The Lady in White of Chatham Manor

Of all the reasons for a spirit to remain in a location after their death, there seems to be one that has the strongest pull: lost love. This is the case for the Lady in White, whose happily ever after was thwarted by none other than one of America’s founding fathers.

This all took place in Chatham Manor in Virginia, where the woman’s ghost is still seen wandering along the pathway known as “the Ghost Walk.” However, she only reveals herself on a very specific date — once every seven years.

This Valentine’s Day, learn how some of America’s most tragic love stories turned into centuries-long hauntings. To see some of these most haunted sites in America for yourself, book a ghost tour with US Ghost Adventures.

Who Is the Lady in White of Chatham Manor?

While the identity of the Lady in White may be lost to time, her doomed romance is well-documented.

Classism, strict parents, and social rules of the time all played against the hopeful young couple who fell in love in the late 1700s. The woman’s spirit seems to be still desperately seeking the love of her life in death.

Chatham Manor: The Ultimate Status Symbol

Chatham Manor holds the title of being older than the United States of America. William Fitzhugh commissioned the home to be built in 1771. It was then constructed by enslaved laborers and craftsmen. 

The grand estate was set atop a hill so that everyone in nearby Fredericksburg could easily see the wealth of the Fitzhugh family, which the family put on full display. The mansion itself had ten rooms, which was massive for the time period.

There were also many axillary buildings constructed, including an ice house, dairy, barn, stables, mill, and fishery. The property also included an orchard and even a racetrack. 

The Fitzhughs didn’t want to enjoy all these bells and whistles by themselves either. In fact, it seemed appearances were quite important to William Fitzhugh, who often threw lavish parties and balls on his estate.

His guests included some of the most important players of the time, including Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and regular guest George Washington, who visited the manor on numerous occasions.

Despite the Fitzhughs having hundreds of thousands of acres of land, the family began depleting their fortune from all the over-the-top social gatherings (which were said to include commodities like fresh caviar). By 1806, Fitzhugh could no longer afford the home and was forced to sell it. 

Before he did, however, a young woman stayed with the Fitzhugh family for a short spell. On this estate, her life changed forever. 

Forbidden Young Love

A woman, let’s call her “Lady,” was born to an aristocratic family in England. As Lady became a young woman, she met a drysalter (someone who dyed cloth and preserved foods) around her age. 

The two quickly fell in love and sought to be together. Lady’s father was completely against this match, as he was far below her on the social ladder. To physically put distance between them, Lady’s father sent her to America to stay with an old friend, William Fitzhugh. 

While it may seem strange to send your (likely) teenage daughter across an ocean on a six- to ten-week journey just to get her away from a boy, this wasn’t that uncommon back in the day. The hope was that Lady would meet a young man closer to her social status at one of the Fitzhughs’ many parties. 

When Lady arrived, it seemed she was finally playing her part. But it soon became clear that she had very different intentions. Her drysalter had managed to scrounge enough money together to pay for the fare to cross the Atlantic as well. 

Lady and her love would secretly meet up around Chatham Manor’s grounds at night. They were planning to run away to finally be together once and for all — but their plan was thwarted. 

A Foiled Elopement 

One evening, Lady and her beau were discussing the details of running away. A servant overhead and reported the news to a guest who was visiting at the time. The visitor? George Washington.

That night, Lady went to sneak out her bedroom window, like she had so many nights before. Yet, when she stepped outside, she turned to see the disappointed face of Washington himself. 

Washington, in coordination with his hosts, contacted Lady’s parents. She was swiftly put on a ship back to England — likely without getting to say goodbye to her love. 

Did he spend the night waiting for her at their meeting spot? Did he think she had changed her mind about marrying him? Instead choosing to continue living the life of the upper class? 

Some even say the poor, heartbroken man was arrested. While the drysalter’s story faded into history, it’s safe to assume he couldn’t afford the cost to return to England (at least not for a long time).

Not risking the couple reconnecting once again, as soon as Lady arrived back in England, she was swiftly matched up with a man her family approved of — and they were married soon after. 

Lady had 10 children with her husband. However, it seems that Lady was never happy in her marriage. After leaving Chatham Manor, she was said to never have smiled again. 

The Lady in White’s Return to Chatham Manor

On her deathbed in England in 1790, Lady vowed to return to the only place where she was ever truly happy: Chatham Manor. 

On the day of Lady’s death, June 21, 1790, guests at Chatham Manor reported seeing a glowing apparition of a woman in a long, white gown. This began the long tradition of Lady returning to Chatham Manor on the anniversary of her death. 

Every seven years, on June 21, the Lady in White is seen walking along a path from the manor to the river, which is now referred to as “the Ghost Walk.” It’s believed that this was the path that Lady was planning to take all those years ago to meet up with her love.

Ever since her death, she continues walking that route: hoping one day she’ll be reunited with him again. 

If you want to catch a glimpse of the Lady in White for yourself, her next appearance should be on June 21, 2028. She’s said to return sometime between 12 pm and 12 am on that day before disappearing again for another seven years. 

Happy Haunted Valentine’s Day

Tales of star-crossed lovers and ill-fated love affairs are the basis behind some of the most fascinating cases of hauntings around the U.S. Yet, heartbreak isn’t the only thing that can drive a spirit to remain tied to a location. 

Sometimes, the happiest love stories can also drive a ghost to want to remain in their home — wanting to continue to enjoy the good times and affection they experienced during their lives. 

If you want to learn about some of the other most tragic, and inspiring, love stories that led to hauntings, check out our Valentine’s Day blog series and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more haunted Valentine’s Day tales. 

Sources: 

• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/va-chathammanor/
• https://usghostadventures.com/
• https://www.nps.gov/frsp/learn/historyculture/chatham.htm
• https://discoverulsterscots.com/emigration-influence/america/scotch-irish-america-timeline/1700s-voyage-america#:~:text=The%20passage&text=Depending%20on%20the%20weather%20conditions,after%20they%20arrived%20in%20America
• https://www.virginiahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/chatham-manor.html#:~:text=Upon%20her%20deathbed%20in%201790,name%20the%20path%20Ghost%20Walk.