Former headteacher Keith Smith thinks his house is haunted - but he doesn't know whether it's by a monk or a plumber. FLICKY HARRISON went to find out more.

There's something strange in the neighbourhood of Keith Smith's house in Highworth a ghostly monk or is it a plumber?

Keith, the former headteacher of Crowdys Hill School in Swindon, lives in the High Street above what is now a bookmakers but back in the 1800s was The Cross Keys Inn.

Keith and his wife Cindy, both 60, have been in the house for around 14 years and often hear strange noises in the night.

"It is reputed that a monk walks from the church to the King and Queen pub which is directly opposite my house,'' said Keith.

To add to the monkish mystery, under Keith and Cindy's bedroom window is the grave of Charlie Farr a glazier and plumber who died in 1784.

"We always say goodnight to Charlie before going to sleep and if I hear strange things in the night I put it down to Charlie,'' said Keith.

But he is obviously a benevolent ghost, whether it is Charlie or the monk. He doesn't worry the couple.

" Charlie is lovely. It is nice to have him, it makes me feel secure.'' said Keith.

The house itself was built between 1630 and 1639 and restored in 1802.

"The inn had its own brewery in Sheep Street, by the church,'' said Keith.

"Perhaps the monk wandered over for a glass of mead.''

It is also reputed that the actress Lily Langtree spend some time in the brewery in Sheep Street with the Prince of Wales in the 19th Century.

"She certainly stayed in the house at the top of Sheep Street but whether she was with Edward we don't know but it is a good intrigue,'' said Keith.

When the Cross Keys closed in 1891 the licence was transferred to The Rolleston pub in Commercial Road, Swindon.

After that the house became a post office until the 1920s and Clocky Davis, a clock mender, would work in the window. Keith believes that at one time it was also a greengrocers.

"My flat 'the big room upstairs' was used for choir practice with a Mrs Marshall as choir mistress and Buffalo meetings,'' said Keith.

There are well known Highworth tunnels which run from the church down to the market place and from the Saracen's Head down the bottom of the street.

Keith's home has a cellar which leads into one of the tunnels.

"Our cellar is pretty murky and you can see an entrance into the next property which probably leads into the market place. We had a water metre put in and the man was terrified working in the cellar. I have never had a job done so quickly.''

The former head met his wife when they were at college and they have two sons Greg and Roger.

He was born in Leicester and took his first post in 1966 when he taught children of immigrants at Broadheath Secondary Modern in Coventry.

The rest of his working life was concentrated on teaching children with special needs and his first headship was at Kingswood School in Corby.

He came to Swindon in 1990 and retired in 2003.