Situated on the banks of the York River in Gloucester
County, Virginia, Rosewell Plantation was one of the finest mansions
constructed in the colonies. It was begun in 1725 by Mann Page. Mann Page II
continued the construction after his father’s death in 1730.
For over a century, the Page family occupied the home, hosting
grand parties and events which many notable figures of that time period
attended. And it is speculated that John Page, grandson of the builder, along
with his friend from college, Thomas Jefferson, began to formulate a plan for
the future of the country there at the grand mansion.
Although the mansion and its owners experienced many
hardships, the greatest of all was a fire that ravaged the home in 1916, destroying
all but the chimneys and masonry framework that still stands today.
There are many ghost stories associated with the home and
its surrounding grounds. The first story is of a young neighbor boy who began
to frequent the home when it was being constructed. He was eager to lend a hand
in the building of the home, so Page put him to work. The boy was on the roof
working when he slipped off and fell to his death. To this day, the spirit of a
young boy is seen around the ruins.
Another haunted tale involves a slave who, during a party at
the home, attempted to escape. He was captured and returned to the home where
he was locked into the wine cellar until he could be properly dealt with in the
morning. Overnight, the residents heard yelling and the sound of glass breaking
emanating from the cellar. Figuring that the slave was simply protesting his capture,
they ignored the sounds. When they opened the cellar door the following
morning, they found multiple bottles of wine broken and the slave lying dead
among them, with no evidence as to the cause of his death. In recent years, the
slave man has been seen around the home, sometimes terrifying the living who
venture down to the ruins.
There is, of course, the most famous tale of a young woman
descending the front steps of the home by the light of the moon. However, there
are various theories as to the woman’s age and identity. Some say she was just
a girl. Some say she was a young woman. No matter her true identity, many locals
have seen the apparitions floating down the steps at night.
Other stories include strange smells around the grounds that
have no earthly origin, and the sounds of slaves working the fields around the
home.
For more information on Rosewell, visit www.Rosewell.org. Around Halloween, they host one of the best ghost tours in the area.
