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Introduction to the Ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg
Table of Contents
Visiting Colonial Williamsburg is an absolute must do activity when visiting the state of Virginia. The cobblestone streets, the costumed players, the historical buildings and beautiful landscaping make this place unbelievably special.
For those individuals hoping for a bit of a spooky adventure, this place transforms at night into something haunted and bone chilling.
The ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg have haunted this magical area for centuries. Williamsburg was founded in 1699 and has seen its share of horrific and terrifying events. There is no wonder why this place is considered to be one of the most haunted places to visit in Virginia.
Information About Colonial Williamsburg and Visiting
Colonial Williamsburg is open daily for visitors. It is absolutely free to roam and explore this unique area. Tickets and upgrades are available for museum, garden, and play entries.
The area has wonderful restaurants, carriage rides, shops, and more. Wear a good pair of walking shoes and be prepared to expand your mind.
Daily tours and activities are available. One of the best tours that is available to visitors is the Haunted Williamsburg tour. This tour runs nightly and includes costumed actors and story tellers.
Tours, Resources and Apps For Visiting The Ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburgghosttour.com offers regular tours revealing compelling information about the ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg. The prices range from $15 to $21 depending on which tour you choose.
They run from 60 to 90 minutes each. If you are more interested in touring on your own, information is available about ghosts and hauntings of the college on the website.
A self-guided tour is also available, which is executed by phone app for $4. The self guided tour takes approximately 2 hours and is more than worth the purchase price. All tours include a walk and history of the William and Mary Campus area as well.
Haunted Stories of Williamsburg
1. The Wythe House
The Wythe House is a prominent brick building in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg. This house is said to be haunted by the ghost of Ann Skipwith, a one time resident of the home. There are three stories that exist around this womanly presence.
The first story suggests that Ms. Skipwith died during a miscarriage and was, lovingly held, as she passed, by her comforting husband. The second story proposes that Ann hanged herself in her bedroom.
The third story sheds light on discord in her marriage. Her husband was thought to be a ladies man and was flirting with other woman while the couple attended a ball.
Lady Skipwith ran from the ball, losing one of her red shoes. She was heard by house staff running up the stairs of the Wythe house. The stories have Lady Ann Skipwith either being murdered or committing suicide.
It is said that if you visit the home and kneel before the door, knock three times, and offer Lady Skipwith her red shoe, that her ghostly Spector will come down the stairs to retrieve the shoe. The sound heard after making this gesture is a thud and clank of someone who is wearing only one shoe.
2. The Peyton Randolph House
They Peyton Randolph House carries the title of the most haunted house in the United States. This house stands proud in the Colonial Williamsburg area and boasts many stories of the eerie kind. Over 30 people have perished in this location.
The Peyton Randolph House has been the location of ghost sightings, objects moving on their own, disembodies voices, and unearthly encounters.
The house has a horrible history including being home to slaves that were severely mistreated and abused, men shooting each other, a woman falling from a window to her death, and a boy climbing a tree and falling to his death.
Another theory exists that could explain the hauntings of the Peyton Randolph House. Some historians have said that the ground in which the house was built is over Native American graves. It is thought that the hauntings are due to the burial grounds being upset and disturbed.
Whether the house is haunted due to a curse placed by a disgruntled and abused former slave or by simply existing in a place that no residence should be built is unknown. What is known is that to this day, unexplained and spooky activities are reported and encountered regularly making this a hotbed for ghost hunters everywhere.
3. The Hedge Maze/ The Governer’s Palace
The Hedge maze is a beautiful garden with a winding maze of vertical hedges. The location of this mysterious maze with a history is behind the Governor’s Palace.
The Governor’s palace in Colonial Williamsburg was the setting for many opulent parties prior to its time as a hospital for the wounded soldiers from The Battle of Yorktown.
Many skeletons have been located on the grounds of the palace. It would appear that those that perished suffered greatly. This was indicated by bite marks in musket balls found near the deceased.
A beautiful maze, that is open to the public, rests on the grounds of this former hospital. It is said to be haunted and that you should enter at your own risk. Risks include becoming disoriented or lost as well as having experiences with unseemly and terrifying spirits.
One tale of terror that exists is that of a young woman who, with her suitor, hopped the fence to enter the maze. She was found laying on the other side of the fence with her throat severely lacerated.
The boyfriend, who found this young woman, described seeing a man in black carrying a scythe. The man was said to be an escaped mental patient from the nearby asylum.
True fear enters your bloodstream as you wander through the maze. It has been warned that as you are making your way through, that if you hear someone behind you, DON’T TURN AROUND. If you do, you too will find a man with a scythe waiting to slash your throat.
4. The Public Hospital
The Public Hospital is considered to be one of the most haunted places in the state of Virginia. It was built and used as the first asylum to treat mentally ill patients in 1773.
At this time, the treatment and conditions for mentally ill persons was vastly different than today’s methods. Treatments that were used in this hospital included electric shock treatments, blood letting, isolation and more. The patients were treated very poorly.
When conditions were at their worst, a doctor by the name of Galt stepped in and worked tirelessly to improve the treatment of patients and their surroundings. During the battle of Williamsburg, the good doctor was forced to leave and Union Soldiers took possession of the hospital.
It is said that Galt later, feeling a sense of devastation and worry, took his own life on hospital grounds. Visitors of this area report encounters with a Spector that is believed to be Dr. Galt. Guests have reported strong winds, items being rearranged, and beds having been disturbed.
Conclusion: Visit The Ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is a wonderful place to visit during the day. You will be greeted with happy faces and costumed characters teaching about life in colonial times. Beautiful flower gardens and lovely greenery grace this town with a simple and safe aesthetic.
Night arrives with a bit of a bone chill and the area digresses into a haunted playground. The ghosts of colonial williamsburg make their presence known in these tortured buildings and grounds. Visit with a hand to hold to keep you from letting the terror of this area shake you to your core.
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