The Witch of Pungo

Grace Sherwood in Virginia History and Legend

Scott O. Moore

$64.95 $55.20

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

University of Virginia Press
22 May 2024

History of the Americas; Archaeology; Witchcraft

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.

By: Scott O. Moore
Imprint: University of Virginia Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 25mm
ISBN: 9780813951300
ISBN 10: 0813951305
Pages: 298
Publication Date: 22 May 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Scott O. Moore is an Associate Professor of History at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Reviews for The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia History and Legend

“Did Grace Sherwood really sail from England to Virginia in an eggshell? Did she dance with the devil at night? Scott Moore delves into these and other legends about the so-called Virginia witch whose statue today adorns the grounds of a Virginia Beach hospital. Exhaustively researched, The Witch of Pungo is the definitive account of Sherwood’s real life and the three centuries’ worth of fascinating and sometimes bizarre stories that people have told about her.”—Cynthia A. Kierner, George Mason University, author of The Tory’s Wife: A Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary America