Witch of Pungo statue becomes Girl Scouts' community project

Belinda Nash has done everything she can to take care of Grace Sherwood.

Nash single-handedly worked to have the woman, known as "The Infamous Witch of Pungo," exonerated of witchcraft charges after 300 years. She also was instrumental in getting a statue erected in Sherwood's honor.

"It shows that women everywhere can be blamed for a lot, but we need to stand up for ourselves," Nash said. When it came time to clean the statue, Nash wanted girls, not boys, to perform the deed.

"Grace is a woman and I'd feel better if the girls are cleaning Grace," said Nash, who is director of Ferry Plantation House. Nash spent 25 years researching Sherwood's history and is writing a book about her.

Neighbors accused Sherwood of ruining crops, killing livestock and conjuring storms. In 1706, she faced a trial by water. She was tied cross-bound and ducked into the Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River, near the area now called Witchduck Point.

The belief system at the time was that if Sherwood floated during the ducking, she was a witch because the pure water cast out her evil spirit. If she sank, then she was innocent - and dead.

Sherwood floated, was convicted and imprisoned for seven years.

A bronze statue of Sherwood, sculpted by California artist Robert Cunningham, took seven years and $93,000 to acquire. It stands in front of Sentara Bayside Hospital, near the corner of Independence Boulevard and North Witchduck Road - a mile from Sherwood's ducking point.

On June 21, just two months after the one year anniversary of the statue's dedication, Girl Scout Troop 950 of Kempsville and Troop 855 of Bayside gathered to return Sherwood's luster. Nash dubbed the Scouts "Gracie's Girls" and they have agreed to make it an annual part of their community service activities.

"She provided the cleaning supplies and the girls provided the elbow grease," said Robyn Roche-Paull, assistant leader of Troop 950. Each of the 14 girls, ages 8 to 11, cleaned a section with a wet towel and then rubbed clear shoe polish in until it was dry before they buffed it out. It took almost two hours to complete.

"Grace was looking rather dirty, but now she's shining and just lovely," said Nash, who treated Gracie's Girls to pizza and presented each with a commemorative Grace Sherwood pewter pin. Nash has also ordered a brick for the troop and included Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast on the plaque listing donors.

The council is creating a badge featuring Gracie's Girls with the troops' numbers and a picture of the statue.

Kathlene Sheets, 8, with Troop 855, said she was glad to brush up Sherwood's likeness.

"I had to use two cans of polish to clean her, but we all got her fresh looking," Kathlene said. "It's really important to keep her clean because they paid a lot of money for the statue and it deserves to be clean."

Sandra J. Pennecke, pennecke@cox.net