The Pyramids of Gloucestershire

David Winpenny has spent six years researching and writing his book about pyramids

Gloucestershire has one of the highest pyramid counts in the British Isle, according to a newly published book.

'Up to a Point - In Search of Pyramids in Britain and Ireland' by David Winpenny identifies almost 200 pyramids of all sizes and ages throughout the British Isles.

The book shows there are ten such structures in Gloucestershire - in the UK only Yorkshire has more pyramids within its borders.

The Gloucestershire pyramids are at: Stanway, where the 18th-century pyramid crowns the newly-restored cascade in the garden of Stanway House Prestbury, where the Dyer family is commemorated by a pyramid in St Mary's churchyard Staverton where, uniquely, there are 'his and hers' pyramids to members of the St Clair family Leckhampton, where a rough pyramid of large stones marks the grave of a favourite horse, The Continental, that died in 1902 Stonehouse, where textiles magnate Joseph Ellis, who died at Spa in Germany in 1771, is remembered Staverton where, uniquely, there are 'his and hers' pyramids to members of the St Clair family Woodchester, where the Dunn family has a three-sided pyramid in honour of the Holy Trinity Badminton, where the Worcester Lodge to Badminton House, the masterwork of architect William Kent, is crowned with two pyramids In Pictures: Gloucestershire's Pyramids

The book has taken author David Winpenny six years of research and writing, as well as travelling from the north of Scotland to the Isles of Scilly, and from Norfolk to County Mayo.

In it he tells the stories behind the pyramids and sets them alongside all the other British and Irish pyramids in their historical, artistic and literary context.

The book includes tales of eccentric families, feuds, weddings and funerals, assassinations, legal disputes, celebrations, madness and bankruptcy.

Its cast includes monarchs and engineers, gardeners and ghosts, poets and scientists, as well as horses, hens and pigs. There are brick, cast iron and Formica pyramids, as well as the more-traditional stone ones.

Winpenny said: "It's been fascinating to do the research and the journeys - and to go to places that might not otherwise have been on my radar!

"I've met so many interesting people on the way, too, who have been very keen on the quest, and I hope that everyone who reads the book will be as fascinated by the stories as I have been.

"It's certainly the first time that there's been a book on the subject!"

David Winpenny, who lives in North Yorkshire, has written newspaper and magazine articles, guidebooks and books of walks. He lectures on subjects, including architecture, follies and landscape gardening, and was a BBC Mastermind finalist in 1999.

'Up to a Point', which has photographs of all the pyramids on its 400 pages, is published by Sessions of York at £24.99, and is available from the website - www.uptoapoint.co.uk.