David Castleton – författare

Beyond the well-trodden tourist hotspots lie darker, more atmospheric alternatives for those drawn to the macabre.Step into the world's most curious corners with this Gothic-infused travel guide, where every destination comes with a dark twist. Journey through macabre museums, eerie ossuaries, and forgotten graveyards. Wander among haunted chapels, unsettling sculptures, and sinister artworks, or lose yourself in the whispered secrets of occult bookshops and mysterious libraries. Including:- The legend of the Zennor Mermaid in Cornwall, UK- Vampiric tales from Highgate Cemetery, London- The formidable Black Angel in Oakland Cemetery, Iowa City, USA- The cave of the Bell Witch, in Tennessee, USA- Frankenstein Castle, near Darmstadt, Germany- The macabre Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily- Fengdu Ghost City in Chongquin, China- Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaWith fascinating history, chilling legends, and atmospheric original photography, bizarre places expert David Castleton unveils the stories lurking beneath the surface of 50 extraordinary locations. Whether you're a fearless explorer or an armchair adventurer, this is the ultimate wanderlust gift for those drawn to the strange, the spectral and the sublime.

Discover the stories of the men and women who sacrificed their sight for their country. Since 1915 St Dunstan's (now Blind Veterans UK) has helped thousands of war-blinded men and women to rejoin society and live their lives to the full. This compelling book includes new research from the St Dunstan's archive and previously untold stories of the people, both blind and sighted, involved in the charity during the First and Second World Wars. St Dunstan's was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson, a blind press baron determined to prove that the blind could make a valuable contribution to society. Early St Dunstaners played football against Arsenal; learned to read braille, type, row and even shoot; and trained for new careers as masseurs, carpenters, switchboard operators and gardeners. As PR officer at St Dunstan's for 35 years, David Castleton worked with many of the men and women whose stories he tells in his book, and provides a unique insight into their achievements. Meet irrepressible Tommy Milligan, who lost his sight just months after enlisting on his eighteenth birthday, and Ian Fraser, blinded on the Somme, but later president of St Dunstan's. David Bell, who lost his hands and sight in a North African mine-field, yet found hope and a wife at St Dunstan's. War-blinded servicewomen also joined the charity during the Second World War, including 22-year-old Gwen Obern, blinded and maimed in a factory accident but later famed for her singing, and ATS sergeant Barbara Bell, who became a top physiotherapist.

In churches and cathedrals across Britain, tucked away among ordinary items such as pews, screens and pulpits, sit a plethora of fascinating and unexpected objects. From dragon-slaying spears and the ribs of monstrous cows, to pagan altars, reindeer horns and mummified skulls, these curiosities have intrigued generations of visitors. In this captivating history, David Castleton explores this fascinating world of lepers'' squints, pancake bells, virgin garlands and sanctuary knockers, and unravels the tales, legends and folkloric ceremonies that lay behind these charming and often deeply unusual artefacts.

In churches and cathedrals across Britain, tucked away among ordinary items such as pews, screens and pulpits, sit a plethora of fascinating and unexpected objects. From dragon-slaying spears and the ribs of monstrous cows, to pagan altars, reindeer horns and mummified skulls, these curiosities have intrigued generations of visitors. In this captivating history, David Castleton explores this fascinating world of lepers'' squints, pancake bells, virgin garlands and sanctuary knockers, and unravels the tales, legends and folkloric ceremonies that lay behind these charming and often deeply unusual artefacts.