The story has many different endings but the haunt is the same. It is said that Lady Ann Skipwith's spirit haunts the Wythe House and is also seen running down the Palace Green in a fit of rage.
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| The Legand of Lady Skipwith | ||||||||||
| Wythe House - Williamsburg, V.a. | ||||||||||
| " The George Wythe (rhymes with Smith) House on the west side of Palace Green is a solid brick mansion that is one of the restored showpeices of Colonial Williamsburg. Built during the middle of the 18th century, the house along with it's outbuilding and gardens form what has been described as a 'plantation layout in miniature.' " As stated by L. B. Taylor, Jr., writer of "The Ghosts of Williamsburg...And Nearby Environs" page 32. " There is, nevertheless, a rather well known ghosts in the residence; one who has been glimpsed and heard at various times over the two centuries. This would be Lady Ann Skipwith, the daughter of a Scottish merchant. Born near Petersburg about 1741, she was described by those who knew her as an 'attractive yet tempermental young woman of a disposition something uncommon.' More candidly interpreted, she had a fiery temper and preceded today's women's right advocates by more than 200 years by frequently speaking her mind....She married Sir Peyton Skipwith, a wealthy planter, and settled down to a comfortable aristocratic life at Prestwould in Mecklenburg County. Once, in the waning days of Williamsburg's glory in the 1770's, before the Colonial capital was moved to Richmond in 1780, Sir peyton and Lady Ann attended a gala ball at the Governer's Palace. She was resplendent in a cream satin dress and tiny, high heeled red slippers, 'upon which shone buckles of brilliants.' But something happened at the ball-- no one is quite sure just what --which triggered Lad Ann's famous temper. Offended by whatever slight it was, she bolted from the Palace unescorted even as the minuets continued, and dashed across the Palace Green toward the Wythe House. Why she chose this sight for her hasty departure remains unexplained, although she may have been a house guest. Whatever, Lady Ann storytellers agree that while enroute she broke either the strap or heel of one of her slippers and arrived at the house hobbling on one shoe, with the other foot clad only in a silk stocking. Thus, she ascended the wooden stairs sounding somewhat like a person with a peg leg." The story has many different endings but the haunt is the same. It is said that Lady Ann Skipwith's spirit haunts the Wythe House and is also seen running down the Palace Green in a fit of rage. |
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| What We Found | ||||||||||
| Brad and I were simply visiting Colonial Williamsburg and we thought of the story we had read, so I decided to take a picture of the Palace Green facing the Governer's Palace. I simply said outloud " If there are any spirits who would like to have a picture taken please step forth." I of course didn't think we would capture anything on camera. But I took the picture, and this is what I got. | ||||||||||