Rosewell Plantation Ruins in Gloucester County, Virginia

 



 

 

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.