tell of paranormal presences.

In this book author S. C. Skillman investigates the rich supernatural heritage of this county at the heart of England in places such as Guy’s Cliffe House, the Saxon Mill, Kenilworth Castle, Warwick Castle, St Mary’s Church in Warwick, Nash’s House and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Stoneleigh Abbey, as well as in the towns of Rugby, Nuneaton and Leamington Spa.

She explores the spiritual resonance of each location, recounting the tales of paranormal activity associated with it and examining the reasons for this within the history of the place. Paranormal Warwickshire takes the reader into the world of ghosts and spirits in the county, following their footsteps into the unknown. These tales of haunted places, supernatural happenings and shadowy presences will delight the ghost hunters, and fascinate and intrigue everybody who knows Warwickshire.

My Review:

I’ve always been fascinated by paranormal and supernatural themes, even visiting castles and historic places because they advertised the fact they were haunted.

When I started reading Paranormal Warwickshire, I was delighted to find the first entry was Guy’s Cliffe House, a beautiful ruin where my headshots were taken some years ago. The day I visited, we enjoyed a photoshoot and networking, and I was delighted to listen to the staff talk about the spooky happenings around the site. In this book, Skillman expands on the history of Guy’s Cliffe House and shares some of the stories that make this place so magical. I loved the inclusion of all the glossy photographs throughout.

The author takes us on a journey through Warwickshire from Guy’s Cliffe, stopping at The Saxon Mill, Gaveston’s Cross, and then to Warwick Castle. I read this last section with interest as Warwick Castle was one of my favourite places to take my children when they were younger. During one of our visits, my mum took my daughter to the bathroom and they rushed back to report they’d seen a lady without any feet! We told them they’d been in the sun too long. It was, therefore, fun to read of a floating apparition spotted many times entering one of the ladies cubicles (I haven’t told my daughter yet!).

In chapter two, Skillman takes the reader to my happy place – Kenilworth Castle! I spend a lot of my time here as I have an English Heritage membership, and it’s only down the road from where I live. The chapter talks about this impressive site’s rich and varied history, including the links to Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Robert Dudley.

From Kenilworth Castle, we are taken on a tour of Abbey Fields and Stoneleigh Abbey.

We arrive in Stratford-upon-Avon for chapter three, another place where I spend most of my time. I loved reading about the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RSC) and the ghostly apparitions that persist despite the changes to the building over the years. The grey lady is mistaken for a lost theatre-goer as she appears so real. The book includes stories from eyewitness reports, which is a wonderful touch.

This excellent book continues to delight as Skillman takes the reader on to Lapworth, Alcester, Rugby, Nuneaton, and concluding in Leamington Spa.

If you’re interested in the paranormal or history, whether you are local or not, you can’t fail to be mesmerised by Paranormal Warwickshire. I can highly recommend this book for its incredible stories, beautiful photographs, and the ghosts, obviously!

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