The Witch of Pungo

In Virginia Beach, Virginia and Pungo, Virginia the Witch of Pungo is well known. She is the only known witch in Virginia and is know by her trail by water.

Grace Sherwood was a midwife, a healer and a friend to children and animals. Her neighbors thought she also was a witch who ruined crops, killed livestock and conjured storms. She was born in 1660 the daughter of a carpenter and the wife of a planter in the county of Princess Anne, a wife and mother of 3 sons. The town decided she should be tried by ‘dunking’. This entitled her thumbs being tied to her big toes and being tossed into the Lynnhaven River off of what is now known has Witchduck point on July 10th 1706 at 10am. The theory was if she floats she was guilty as water was pure and would reject un-pure souls. If she was innocent she would sink and also drown. Sherwood floated and was then imprisoned for 8 years and then released once she was able to pay the back taxes on her property. She worked the farm and stayed there until her death in 1740 at the age of 80.

On July 10th 2006 the 70th Governor of Virginia, Timothy M Kaine released Grace Sherwood of her conviction.

The following statement was released by the mayor and put on a plaque under Grace’s Statue.

“I am pleased to join the Mayor of Virginia Beach in extending best wishes as you work to promote justice in the 1706 “Witch Ducking” case of Grace Sherwood. With 300 years of hindsight, we all certainly can agree that trial by water is an injustice. We also can celebrate the fact that woman’s equality is constitutionally protected today, and women have the freedom to pursue their hopes & dreams. The historical records that survive indicate that Ms. Sherwood, a midwife and widowed mother of three, survived her “trial by water” in 1706. Those records also indicate that one of my predecessors, Governor Alexander Spotswood, eventually helped her reclaim her property. The record also indicates Ms. Sherwood led an otherwise quiet and law abiding life until she died at the age of 80. Today, July 10, 2006, as 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am pleased to officially restore the good name of Grace Sherwood. Sincerely, Timothy M. Kaine, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia”
The statue was erected due to the efforts of Belinda Nash who has also worked to clear Grace Sherwood’s name and was the one who brought the case before the governor.