A01=Scott O. Moore
animism
animosity
Author_Scott O. Moore
belinda nash
Category=NHK
Category=NK
Category=QRYX5
colonial virginia courts
colonial williamsburg
cry witch!
culture
ducking
early colonial Virginia
eq_bestseller
eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
ferry plantation house
folk belief in magic
folklore
Grace Sherwood
ideology
legend morphology
local
local legend
louisa venable kyle
magical
princess anne county
pungo strawberry festival
South
supernatural
trial by water
virginia beach
virginia culture
virginia folklore
virginia legends
witch trials
witchcraft
Product details
- ISBN 9780813951300
- Weight: 382g
- Dimensions: 140 x 216mm
- Publication Date: 22 May 2024
- Publisher: University of Virginia Press
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Paperback
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The authoritative cultural history of Virginia’s most famous accused witch
In 1706, Grace Sherwood was “ducked” after her neighbors in Princess Anne County accused her of witchcraft. Binding and throwing her into the Lynnhaven River, they waited to see whether she would float to the top (evidence of her guilt) or sink (proof of her innocence). Incredibly, she survived. This bizarre spectacle became an early piece of Virginia folklore as stories about Sherwood, the “Witch of Pungo,” spread. Her legend still looms large in Tidewater. In 2006, Governor Tim Kaine even issued an informal pardon of Sherwood, read aloud by the mayor of Virginia Beach before the annual reenactment of Sherwood’s ducking.
This is the first book to explore Grace Sherwood’s life and cultural impact in depth. Anyone interested in colonial Virginia, American folklore, and the history and legacy of witch trials will find much to enjoy in this spellbinding book.
In 1706, Grace Sherwood was “ducked” after her neighbors in Princess Anne County accused her of witchcraft. Binding and throwing her into the Lynnhaven River, they waited to see whether she would float to the top (evidence of her guilt) or sink (proof of her innocence). Incredibly, she survived. This bizarre spectacle became an early piece of Virginia folklore as stories about Sherwood, the “Witch of Pungo,” spread. Her legend still looms large in Tidewater. In 2006, Governor Tim Kaine even issued an informal pardon of Sherwood, read aloud by the mayor of Virginia Beach before the annual reenactment of Sherwood’s ducking.
This is the first book to explore Grace Sherwood’s life and cultural impact in depth. Anyone interested in colonial Virginia, American folklore, and the history and legacy of witch trials will find much to enjoy in this spellbinding book.
Scott O. Moore is an Associate Professor of History at Eastern Connecticut State University.
