Peninsula
Black Eye
February 20, 2012
Black Eye
February 20, 2012
No place in all Virginia is thought to be more Haunted than the Old House Woods located in Diggs in Mathews County, northeast of Gloucester. Whether witnesses speak of glowing green orbs, headless ghost dogs, or floating pirate ships- it’s a premier spot for ghost hunters all over Virginia and beyond. Not only are visitors thrilled at the aspect of witnessing the most extreme evidence of paranormal phenomenon, but at the legend of millions of dollars in gold buried off the shores of this haunted place.
Old House Woods got its name from a wooden framed house in the late 1700's called the Frannie Knight house. The place was abandoned and fell into ruin. Many people believe a decrepit old house near it to be the namesake of the woods, however they are mistaken. Many years after this the building mysteriously caught fire and oddly enough, put itself out just as fast as it was set ablaze. The house while badly damaged still stood until a few years later when it caught fire once more and burned to its foundation. This foundation is all that remains of the old house.
There are multiple hauntings and stories connected to the location. The stories have been passed down from generation to generation for over 200 years making the 50 acre marshland one of the most legendary haunts in Virginia.
Many weird incidents are recorded in the woods: floating orbs, glowing yellow eyes, ghost ships and swash-buckling pirates, and headless ghost dogs protecting its territory. The legend goes that in the 1600's a band of pirates docked in the woods to bury their treasure, wishing to later return. However, before they could a storm demolished their ship and the treasure was never recovered. Another version of this story is told with a bit of a twist. Some say that the crew members weren't killed in a storm, but murdered by the infamous Blackbeard, Edward Teach and there really was no storm at all.
Interestingly enough, this isn't the only tale of unrequited buried treasure. In the later part of the 17th century when Charles II considered making the voyage to Virginia he sent a crew of his men on a ship with a load of treasure to accompany him. The ship somehow got diverted to White's Creek and when they reached the shore they were attacked by a brigade of renegade indentured servants. In their haste the angry servants left some treasure behind. The king's men left quickly and swore to return for the rest of the treasure, but, much like the last story, their ship capsized in a storm and they never returned. It is said by many witnesses, late at night you can see mysterious figures feverishly digging in the sand. Some also report seeing a thick fog and the definite shape of a pirate ship docking the shores.
Another famous story connected to the area involves the "Storm Woman." She has been described as a glowing spirit in a long flowing nightgown, her hair whipping around her shoulders. Her appearance seems to be the omen for an upcoming storm. If seen moving along the trees wailing and screaming, visitors know it’s time to leave or take cover from the coming storm.
One of the most fascinating accounts of the activity in Old House Woods comes from a respectable Mathews citizen named Jesse Hudgins in 1926. He said one day while pulling his buggy down Old House Woods Road he noticed a bright light. Many people traveled by lanterns but he described the light as "unearthly." As the light grew closer he noticed it was carried by an apparition. The apparition was covered in armor, but as he drew closer he noticed that inside the armor there was only a skeleton! As he noticed this the woods behind the apparition came to life with dozens of lights and figures crawling from the woods. Some carrying shovels, some digging furiously, others carrying weapons of various types. Immediately frightened he began to shake and attempt to flee the scene. As he did so the skeleton pulled out a sword and stepped towards him aggressively, barring a wicked smile menacingly. Seconds later he passed out. When he came to he was at home in his bed, cared for by friends and family who believed he'd been so tired he passed out in his buggy in the middle of the road. He never could drive the road again without shaking to his very core. His story was corroborated many years later by a Richmond man who had car trouble one evening. While leaning on the hood of his car he heard a voice ask, "Is this the King's Highway? I've lost my ship." When the man turned to look he was confronted once more by a skeleton dressed in armor. The man immediately fled the scene and got lost. He didn't find his car again until the morning.
Another witness, Ben Ferbee, claims to have seen the ghost ship that is said to haunt the marshlands near the Chesapeake Bay. One evening while doing some fishing in a small skiff, he noticed a large mast shipped near the shore line. Surprised by its appearance he noticed the ship was moving dangerously close to his vessel. He noticed there were crew members on the rig staring off beyond him on the deck. He began to shout; worried they would hit his boat. They didn’t notice him once! The boat continued passing a few feet from his boat leaving the sound of beautiful harp and organ music hanging in the air behind it. The ship continued to sail over the shore, on to the beach, and disappeared upon entering the woods. The man scared to his core rushed home to find his wife and children praying. They had seen the ship over the tall pine trees of Old House Woods too. They moved from the area a short time later.
Another reputable Mathews County citizen named Henry Forrest reported seeing the Red Coat army that is known to haunt the area. He said one November night he was doing a little duck hunting when he came to a small inlet where he thought he saw a group of black ducks. When he lifted his rifle to shoot he saw them move and turn into full apparitions of Red Coats marching towards him. Immediately frightened he ran to his skiff docked a short ways away. When he reached his boat he noticed there was a Red Coat sitting upright and erect in his stern. Angry, he shouted, "Get outta that skiff or I'll shoot!" The man turned to him and said, "You shoot and the devil's curse to you and your traitors breed." Forrest raised his gun to shoot, pulling the trigger. Nothing happened. He pulled the trigger again, and still no shot was fired. Finally he threw his gun at the man and ran the whole way home. Unfortunately for Forrest, that meant he had to swim through part of the marshlands too.
While many believe the stories, there are a few skeptics who have a theory to discount the alleged hauntings of the woods. The area is basically a swamp land and the water is comprised with high amounts of hydrogen sulfide. When people are exposed to this gross smelling gas for long periods of time it can cause: dizziness, sickness, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, and poor memory. They also suggest that historically, most of these accounts were during the summer when rye bread was improperly stored and grew a mold (ergot) that could be responsible for the hallucinogenic sightings.
Whether you believe in the hauntings of Old House Woods or not, the site is definitely serious. The owners don't take kindly to trespassing and have a habit of calling the police. For the believers, people have been seriously attacked and injured, some emotionally stunted, and some haunted for a lifetime. Most notably, many go in search of the treasure near the Old Cow Hole and over the years hundreds of people have gone missing within these woods. It seems like everything entering the woods gravitates toward the mysterious hole, where legend has it the treasure is buried along with a pirate to guard the treasure. It is said if you get too close to the buried treasure you will go missing for all eternity.
One thing is for sure, tread softly, quietly, and carefully through Old House Woods, or you may never be seen again.
Work Cited:
Work Cited:
The Ghosts of Virginia: Volume I by L.B. Taylor Jr
Weird Virginia: Your Travel Guide to Virginia's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Jeff Bahr, Troy Taylor, and Loren Coleman