THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409210130
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 3P EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARLENE FORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
Civic league meetings can be mildly humdrum or boisterously controversial. Last week's meeting of the Pembroke Meadows group was downright spooky.
Never mind pondering pot holes. The topic of the night was Grace Sherwood, 17th century Witch of Pungo and legendary ghost. Sherwood is common knowledge to local history buffs, but the special connection with the Pembroke Meadows area is her favorite haunt, the nearby Ferry Farm.
``I'd like to camp out all night in the yard and find out if there really is a ghost,'' said Anna Schwetzer, a neighbor of Ferry Farm.
Midnight eye witnesses, Ghostbuster wannabes and those like Schwetzer, just curious about local folklore, turned out.
The farm house itself only dates to the early 19th century. But excavations have proved the site was the location of a 1770s tavern owned by Anthony Walke and prior to that in 1735 was the location of the third Princess Anne County Courthouse.
Most importantly to fans of Sherwood, this site borders the branch of the Lynnhaven River where she was ``witch-ducked.'' Legend also has it that Sherwood was imprisoned for seven years in a cellar where the house now stands.
Jo Howren began the discussion about Sherwood, admitting, ``I feel a little vulnerable here. I've told people about seeing the ghost of Grace Sherwood before, but not to this many people at one time.''
Formerly married to a previous owner of Ferry Farm, Howren has intermittently spent time in the house.
``I suppose it begins, it was a dark and stormy night,'' she said. ``But it was. It was pitch black outside, and I was fixing dinner in the kitchen. Grace came out of the dining room, past me and into the pantry door. She was young, slender with long dark hair and wearing a long gown. She never looked at me.''
Howren said that was the only time she ever saw Sherwood, but from then on she made a point of finding other Sherwood sighters. She's charted a sighting at least once each decade.
``And it's getting near that time again,'' she added.
Howren was one-upped by others present.
``We're just relating what our neighbors said, but we have every reason to believe them,'' Earl Davis said. ``Their back deck faces the farm house and repeatedly they wake up in the mornings to find all the chairs off the deck and lined up on the lawn looking straight at the farm. . . .
``They also told us that they both woke up at 2 one morning to see a young woman in a long, flowing gown with long hair walk out of their closet and across their room. And other times they have woken to hear people in other parts of the house laughing as though they were having a party.''
Valerie Davis said, ``I don't believe in ghosts, but when you hear honest people talking about their experiences, you have to wonder.''
Ferry Farm is currently in the news for its modern day controversy, too. The 169-year-old house, which was believed to be common property by neighbors, was found to actually be in private hands. Area homeowners want the farm turned into a museum as originally promised by the developer. However, would-be buyers, Wilma and Gary House, are proposing before the Planning Commission that the property be rezoned to allow for use as a residence. The action has been deferred until Oct. 12.
Wilma House showed up at the civic league meeting, though not for the sake of controversy.
``No, I just came to hear about Grace Sherwood,'' she said. ``We've been in and out of the house quite a bit, and I may already know a little.''
House took a deep breath and continued, ``One day when we were there my 9-year-old daughter Melissa came downstairs and said, Mommy there's a lady in my room.
``I said, `Oh, God. What did she say?' Melissa said she didn't say anything, but she (Melissa) told me she thinks she might have to share the room with her.''
House said she has had encounters herself. The apparition is a very young, very sad girl with long hair. The meetings haven't frightened her, but instead seem very calm.
``So I figured maybe we could share the space,'' House said.
Even those who weren't attracted to apparitions had thoughts about the house. Karen Hamilton, who grew up in the neighborhood, remembered playing in what had once been simply wooded lands.
``I used to spend a lot of time in this area; a lot of time just sitting by the trees thinking,'' Hamilton said. ``I sort of feel the ghosts are there. But if they're not, then the place is important just because it made me daydream about the history and how people used to live.''
Others voiced approval about saving the farmhouse and land for historical reasons, if not for its nearly 300-year-old tenant. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by MARLENE FORD
``I sort of feel the ghosts are there,'' said Karen Hamilton, who
grew up in Farry Farm neighborhood.
Jo Howren
She's seen Grace Sherwood's ghost.
by CNB