Old House Woods

Matthews County, VA

Investigators: Kelly, Debby, Joyce, Bridget and Jamie

Weather: 76°F, Clear, no wind

Site History: Of all the tales of the Tidewater area of Virginia, none has been told and retold more than the stories of Old House Woods. Located near the tiny crossroads town of Diggs in Matthews County, northeast of Gloucester, scary tales have been passed down generation after generation for more than 200 years. The 50 acre patch of woods and marshlands near the Chesapeake Bay contain some of the most bizarre and unusual paranormal phenomenon ever recorded. Some of the recurring tales are about British Redcoats, pirates, skeletons in knights armor, mysterious groups of shovelers digging, ghost horses and cows which appear and disappear before one's eyes, a full rigged Spanish galleon which vanishes in thin air, mysterious floating lights in the woods similar to lantern light, and a "Storm Woman" who floats above the pines warning fishermen of impending gales.

Phenomena: During our own trip to Old House Woods, we had several different experiences. One member of our group immediately felt threatened and unable to breathe. In addition, she smelled a sulphur like odor and asked us to get in the car and leave. We also experienced the car door slamming shut though it was fully open and latched and no one was anywhere near it. We experimented with shutting the door and concluded that it must receive a solid shove in order to completely close tight. As we were driving down the road heading home, two members of our group witnessed a light in the woods. When asked, they described it as being yellowish glow about the same height off the ground that a lantern would be. At this time, these individuals were not aware that one of the often told tales was of a mysterious light in the woods.