VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — On Sentara Heathcare's property at the corner of Witchduck Road and Independence Boulevard, a statue stands of Grace Sherwood, the so-called "Witch of Pungo."
“Grace Sherwood was an independent woman. She was a midwife and a healer. She was a farmer and really prominent in our community,” said Sentara's Chief Nursing Officer, Amber Price.
According to historians, Sherwood used herbs, tonics, and tinctures to help cure residents of what ailed them.
“Back in 1706, communities were small, and people had to step up and take those roles in the community, and Grace filled that role in our community," said Price.
However, she was different from most women of her time. She wore pants, tended the farm of her late husband, and practiced medicine. She was accused of being a witch after a man said she cast a spell on his wife.
So, in the July heat of 1706, authorities tried her by water, a practice known as ducking—common in those times to determine if someone was a witch.
“And the edict was that if you floated, she was guilty, and if she sank, she was innocent," said Price
“Her right thumb was tied to her left big toe, and her left thumb was tied to her right big toe, and she was pushed overboard," said President of the Virginia Beach Historical Society Al Chewning.
“And, of course, she floated and got out of her bounds and swam back to shore," added Price.
While accounts of what happened next vary and whether she spent time in jail is unclear, one thing is known: The accused witch did go back to being a healer and farmer until her passing at the age of 80.
Her legacy as a healer and midwife is why, in 2007, Sentara Health offered to let the statue of Sherwood reside on the property at Sentara Independence, just over a mile from where she was tried for witchcraft.
“We particularly honor her as a symbol of persecution and a reminder that sometimes when people think differently, we still need to embrace them, take care of them, listen to them, and understand them," said Price.
The tale of Grace Sherwood, the Witch of Pungo, is an interesting one and represents the history of Hampton Roads.
