Across the James River from Williamsburg, the town of Surry houses North America’s oldest brick home: Bacon’s Castle. The brick building also happens to be one of the most haunted places in Virginia.
Staples of High Jacobean architecture — red bricks and high chimneys — help this aged structure stand out against Surry County’s sprawling fields. There’s an eeriness to the faded brick as if the “castle” had been forgotten and left to rot. On the contrary, many have had a hand in preserving the ages-old dwelling.
Yet it’s not just the societies and organizations that have watched over Bacon’s Castle telling its stories. Within and without, unexplained phenomena and apparitions of yore serve as a chronicle of the home’s past.
Battlegrounds and pivotal moments in the nation’s history unraveled throughout Williamsburg and Surry County. Take the opportunity to explore these fascinating and haunted places in Virginia on a Williamsburg ghost tour.
What Happened at Bacon’s Castle?
In 1676, influential colonist Nathaniel Bacon launched a series of raids against local Native American tribes. During four months of this antagonistic affair, several of Bacon’s men kept headquarters in what is now known as Bacon’s Castle.
The rebellion may be what earned the dwelling its name and possibly some of its spirits, but there’s something else hidden in the property’s past. A fiery ball of light is the ground’s most common occurrence, though its origin and purpose remain unknown. It flies from the ruins of the Lawnes Creek Parish Church, destroyed during 2003’s Hurricane Isabel, to Bacon’s Castle.
Arthur Allen’s Brick House
Bacon’s Castle is strangely named for a man with no real ties to the building. Before the rebellion, Nathaniel Bacon’s so-called castle belonged to Arthur Allen. For a spell, the building bore the original owner’s name: Allen’s Brick House.
More than 20 years before Bacon’s men lodged within the Jacobean home, Allen arrived in Virginia with three workers and his future wife, Alice Tucker. On his arrival, he settled on 200 acres of land.
Little is known of Allen’s time before coming to Virginia, but his time after made for some minor excitement. Two years after obtaining the land patent, he took office as a Justice of the Peace for Surry County.
How he came about his wealth remains unknown, but it was enough to add another 500 acres to his current land and, in 1665, build his brick house.
Unfortunately, Allen passed away within four years of completing his home. His son, Arthur, inherited the property. In 1676, he abandoned it during Nathaniel Bacon’s uprising.
The Occupation of Bacon’s Men
Fires raged through the colony of Jamestown on September 19, 1676. Nathaniel Bacon had succeeded in driving the Governor out, striking a blow for those opposing his rebellion.
Among his opposers was Arthur Allen II. Before Bacon launched his campaign against the Native Americans, Allen voted against resupplying the rebels. Shortly after, he began following Governor William Berkeley, leaving his Sully home unoccupied.
After Jonestown fell, Bacon’s forces set up strategic forces to put pressure on the Governor’s and Allen’s residences.
Before long, Bacon’s men garrisoned within the Allen Brick House. During their time on the plantation, they sacked the house.
Cows were shot and used for meat, while Allen’s crops were decimated. While there’s no record of deaths within the walls of Bacon’s new castle, the trauma inflicted on the property bred the intense negative energy needed to convert the home into a beacon for the restless dead.
The Hankins Move In
Bacon eventually lost control of the garrison and died in 1676, causing the rebellion to die off slowly. Ownership of the brick home remained with Allen and his family, who built upon the property to add slave quarters and a smokehouse.
Hundreds of enslaved people worked on the land and occupied upwards of 18 buildings. The conditions were ripe for an accumulation of negative energy, which may explain some of the plantation’s unusual occurrences.
Slavery and rebellion contributed to Bacon’s Castle’s dark history. However, the first recorded death tied to the dwelling didn’t occur until the Hankins arrived in the late 1800s.
Among those calling Bacon’s Castle home was Captain James DeWitt Hankins, a man who’d learn the price of drunken anger.
Haunts of Bacon’s Castle
The “castle’s” history of ups and downs has, over time, manifested into activity only the bravest can endure. Accounts have piled up over the years, from cold spots to full-bodied apparitions. None do a significantly good job of tying entities to events.
A Duel Gone Wrong
Who the ghosts haunting Bacon’s Castle are is a mystery, but there’s one candidate that very well may have risen from his early grave.
James Hankins became a permanent resident of Bacon’s Castle after challenging William Underwood to a duel. The Hankins and Underwoods knew nothing but bad blood, and during one night in a tavern, James and William exchanged harsh words.
Confident that he could best Underwood, James Hankins didn’t back down when presented with the chance for a duel. On October 19, 1866, outside of the Isle of Wight Courthouse, Hankins died from a gunshot wound.
His body was returned to Bacon’s Castle, where his family had a designated cemetery. Ripped from the world at only 25 in such an emotionally charged fashion, it stands to reason one of the property’s ethereal visitors is the young hothead.
Perhaps he’s the phantom voice said to have startled visitors with a forceful “Get out!”
The Surry County Fireball
The Surry County Fireball is possibly the most infamous haunt of Bacon’s Castle. The ball of fiery light is a shocking display for visitors. It’s said to travel from the ruins of the Lawne’s Creek Church to the red brick home.
There is no specific tragedy or trauma that ties the unusual manifestation to the plantation. But, it could be an amalgam of its darkest moments. Whatever the root cause, it’s strong enough to propel the light orb a good distance.
The fireball is a local legend and a jarring thing to witness. Whether it’s more disturbing than the disembodied voices, transparent figures in period garb, footsteps, and closing doors is a matter of opinion.
Exploring Haunted Virginia
Bacon’s Castle is an anomaly when determining the origins of its spectral inhabitants. There’s no one defining event that opens the door for speculation. Is it just poor record-keeping or the castle’s spilled blood?
It’s a question that may never have an answer. However, embarking on a Williamsburg ghost tour is the perfect start to understanding the ghostly events that unfold within.
Book your tour today to hear more about this American relic and other haunted places in Virginia. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Don’t miss a Virginian haunt by reading our latest blog posts about local spirits.
Sources:
Bacon’s Castle
Bacon’s Castle
https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/a-brief-history-of-bacons-castle.htm
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86928549/james_dewitt_hankins
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/virginia/bacons-castle-va-haunted-history
https://surrycountyvahistory.org/articles/2019/1/22/bacons-castle-ghost-light