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I've recently got interested in West Horsley Place (see photo above). It's a most fascinating stately home in Surrey, not far from London. If you have watched the BBC TV series "Ghosts" you will recognise the house immediately - the show is filmed there on location. And on looking through the website, I found that some of what happens in "Ghosts" is based on what really happened in West Horsley Place.

In "Ghosts" a penniless young woman, Alison Cooper (Charlotte Ritchie) and her partner Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) unexpectedly inherit a huge, crumbling historic house from Alison's great-aunt who is in her 90s. The house needs a fortune in repairs but Alison and Mike decide to try and make it pay for itself. It is some time before they realise that it is haunted by ghosts from several centuries .....

In real life the house was left to TV personality Bamber Gascoigne by his 99 year old aunt, to his total amazement. He then discovered it needed a fortune in repairs, but he decided to try and make it pay for itself..... In his case, he gave it to a trust for free and helped them establish it as an arts and events venue. It will be a long time before it is earning its own keep, but it is on its way. And so far nobody has seen any ghosts there, (but there again - they may be laying low like the ones in the TV show - maybe?

In fact, West Horsley Place has some interesting events going on. I particularly liked reading about Grange Opera, which not only gives public performances but works with children and prisoners too: read more here.

Anyway.... (to get to the point of this post) they are staging "Alice Through the Looking Glass" next 3rd August, gates open at 1 PM. Here's the link.