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The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia History and Legend
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.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionWitches
277 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2024
75 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Scott O. Moore
2 books2 followersScott Moore is a historian who examines the connections between history, historical memory, and folklore. He is an associate professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, was a 2012-2013 Fulbright Mach Scholar, and received his PhD from the University of Maryland College Park. He is a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
For a complete list of publications, including journal articles and book chapters, please visit the Academia profile listed above.
Please note that a book listed as 'read' does not imply an endorsement, and any ratings are accidental.
For a complete list of publications, including journal articles and book chapters, please visit the Academia profile listed above.
Please note that a book listed as 'read' does not imply an endorsement, and any ratings are accidental.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 3, 2025
The “witch of Pungo” was an 18th-century Virginia woman named Grace Sherwood, whose name became a part of history through a series of bizarre events. Accused of witchcraft, more than a decade after the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, Sherwood was taken to the Lynnhaven River and subjected to a “trial by ducking” – a ritual in which, it was believed, an actual witch would float while an innocent person would sink. Sherwood floated and was found guilty, but did not suffer execution like the 20 unfortunate “witches” of Salem. Indeed, she was eventually able to return to her ordinary life as a farm woman of southeastern Virginia’s Princess Anne County; and three centuries later, her name and story live on, as historian Scott O. Moore chronicles in his 2024 book The Witch of Pungo.
Moore, a professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, explains early in the book that his own family ties to the Hampton Roads region of Tidewater Virginia nourished his interest in studying Grace Sherwood in Virginia History and Legend (the book’s subtitle).
The first step in organizing such a study is gleaning what facts are available regarding the actual history of Grace Sherwood. That history is sketchy, as many of what might have been illuminating and revelatory records were destroyed (particularly during the Civil War). But a review of what records are available draws a picture of Grace Sherwood and her husband as fairly typical, not-too-successful small farmers of southeastern Virginia – with the only non-typical part of the picture being the occasional witchcraft allegations against Grace Sherwood.
The importance of those accusations increased in the year 1706. After a Sherwood lawsuit against neighbours Luke and Elizabeth Hill resulted in only a token award of damages to Sherwood, “Luke Hill formally accused Grace Sherwood of witchcraft, prompting an official inquiry.” It may have been, in some ways, like the nuisance lawsuits of today – “an act of vengeance” by Luke Hill, “a way of punishing Sherwood for suing him and his wife.” Yet Moore believes that the accusation “was more than a simple case of vengeance. Luke and Elizabeth Hill fervently believed that Sherwood had cursed Elizabeth” (p. 59). It is clear that Moore is taking pains to try to be fair to all parties to this bizarre case.
The ”ducking” of Grace Sherwood occurred at the Lynnhaven River; one can easily visit the general site of the unfortunate event by taking Interstate 264, the old Norfolk-Virginia Beach Expressway, to Exit 16, Witchduck Road (no, really). It is most painful to read of the humiliating physical examinations that were conducted against an alleged “witch,” and of the ducking ritual itself. As stated above, Sherwood floated, and was found guilty; but the records of what happened afterward are quite vague. She may have spent as much as seven years in prison, or maybe not; by 1714, she is back in the records as a farmer at her home. Perhaps the Virginia authorities were embarrassed enough by what had occurred that it was considered best to let the whole matter drop. Or maybe it was decided all round that poor Grace Sherwood had suffered enough.
Over the three centuries since the ducking of Grace Sherwood, a wide array of legends have sprung up around Sherwood, her trial, and her ducking. Moore chronicles all of those legends conscientiously, showing the reader how Grace Sherwood could be depicted as a malice-ridden, magic-wielding servant of Satan in the 18th century – or as a demure, shrinking-violet maiden hoping for a gallant rescuer in the 19th – or as a bold, beautiful, convention-defying feminist in the 20th. In the process, Moore reminds the reader that “Extraordinary events leave a permanent impact on the places [where] they occur”, and adds that “Rather than relat[ing] actual events, legends help us to understand the places where they are told. This is certainly the case with the legacy of Grace Sherwood” (p. 102).
I particularly liked those passages from The Witch of Pungo in which Moore reflected on the profound changes that Princess Anne County underwent in the process of becoming the City of Virginia Beach. “[W]hen Princess Anne County merged with the small resort town of Virginia Beach in 1963”, Moore accurately notes, “What had once been a rural community with deeply rooted families was becoming a large city dominated by suburban sprawl” (p. 155).
Think of it: a resident of Virginia Beach, living a block or two off the boardwalk, went to sleep on December 31, 1962, as a citizen of a town of about 5,000 people. They woke up on January 1, 1963, living in a city of almost 100,000 – more people than Alexandria, and rapidly catching up with Richmond and Norfolk. Today, Virginia Beach is the largest city in the commonwealth, and “Thanks to its rapid development and strong military presence, the overwhelming majority of Virginia Beach’s population are either first- or second-generation residents” (p. 159).
It makes sense, in that context, that the Grace Sherwood story strikes such a chord with both long-time and new residents of Virginia Beach. The story’s inherent drama and its associations with the supernatural make it particularly compelling, and the way the story evokes society’s often-unjust treatment of women seems to help it speak to the concerns of contemporary society with particular power.
Efforts to honour the legacy of Grace Sherwood take a variety of shapes. On the one hand, the vestry of Old Donation Episcopal Church, Sherwood’s former church home, officially exonerated her from charges of witchcraft in 2005. One year later, a statue of Sherwood, depicting her in a dignified manner, was placed on the grounds of Sentara Bayside Hospital. Also in 2006, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine issued an informal pardon on Sherwood’s behalf - 300 years to the day after Sherwood's original conviction.
On the other hand, historical re-enactments of Sherwood’s ducking, with a flotilla of motorboats puttering out into the Lynnhaven River for the purpose, may have raised some money for the Ferry Plantation House historic site that is associated with Sherwood's life; but these re-enactments seem to have made at least some Virginia Beach residents uneasy – even when “a rowboat…replaced the motorboat to make the scene look more authentic” (p. 209). The re-enactment is no longer held.
But Sherwood is still central to the tours that are given at Ferry Plantation, and she is a fixture of the annual Strawberry Festival held each year at Pungo. Moore’s closing observation is accurate: the actual woman Grace Sherwood may have died around the year 1740, but the Witch of Pungo lives on.
Published at Charlottesville by Rivanna Books, a regional imprint of the University of Virginia Press, The Witch of Pungo is a fine study in folklore and local history, and may be of particular interest to readers who live in, or hail from, Tidewater Virginia.
Moore, a professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, explains early in the book that his own family ties to the Hampton Roads region of Tidewater Virginia nourished his interest in studying Grace Sherwood in Virginia History and Legend (the book’s subtitle).
The first step in organizing such a study is gleaning what facts are available regarding the actual history of Grace Sherwood. That history is sketchy, as many of what might have been illuminating and revelatory records were destroyed (particularly during the Civil War). But a review of what records are available draws a picture of Grace Sherwood and her husband as fairly typical, not-too-successful small farmers of southeastern Virginia – with the only non-typical part of the picture being the occasional witchcraft allegations against Grace Sherwood.
The importance of those accusations increased in the year 1706. After a Sherwood lawsuit against neighbours Luke and Elizabeth Hill resulted in only a token award of damages to Sherwood, “Luke Hill formally accused Grace Sherwood of witchcraft, prompting an official inquiry.” It may have been, in some ways, like the nuisance lawsuits of today – “an act of vengeance” by Luke Hill, “a way of punishing Sherwood for suing him and his wife.” Yet Moore believes that the accusation “was more than a simple case of vengeance. Luke and Elizabeth Hill fervently believed that Sherwood had cursed Elizabeth” (p. 59). It is clear that Moore is taking pains to try to be fair to all parties to this bizarre case.
The ”ducking” of Grace Sherwood occurred at the Lynnhaven River; one can easily visit the general site of the unfortunate event by taking Interstate 264, the old Norfolk-Virginia Beach Expressway, to Exit 16, Witchduck Road (no, really). It is most painful to read of the humiliating physical examinations that were conducted against an alleged “witch,” and of the ducking ritual itself. As stated above, Sherwood floated, and was found guilty; but the records of what happened afterward are quite vague. She may have spent as much as seven years in prison, or maybe not; by 1714, she is back in the records as a farmer at her home. Perhaps the Virginia authorities were embarrassed enough by what had occurred that it was considered best to let the whole matter drop. Or maybe it was decided all round that poor Grace Sherwood had suffered enough.
Over the three centuries since the ducking of Grace Sherwood, a wide array of legends have sprung up around Sherwood, her trial, and her ducking. Moore chronicles all of those legends conscientiously, showing the reader how Grace Sherwood could be depicted as a malice-ridden, magic-wielding servant of Satan in the 18th century – or as a demure, shrinking-violet maiden hoping for a gallant rescuer in the 19th – or as a bold, beautiful, convention-defying feminist in the 20th. In the process, Moore reminds the reader that “Extraordinary events leave a permanent impact on the places [where] they occur”, and adds that “Rather than relat[ing] actual events, legends help us to understand the places where they are told. This is certainly the case with the legacy of Grace Sherwood” (p. 102).
I particularly liked those passages from The Witch of Pungo in which Moore reflected on the profound changes that Princess Anne County underwent in the process of becoming the City of Virginia Beach. “[W]hen Princess Anne County merged with the small resort town of Virginia Beach in 1963”, Moore accurately notes, “What had once been a rural community with deeply rooted families was becoming a large city dominated by suburban sprawl” (p. 155).
Think of it: a resident of Virginia Beach, living a block or two off the boardwalk, went to sleep on December 31, 1962, as a citizen of a town of about 5,000 people. They woke up on January 1, 1963, living in a city of almost 100,000 – more people than Alexandria, and rapidly catching up with Richmond and Norfolk. Today, Virginia Beach is the largest city in the commonwealth, and “Thanks to its rapid development and strong military presence, the overwhelming majority of Virginia Beach’s population are either first- or second-generation residents” (p. 159).
It makes sense, in that context, that the Grace Sherwood story strikes such a chord with both long-time and new residents of Virginia Beach. The story’s inherent drama and its associations with the supernatural make it particularly compelling, and the way the story evokes society’s often-unjust treatment of women seems to help it speak to the concerns of contemporary society with particular power.
Efforts to honour the legacy of Grace Sherwood take a variety of shapes. On the one hand, the vestry of Old Donation Episcopal Church, Sherwood’s former church home, officially exonerated her from charges of witchcraft in 2005. One year later, a statue of Sherwood, depicting her in a dignified manner, was placed on the grounds of Sentara Bayside Hospital. Also in 2006, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine issued an informal pardon on Sherwood’s behalf - 300 years to the day after Sherwood's original conviction.
On the other hand, historical re-enactments of Sherwood’s ducking, with a flotilla of motorboats puttering out into the Lynnhaven River for the purpose, may have raised some money for the Ferry Plantation House historic site that is associated with Sherwood's life; but these re-enactments seem to have made at least some Virginia Beach residents uneasy – even when “a rowboat…replaced the motorboat to make the scene look more authentic” (p. 209). The re-enactment is no longer held.
But Sherwood is still central to the tours that are given at Ferry Plantation, and she is a fixture of the annual Strawberry Festival held each year at Pungo. Moore’s closing observation is accurate: the actual woman Grace Sherwood may have died around the year 1740, but the Witch of Pungo lives on.
Published at Charlottesville by Rivanna Books, a regional imprint of the University of Virginia Press, The Witch of Pungo is a fine study in folklore and local history, and may be of particular interest to readers who live in, or hail from, Tidewater Virginia.
September 26, 2024
Really complicated feelings about this because I am a historian who grew up and still lives in Virginia Beach. Moore does well to explore the fact from the folklore, but because I have an attachment to the history and the region, it frustrates me to see how countless people cycle through the folklorish aspects of Grace Sherwood's story without doing the actual research.
December 18, 2024
The Witch of Pungo was as thorough of a historical account as you can find on Grace Sherwood. Moore did a great job of researching and writing an account of the strange history of Virginia’s witch. I was hoping for more information, only to realize that there just isn’t any. This is the most detailed and accurate account of the history but still leaves a lot unknown.
His writing style was clear and concise, but I felt that things were repeated, and a lot of filler was used to create a full length book on a subject that didn’t have enough substance to justify it. But, it was still an enjoyable read.
I will say, that it would have been far less interesting if I didn’t live in the area of Virginia Beach.
His writing style was clear and concise, but I felt that things were repeated, and a lot of filler was used to create a full length book on a subject that didn’t have enough substance to justify it. But, it was still an enjoyable read.
I will say, that it would have been far less interesting if I didn’t live in the area of Virginia Beach.
August 30, 2024
Yes this is non- fiction. The author writes in a style that is easily digestible to the non scholarly reader. It is very well researched and offers new insights into the functionality of rural communities during the colonial period in Virginia.
March 1, 2025
This is an excellent and well researched examination of the layers of fact and fiction of a fascinating historical figure. I first learned about Grace in Witchcraft in Colonial Virginia, by Carson O. Hudson, Jr., and have been captivated ever since. Having just move to VB this past year and meeting a member of the Sherwood family, my interest has only grown. As a historian, I find the fabricated stories rather frustrating because they cloud the truth, but my interest in folklore appreciates these fanciful tales—I just wish more people would differentiate between the two like this author does in a skillful and tempered manner.
Currently reading
January 15, 2024Grace White Sherwood was my 8 times great grandmother. Can’t wait to read more about her!
June 19, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book. I did not know anything about Grace Sherwood prior to reading but found it interesting to learn the historical facts to the folklore that developed over the years to how the locals recognize her today.
September 24, 2025
As a Tidewater native who grew up hearing stories about Witchduck Rd, this book was fascinating. Moore does an awesome job explaining the facts about Grace Sherwood and the history of witch trials in colonial Virginia while also integrating the local folklore. This book is more than a study of Sherwood- it’s also a study of how legends are made.
September 23, 2024
Loved this book…it was a super interesting deep dive (duck? Immersion? ) into all aspects of the Grace Sherwood legends and folklore…the documents, the land, the facts and the evolution of the body of lore, as well as the lasting, joyful, positive effects it has had on southeast Virginia and its citizens!
October 1, 2024
As a former student of Dr. Moore, it made me so happy to see his love of folklore come to fruition in this comprehensive history of Grace Sherwood.
This book is a love letter to the community it surveys, and is sure to peak the interest of both Virgina natives and people unfamiliar with Sherwood (such as myself). Written in three parts, the book first recounts what we know to be true from historical records, then offers an in-depth summary of legends spurred from these records, and finally analyses the accused witch's enduring modern legacy.
While I found some points of the book to be slower than others, and at times redundant, it is overall an interesting read and undoubtedly well researched!
This book is a love letter to the community it surveys, and is sure to peak the interest of both Virgina natives and people unfamiliar with Sherwood (such as myself). Written in three parts, the book first recounts what we know to be true from historical records, then offers an in-depth summary of legends spurred from these records, and finally analyses the accused witch's enduring modern legacy.
While I found some points of the book to be slower than others, and at times redundant, it is overall an interesting read and undoubtedly well researched!
June 17, 2024
Quite interesting especially if you’re a Virginia Beach local. However it could be quite dry and because the lack of details in Grace Sherwoods actual documentation a lot of it is just discussing things that people take as fact but actually aren’t true.
July 20, 2025
I’ve lived in the Tidewater area of Virginia for nearly five years, and I drove by Witchduck Road repeatedly without understanding the local legend of the place. It’s such a strange and attention-grabbing name, but it really wasn’t until I picked up this book that I understood the significance of Grace Sherwood’s story. In the briefest possible terms, Sherwood was put on trial for witchcraft and the hearing was to be settled by “ducking”—a practice in which the accused was dunked into water to prove whether they were a witch. If the accused floats, it is evidence of witchery; however, if the accused drowns, it is proof of their innocence. In Sherwood’s case, she managed to make it back to the surface, and spent several years imprisoned as a result. She was eventually freed and lived a quiet life afterward. However, as legends tend to do, over time Sherwood became a symbol for outcasts, the disempowered, and people from all walks of life, often portrayed as a wrongfully accused figure of uncharacteristic conviction, or just as often, a gleefully guilty spirit condemning the culture and social morays of her era.
Scott O. Moore does the story justice in this short but detailed study of one of the most famous stories in Virginia history. Moore’s approach is to break down the Grace Sherwood saga into three perspectives: (1.) the (scant) documented history of her trial and her life (the few documents that exist paint an incomplete picture of her biography), (2.) the various interpretations (and reinterpretations) of her story and legacy as it developed over time, and (3.) as a merging between history and legend into a cultural force throughout the Tidewater area and beyond. The scope of the many interpretations of her legacy can be captured in this quote from the text:
“Because so little is known about the actual Grace Sherwood, she is ideally suited to change with the times. Her personality and appearance can evolve to meet the needs of those telling her story. In one generation, she can be a meek woman dependent on the men in her life to protect her, and in the next she can be an independent-minded and mischievous rebel who enjoyed shocking her neighbors. Years later, she can become the embodiment of the feminist spirit, boldly shattering social expectations” (138-139).
The book is an intriguing read, but I was losing steam toward the second half of the text. The local celebrations, festivals, historical landmarks, and theatrical reenactments of Sherwood’s story are interesting in their own way but less compelling than the historical portrait Moore paints about her and how future generations have taken the few known details about her life to generate a sort of mythology around her. The last section of the book felt like an epilogue that was overstaying its welcome.
That said, should anyone want to learn more about Grace Sherwood and the legend of the Witch of Pungo, they would do worse than starting here.
Scott O. Moore does the story justice in this short but detailed study of one of the most famous stories in Virginia history. Moore’s approach is to break down the Grace Sherwood saga into three perspectives: (1.) the (scant) documented history of her trial and her life (the few documents that exist paint an incomplete picture of her biography), (2.) the various interpretations (and reinterpretations) of her story and legacy as it developed over time, and (3.) as a merging between history and legend into a cultural force throughout the Tidewater area and beyond. The scope of the many interpretations of her legacy can be captured in this quote from the text:
“Because so little is known about the actual Grace Sherwood, she is ideally suited to change with the times. Her personality and appearance can evolve to meet the needs of those telling her story. In one generation, she can be a meek woman dependent on the men in her life to protect her, and in the next she can be an independent-minded and mischievous rebel who enjoyed shocking her neighbors. Years later, she can become the embodiment of the feminist spirit, boldly shattering social expectations” (138-139).
The book is an intriguing read, but I was losing steam toward the second half of the text. The local celebrations, festivals, historical landmarks, and theatrical reenactments of Sherwood’s story are interesting in their own way but less compelling than the historical portrait Moore paints about her and how future generations have taken the few known details about her life to generate a sort of mythology around her. The last section of the book felt like an epilogue that was overstaying its welcome.
That said, should anyone want to learn more about Grace Sherwood and the legend of the Witch of Pungo, they would do worse than starting here.
May 26, 2025
I learned about Grace Sherwood in elementary school and was fascinated by this woman who was accused of being a witch. I love that the author separates what we know (which isn’t much) from what has been added to the story over hundreds of years. This book was everything I wanted - it starts with background of the area and time period, and goes over what we know about Grace Sherwood based on surviving historical documents and court records. Then it moves into the lore and legend that fills in all the gaps history left behind. And it finishes with the people, places, performances, etc that continue to remember/celebrate the Witch of Pungo today.
For anyone who enjoyed this book, I highly recommend going to Cry Witch, which was discussed in the book. The interactive performance is amazing and is a fun way to bring Grace Sherwood to life.
For anyone who enjoyed this book, I highly recommend going to Cry Witch, which was discussed in the book. The interactive performance is amazing and is a fun way to bring Grace Sherwood to life.
April 5, 2024
Having seen some of the signs that are mentioned in this book, I was always curious. When I saw this book on Edelweiss I knew I had to read it.
Grace Sherwood was accused of being a witch. In colonial times, this was a very serious offense, which could lead to death. The story here was very interesting - not only in what led some to believe or accuse her of being a witch, but also of her family life.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-researched and laid out neatly. Easy to follow, and captivating enough to keep readers engaged. Perfect for those that love a little lore in their history!
Grace Sherwood was accused of being a witch. In colonial times, this was a very serious offense, which could lead to death. The story here was very interesting - not only in what led some to believe or accuse her of being a witch, but also of her family life.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-researched and laid out neatly. Easy to follow, and captivating enough to keep readers engaged. Perfect for those that love a little lore in their history!
October 17, 2024
I learned a lot of new historical information, truths, and myths about Virginia Beach and witches throughout this book. The first half of the book captivated me, with detailed information about the realities of "witch trials." (not as Hollywood portrays them!) The second half was just as full of details about Grace Sherwood and her legacy, though it was not as interesting to me as the first hundred or so pages.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who lives in the VA Beach area or loves historically accurate information about witches and witch trials in the 18th century. This author did a ton of homework for this book, and I think it came together quite well!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who lives in the VA Beach area or loves historically accurate information about witches and witch trials in the 18th century. This author did a ton of homework for this book, and I think it came together quite well!
December 1, 2024
I can't speak for Mr. Moore about the writing process for this book, but it would see that with the limited amount of physical history about Grace Sherwood, there was not a lot to expand out historically. It is very obvious that the town/community has fully embraced the "legend" of Mrs. Sherwood, as they have been telling one or more versions of her story for over a century. But, at the same time, whether it's a good or bad thing, it is clear that this same town/community have based their whole existance on Sherwood's legend.
June 20, 2025
A scholarly review of the legend of the Witch of Pungo. Based on the few historical documents that exist, the author explains the facts and how the legend and lore have evolved over the years. So little is actually known, but the importance of Grace Sherwood is inextricably entwined with Virginia Beach's history. Recommend if the reader is interested in learning more and understanding how the myth of Grace Sherwood has come to be over 300 years. Reminded me of The Deerfield Massacre by James Swanson in its style of writing.
December 6, 2024
Fun fact: I served on the jury at the Cry Witch reenactment at the Capitol in Colonial Williamsburg. We voted to acquit Grace Sherwood.
This is a well-researched book about the real trials of an alleged witch in what is now Virginia Beach, VA. The author separates documented facts from the stories and legends that are commonly told.
My only criticism is he repeated some points over and over, but in different contexts and I had to speed-read over them.
This is a well-researched book about the real trials of an alleged witch in what is now Virginia Beach, VA. The author separates documented facts from the stories and legends that are commonly told.
My only criticism is he repeated some points over and over, but in different contexts and I had to speed-read over them.
November 20, 2025
I really appreciated the author’s detailing of research and the gaps in knowledge filled in by folklore and modern retellings. As a local, I appreciated knowing more about the area’s history.
I listened to the audio version and it was a tough one, even sped up. I think reading the physical or e-book may have allowed me to get through it faster and appreciate it more. It did feel like the book could have been half as long.
I listened to the audio version and it was a tough one, even sped up. I think reading the physical or e-book may have allowed me to get through it faster and appreciate it more. It did feel like the book could have been half as long.
January 12, 2025
Majority of the books I read are fiction but this non fiction story of Grace Sherwood, The Witch of Pungo grabbed at my history loving heart. It’s factual, but also leans into the rumors of Grace. Living locally helped as well, knowing exactly where this took place made it even more interesting for me. If you’re a fan of history and folklore, this is the read for you.
February 9, 2025
I've been fascinated by Grace Sherwood ever since I saw Cry Witch, a reenactment of her trial for witchcraft, in Colonial Williamsburg. This book does a wonderful job of sticking to the facts that exist exploring the legends and myths surrounding her, and delving into the fascination and legacy that still exist to this day.
July 26, 2025
Dr. Moore has done a wonderfully thorough job researching the history and folklore of Grace Sherwood. He separates facts from fiction through analyzing the history of the legends told for centuries about this local "witch." He does a great job explaining the history of the time in which various stories evolved. An excellent read!
September 19, 2025
Part 1 was great!!
The rest of the book just felt like the author had to get a certain amount of words in to finish the book and kept repeating things but worded them differently.
There’s a lot of history on Virginia Beach/Williamsburg. More than I was expecting. Probably more than about Grace herself. Still very interesting!
Grace Sherwood is an idol.
The rest of the book just felt like the author had to get a certain amount of words in to finish the book and kept repeating things but worded them differently.
There’s a lot of history on Virginia Beach/Williamsburg. More than I was expecting. Probably more than about Grace herself. Still very interesting!
Grace Sherwood is an idol.
October 21, 2024
Very interesting read about one of Virginia Beach's favorite historical figures. There isn't alot of new information about Grace Sherwood in this book but it ties together information from a variety of sources. The book dives into the social norms at the time regarding witches and witchcraft.
July 10, 2025
Being from Virginia Beach, I’ve grown up around legends of the Pungo Witch. Finding this book gave me tile opportunity to find out more about what I’d heard my whole life. Very well written and super informative. It’s also fitting today is July 10th. Happy Grace Sherwood Day to all who celebrate.
November 18, 2024
Well written, if a bit repetitive..The author has clearly researched the folklore and historical records of “Virginia’s Witch” and tells a compelling narrative. It’s worth the read!
November 21, 2024
informative, but veryyyyyyy repetitive and unfortunately I found the second half pretty boring. still cool to know the real lore behind the witch I used to be scared of!
December 1, 2024
This is a wonderful book that goes into what we know about Grace Sherwood and how her legend developed over the last three centuries.
Want to read
December 8, 2024dnf 44% To dense and ultimately started boring me.
December 13, 2024
The author did well and clearly worked hard on this book. The sourcing of the local folklore was the part I liked the best. This is about a witch trial that made a cultural impact to the area.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews