Harry Potter

The monks who once lived at St Peter's Abbey, Gloucester, would have been astonished if they had known that the corridors where they walked and studied would one day be recognised worldwide - and all because of a boy wizard called Harry Potter.

Movie magic transformed the beautiful fan-vaulted cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral into the corridors of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the films Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

When BBC Gloucestershire paid a visit we found lots of eager youngsters excitedly exploring in Harry Potter's footsteps.

Ten-year-old Alison, who came all the way from Germany with her parents to see the Cathedral, has seen all the Harry Potter films and said: "It's fun seeing places that I recognise from the films."

Youngsters from The King's School adjoining the cathedral were also extras in the Harry Potter film.

Fascinating history

It may not be as magical as Hogwart's but Gloucester Cathedral does have a fascinating history. Here are just a few facts:

• William the Conqueror ordered the construction of the present building in 1089.
• In 1216 King Henry III was crowned in the Cathedral when he was only nine years of age.
• Henry VIII dissolved the Abbey, and in September 1541 it was made the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Invisible Trinity in the newly created diocese of Gloucester
• King Edward II is buried in the Cathedral. He was murdered in Berkeley Castle in 1327 and one of the windows in the south wall illustrates his murder.
• The cathedral is the burial place of the man who composed the American national anthem. Organist and musician John Stafford-Smith was born and educated in Gloucester and composed the music in 1780.