The Mysterious Legend Behind This Church In Virginia Is Bone Chilling
By Beth|Published July 20, 2016
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Beth
Author
A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.
Aquia Episcopal Church is a beautiful place of worship in Stafford, Virginia. Not unlike many of the state’s historic spots, it has 200 years of history that many consider haunted. The early years of the church were marked with tragedy. In the mid-eighteenth century, a woman was hiding from a gang of highway men within the church’s walls and was killed. Even more upsetting was the fact that her body was not discovered until years later, when the church reopened after the Revolutionary War. No one knows exactly the details of the murder, yet there have been several claims of paranormal activity since. As you can tell from the pictures below, this gorgeous church might seem like an unsuspecting place for such hauntings.
The congregation of Aquia Church was established in 1711. The church itself was constructed in 1751 and is a visually stunning Georgian brick building. In 1991, the church was registered as a National Historic Landmark for its architecture. Just east of I-95, Aquia Church is set back on a peaceful hilltop and continues to have an active congregation today.
The church was built with bricks in a two-story crucifix plan, which was a rather unusual style for Colonial churches. Aquia replaced two earlier sites of of the Overwharton Parish which were constructed around 1680.
One of the most famous mysteries associated with the church is that of the golden-haired skeleton. No one knew about the death of the woman who was murdered inside Aquia until her skeleton was later discovered in the belfry. And her hair was still intact - just as blonde as the day she died. At that time, the church had lost funding due to the Revolutionary War, and that might have been the reason why no one discovered her body until later. The event seems equally tragic and mysterious.
It's been said that bloodstains from the murder remained on the floorboard for nearly 100 years, until it was replaced altogether with concrete. Not so surprisingly, many ghost stories worked their way through the community after the skeleton was discovered. Many parishioners refused to set foot in the church after dark. In the 1900s, people decided to seek evidence of hauntings for themselves. Many returned with chilling tales of having encountered an unfriendly presence.
Even today there is plenty of paranormal activity associated with the church grounds. Many visitors have reported hearing footsteps running through the graveyard accompanied by the sound of a violent struggle. Others claim to see the figure of a young golden-haired woman peering from the balcony window.
And yet even with such a chilling history, Aquia Church remains a beautiful and peaceful place of worship. Tours can be arranged by contacting the church directly. It is always encouraged to visit during daylight hours...and you can probably understand why!
