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Ghostly Tales and a Graveyard Trail
Ghost Tours and Sunset Cemetery Walk at Shirley Plantation |
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Celebrate the bewitching spirit of Halloween with ghostly stories of “Aunt Pratt,” the legendary ghost of Shirley Plantation and the eleven generations of the same family to live at Shirley. From October 23-31, 2011, guided house tours will include the tales of “Aunt Pratt” as featured in Haunted Plantations of Virginia by Beth Brown and Ghosts of Virginia, by L. B. Taylor. Make sure you take a tour of the Great House at Shirley before the cemetery walk so you can see the portrait of Aunt Pratt. Aunt Pratt became so famous for her strange behavior that in the 1974 she was featured in a newspaper cartoon among several other publications.
On October 29, 2011, at 5 PM, “Aunt Pratt” will escort visitors to the Shirley Graveyard for a twilight tour. Tickets for the graveyard walk must be purchased by 3:45 PM in order to allow time to enjoy the guided house tour and come face to face with the portrait of Aunt Pratt. Mourning customs, ghost stories, and more will be shared with visitors during the walk along the river to the cemetery. This is the only time of the year when the family graveyard is available for viewing and the only scheduled appearance of “Aunt Pratt” from the spellbound regions. Martha Hill, known to the family as “Aunt Pratt,” was the daughter of Edward Hill III, 17th century owner of Shirley. Strange sounds in the attic and a traveling and temperamental portrait of “Aunt Pratt” have spawned eerie tales of what goes bump in the night at Virginia’s first plantation. “Aunt Pratt” has made such a name for herself with her becharming behavior that she is featured in Ghosts of Virginia, Vol. 1., written by L. B. Taylor and Haunted Plantations of Virginia by Beth Brown. Both books are available in Lady Cessalye’s Shop at Shirley. Aunt Pratt has also been the inspiration for numerous newspaper and magazine articles, at least one cartoon and the children’s book. The cemetery sunset tour is included with regular admission. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for the cemetery tour. Shirley Plantation is open daily from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Regular admission is $11 for adults and $7.50 for youth (6-18), with discounts for AAA members, seniors and military. Shirley Plantation is located on Scenic Route 5, just 10 miles east of I-295 near Richmond and 35 miles west of Williamsburg. For more information call 1-800-232-1613 or 1-804-829-5121. |
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