Is Hampton Mansion Haunted?
Hampton Mansion in Towson, Maryland, isn’t just another ghost story; it’s a testament to the power of history and the mysteries that linger in the shadows.
As we dive into the eerie tales and chilling experiences surrounding this iconic location, you’ll discover that the past is more than just a series of dates and events—it’s alive, breathing, and full of lessons for those willing to listen.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, this journey will challenge your perceptions and ignite your curiosity about what lies beyond our understanding.
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Hampton Mansion, National Historic Site
Hampton Mansion, located in Towson, Maryland, is a significant historical site known for its architectural grandeur and rich history.
Historical Overview
- Construction and Size: Completed in 1790, Hampton Mansion was the largest private home in America then. Captain Charles Ridgely built it between 1783 and 1790, modeled after Castle Howard in England12. The mansion is a prime example of Georgian architecture, showcasing classic symmetry and lavish interiors designed to reflect the wealth of the Ridgely family.
- Ownership and Legacy: The Ridgely family owned the estate for seven generations, from 1745 until 1948. The estate originally spanned over 25,000 acres and included various agricultural and industrial operations, such as ironworks that played a crucial role during the American Revolutionary War14.
Architectural Significance
- Design Features: The mansion features a three-story structure with smaller wings connected by hallways. Its exterior is made from locally quarried stone and stuccoed to resemble limestone. The interior boasts furnishings from various periods, including pieces that reflect the classical influences of ancient Greece and Rome.
- National Historic Site: In 1948, Hampton was designated as the first National Historic Site by the U.S. National Park Service due to its architectural significance and historical importance. It was opened to the public in 1949.
Cultural Context
- Enslavement and Labor: The estate’s history is intertwined with the institution of slavery; over 700 enslaved individuals worked on the plantation throughout its history. The original slave quarters remain as part of the site, providing insight into the lives of those who labored there.
- Gardens and Grounds: The grounds include restored formal gardens that were admired in the 19th century, reflecting the estate’s historical landscape design. Visitors can explore various structures on-site, including the overseer’s house and dairy.
Hampton National Historic Site is open year-round for public visits, offering guided tours that showcase its historical artifacts and architecture. The site provides a unique glimpse into early American life and industry while addressing complex themes related to its past.
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Haunted Hampton Mansion
I am a huge fan of American History. I love being only twenty minutes away from Hampton Mansion, one of the most beautiful and supposedly haunted historic homes in Maryland, in Towson, Maryland.
I’ve visited Hampton Mansion dozens of times and toured the Main House, the farmhouse, dozens of outbuildings, and the grounds. I recommend putting Hampton on your to-do list if you like historic homes like me.
I have never experienced or seen anything paranormal happen on my visits there, but I would like to access the Main House at night, perhaps spend the night alone, and see what happens.
You have to use your imagination. Think back to the late 1700s and wonder what Captain Charles Ridgely thought about building a large home in the ‘Middle of Nowhere.’
At least, that’s what his contemporaries believed. Hampton Mansion is about an eight-hour carriage ride from Towson (The Seat of Baltimore County) to Baltimore City, where most people lived and did business.
It was also wondered why Captain Ridgely built his home so far away from a water source.
Hampton House
If you believe in apparitions and ghosts lingering in dwellings after their physical death, then perhaps it would be possible to believe that Hampton Mansion, located in Towson, is haunted by previous owners, slaves, and indentured servants.
These days, talk of ghosts and supernatural events has been relegated to the fringes of society. Say the word “paranormal,” and most people clam up. Initially, it was challenging to unearth information about the ghost stories related to the Hampton mansion.
The National Park Service, which now manages the mansion, remains mum on the topic. When park ranger Angela Roberts-Burton was asked what she knew about the haunted historic landmark, she abruptly responded: “We don’t discuss it at all.”
That wasn’t always the case. In the 1970s, Preservation Maryland oversaw the mansion, and guides gave ghost tours there. Later, the gift shop sold the book The Ghosts of Hampton, containing stories collected by local author Anne Van Ness Merriam.
The Baltimore County Office of Planning archives a worn copy of the book stuffed in a manila folder along with a dozen or so articles about paranormal activity in Maryland.
The front of the book contains this message to readers: “The following tales were told to Mrs. Merriam by descendants of Captain Charles Ridgely.”
“Of course, it’s all malarkey,” said John McGrain, a retired Baltimore County historian, referring to the stories of Hampton mansion ghost sightings, including that of Priscilla Ridgely, the family’s matriarch; Cygnet Swann, the golden-haired daughter of Governor Swann; and Tom, a long-term butler at the mansion.
Some would disagree.
Retired Park Ranger’s Ghostly Encounter
Consider Bruce Bytnar. The retired park ranger, who worked primarily at Fort McHenry during the early part of his career but occasionally was called to duty at the Hampton mansion, wrote A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty-two Years Protecting Our National Parks.
It is a hair-raising account of his night at the Hampton mansion.
Bytnar had been called on more than one occasion to investigate reports of supernatural activities and ghost sightings at the Hampton House. But until he stayed in the house overnight, Bytnar had his own terrifying story to tell.
In 1977, Bytnar and a fellow park ranger were assigned to watch guard at the Hampton mansion during a two-week historic needlepoint exhibit.
They slept in a room on the mansion’s third floor. The room next to theirs contained a row of wooden pegs on which the Ridgely family had used dozens of horse harnesses for racehorses.
In the book, Bytnar recounts the following experience:
“We had just lain down to attempt to sleep when I heard what sounded like footsteps entering the room next to ours…there was a sound as if someone had taken their hand and run it down the wall of horse harnesses, causing them to swing on the pegs. This was followed by footsteps exiting the room.”
Bytnar tells how he and the other ranger leaped out of bed and into the hallway to find several harnesses swaying on their pegs. Minutes later, a large grandfather clock dating back to the early 1800s began to chime in the mansion’s great hall.
Bytnar had been told that the clock hadn’t worked in over a hundred years. Not surprisingly, Bytnar and his partner spent the remainder of the night in their park service pickup truck.
Attempts to contact the retired park ranger, who now lives in Southwest Virginia, went unanswered. I did, however, catch up with Ed Okonowicz, a former professor at the University of Delaware who’s written several books on ghosts.
Although unfamiliar with Bytnar’s book and the experiences he addresses, Okonowicz wrote The Big Book of Maryland Ghost Stories. He says that about 80 percent of the information in his book came from interviews with people who claim to have had supernatural sightings.
Asked if he believes in ghosts, Okonowicz paused before responding: “I think there are strange events that take place,” he said, adding, “I’m interested in ghost stories as they relate to historical events.”
Haunted Chandelier
Another familiar story is that of a haunted chandelier that can be heard crashing in the house, signaling the imminent death of one of the home’s residents. When one goes to check, no chandelier has fallen.
Another is of the ghost of Priscilla Ridgely roaming the mansion in a gown, which can be heard sweeping across the floor.
Perhaps most disturbing is the story of a sick young girl named Cygnet Swann, who died in the 1800s shortly after dreaming that a man with a scythe was chasing her through a wheat field, shouting that he was going to kill her one way or another.
Is the Hampton estate haunted? I can’t say for sure, but I recommend you go there and find out for yourself. Don’t forget to donate while you are there; I always do.
The Beginnings of Hampton Mansion Estate 1695-1760
First, I will provide some background about Hampton Mansion from Lynne Daskin Hastings’s book Hampton National Historic Site.
Hampton’s history begins fifty years before the Ridgely family acquired it. Unlike many 18th-century American historic houses, the Mansion does not sit on land initially patented by the people who built it. Instead, it symbolizes achievement for one family over several generations.
The Mansion at Hampton, constructed between 1783 and 1790, occupies a tract of land granted to Colonel Henry Darnall (c.1645-1711), who immigrated to Maryland from Hertfordshire, England. The 1500-acre parcel, named “Northampton,” was surveyed for Colonel Darnall in 1695 and was only a tiny part of his vast acreage.
Darnall was related to Lord Baltimore, acting as the proprietor’s primary agent in Maryland for many years.
Upon Henry Darnall’s death in 1711, the “Northampton” property was inherited by his daughter, Ann Hill (1680-1749).
Mrs. Hill and her sons, Henry and Clement Hill, sold the “Northampton” tract, 1500 acres “more or less” together with houses, outhouses, tobacco houses, barns, stables, gardens, and orchards to Colonel Charles Ridgely on April 2, 1745, in consideration of 600 pounds sterling.
Colonel Ridgely
Colonel Ridgely began purchasing Baltimore County lands in 1726, but ” Northampton ” became the centerpiece of the Ridgely family’s patrimony.
The Ridgelys did not originate the name ” Hampton.” They also acquired “Oakhampton” (200 acres) and “Hampton Court” (100 acres), names that previous owners chose because of family connections or ties in England.
Colonel Charles Ridgely (c.1702-1772), called “Charles, the Merchant,” was a third-generation American, the son of “Charles Ridgely the Planter” and Deborah Dorsey. “Charles the Planter” (?-1705) was a younger son born to Robert Ridgely and Martha ____ of St. Inigoes Creek in St. Mary’s County.
Robert Ridgely (?-1681), a barrister, may have emigrated from England around 1634, although few early passenger lists of ships leaving there for the province of Maryland survive.
By 1666, however, he was Clerk of the Maryland Council, and later, among other offices held, he was Deputy Secretary of the Province and acting Attorney General.
As he prospered, Robert Ridgely acquired a considerable asset.
An inventory of his possessions included several buildings on the home property, plus furnishings such as eleven beds, bedsteads, accompanying furniture, a parlor clock, a collection of books, 230 pounds of pewter, some silver, and a watch.
Charles the Planter
“Charles the Planter” is the most obscure of the Ridgely ancestors. Little is known about him except that his debts almost equaled the value of his estate when he died. His son, Colonel Charles Ridgely, was more successful.
By 1750, he owned more than 800 acres of land in Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties, moving his interests as a plantation owner, planter, and merchant toward the developing commercial center of the estate.
From 1751 to 1754, he also served in the Maryland Legislature of Baltimore County. In 1721, Colonel Ridgely married Rachel Howard (d.1750), a daughter of John Howard and Mary Warfield of Anne Arundel County.
They had five children who grew to adulthood: two sons, John and Charles, and three daughters, Pleasance Goodwin, Achsah Holliday Carnar Charmier, and Rachel Lux. Colonel Ridgely married second Lydia Warfield Stringer, by whom he had no children.
The Development of the Family Fortunes 1761-1790
In 1760, Colonel Ridgely gained control of 100 acres north of “Northampton” to establish a forge. The Northampton Furnace and Forges were organized in 1761 and put into blast in 1762.
The company was a three-way partnership between Colonel Charles Ridgely and his sons, John and Charles. The tenth ironworks established in Maryland, the Northampton Company, took advantage of the area’s easily mined iron ore deposits.
Bar and pig iron had become a staple export of the Chesapeake region, with the local government and the British Crown encouraging this industry through tax incentives and other benefits.
Large quantities of wood, limestone, water power, and ore were essential to production.
To provide the raw materials necessary to support the furnace, the Ridgleys continued to acquire large tracts of land. To help them sustain their share of the forge, Colonel Ridgely conveyed parts of his property to his sons.
In November 1760, he deeded 2000 acres of land, including a significant portion of “Northampton” and parts of “Hampton Court,” “Oakhampton,” and “Stone’s Adventure,” to his younger son, Captain Charles Ridgely.
Captain Ridgely
Captain Ridgely, also known as “Charles the Mariner” or “Charles, the Builder,” soon undertook to manage the ironworks.
Captain Ridgely (1733-1790) had gone to sea by about 1755 as a younger son. He was employed first as a supercargo on one of his father’s ships, in charge of the commercial aspects.
He later assumed command of the ship “Baltimore Town,” bound from London to Maryland and Virginia.
The voyage’s purpose was typical of its time – the exchange of finished goods from England for tobacco, raw materials such as bar iron or pig iron, and agricultural products from the colonies.
Ridgely commanded several vessels throughout many years, from which his title of “Captain” was derived. In 1760, Captain Charles Ridgely married Rebecca Dorsey (1739-1812), the daughter of Caleb Dorsey and Priscilla Hill.
Caleb Dorsey was a prominent and wealthy ironmaster and the owner of “Belmont” in Anne Arundel County.
In 1763, Captain Ridgely retired from the sea.
Although he remained an active agent for British merchants in the colonies, he also pursued other commercial interests, including general merchandising business in Baltimore, which began in 1765, and the operation of several mills, quarries, plantations, and at least one large orchard in addition to his obligations to the Northampton Company.
Hampton Mansion Revolutionary War Era
The Revolutionary War era brought many changes to Ridgely’s fortunes.
In the 1760s, trade problems between British and colonial merchants escalated. Likewise, by the end of that decade, Captain Ridgely’s relations with British traders deteriorated because of conflict regarding credit, fees, and bills.
British import duties and the Stamp Act led to non-importation agreements among the colonists and eventually to war. Although British trade was cut off from 1775 until 1783, Ridgely’s merchandising interests regained momentum once the War ended.
After the Revolution, Baltimore, hardly more than a village when the ironworks were established, would become one of America’s leading economic and commercial centers.
In 1771, Captain Charles Ridgely’s brother John died. Captain Charles purchased John’s one-third share in the Northampton ironworks from the estate executors.
Colonel Charles Ridgely died in 1772, leaving the final one-third share to his three daughters under the trusteeship of his son-in-law, Darby Lux. Captain Charles Ridgely, however, maintained control over the entire operation.
Ironmaking was a labor-intensive and challenging procedure involving many levels of workers. Artisans and tradespeople worked in proximity to convict laborers and British prisoners during the War.
Slaves conducted heavy, simple tasks but were also trained in iron processing.
Indentured Servants
Many indentured servants, including joiners, other tradespeople, and laborers, bound themselves to Captain Ridgely until their passage fee to America could be paid back. Families, even children, often worked together.
Conditions were unenviable, and indications of the usual diet show rationing chiefly of corn, pork, herring, and flour.
Colonial iron experts equaled about three-and-one-half tons in 1718. By 1761, when the Northampton Company was established, exports had reached 2500 tons of pig iron and 600 tons of bar iron, shipped to England as ballast.
The Revolutionary War created an expanding market for iron products. The Northampton operation provided camp kettles, round shots varying in size from two pounds to eighteen pounds, and cannons in various sizes.
The Northampton ironworks produced guns “allowed, by the best judges, to be equal in quality to any yet made on the continent, and as the best workmen are now employed, and ready at the Furnace, they shall be as neat,” according to an advertisement in the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, July 1781.
The Building of Hampton Mansion 1783-1790
With the combination of business understanding, forceful personality, and continuing personal involvement in all aspects of his business enterprises, Captain Charles Ridgely parlayed a modest inheritance into a vast, self-made fortune and agricultural/industrial/commercial conglomerate.
By his death, he owned more than 24,000 acres of land.
His expanding affluence and position allowed him to emulate the “country gentleman” life represented by the early aristocratic Maryland families, if not in a life of ease, but certainly in the symbols of his accomplishment.
Captain Ridgely’s most enduring performance testimony was constructing Hampton Hall, the nucleus of his empire. His ” House in the Forest, ” the culminating expression of his acquired wealth, began in August 1783.
Like many Marylanders of his generation, Captain Charles Ridgely enjoyed building residences, and he had a house constructed in Baltimore Town and another on Patapsco Neck. He also owned several properties, including “Sportsman’s Hall,” where he and his wife lived when they were first married.
An ambitious undertaking, the five-part Georgian style “Hampton Hall” became one of America’s most extraordinary country residences. Captain Charles Ridgely supervised every phase of construction and just as closely scrutinized its cost.
For example, he allowed the cupola, or “dome,” as he referred to it, to be constructed in 1787 only if the price did not exceed the original estimate agreed upon in 1783.
The work on the Mansion progressed for seven years, with slaves, indentured servants, and free artisans laboring. The family, who had other houses at North Point and in town, may have spent some time in the Lower House or farmhouse at Hampton to oversee the construction and close the ironworks.
Rebecca Ridgely
In a journal, Rebecca Ridgely, the Captain’s wife, indicates that she moved to the “Large new dwelling” in December 1788.
However, records indicate that the house’s interior was unfinished until 1790. Perhaps the family used one wing or only a portion of the main block before completion.
One traditional story relates that when Hampton was ready to receive guests, Captain Charles Ridgely held a spirited party for his friends with wine, songs, and card games.
At the same time, Rebecca Ridgely held a prayer meeting in another part of the house. Rebecca, an ardent convert to Methodism in the 1770s, stated that she was “Born again a Child of God.”
The Ridgelys contributed handsomely to the Methodist cause and, in 1776, provided a house and farm on the Hampton estate rent-free for the “first preacher of Methodism in America,” the Reverend Robert Strawbridge.
Tragically, Captain Charles Ridgely died in 1790 at 56, not living long enough to enjoy his labor’s ultimate fruits fully. In his Will, he requested that a family burial ground be established at his dwelling place and that he be buried there.
Captain Ridgely’s nephew, Charles Carnan, organized an elaborate funeral, hoping “to see the largest number there, that ever was at any Funeral in the County,” and arranged for the family cemetery at Hampton.
Because he and his wife Rebecca had no children, Captain Ridgely’s Will, dated April 7, 1786, stipulated:
I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Rebecca Ridgely during her natural life the dwelling house wherein I now reside together with Eight Acres of Land thereto Adjoining for a Garden with as many of the outhouses as she may think necessary for her Convenience or if she should prefer the new house I am now building I leave it at her option to Choose the same and I so also direct that Charles Ridgely Carnan my nephew and his heirs do and shall provide for my said dear wife a stable sufficient to contain Six horses and the keep in constant Repair, etc.
Rebecca Ridgely decided not to remain in the massive new house.
On January 17, 1791, she reached an agreement with Charles Carnan, which exchanged Hampton Hall and all her interests for 244–¼ acres at “Dimite’s Delight,” a carriage house and stable, a home on Howard’s Hill, and other provisions.
The house Rebecca went to live in became known as “Auburn.” Although it burned on November 6, 1849, and was rebuilt in altered form, Auburn still stands on the Towson State University campus today.
Avalon Foundation buys Hampton Mansion.
Due to the financial burdens of maintaining such a large estate, the last heir of the Ridgely family to live in Hampton Mansion, John Ridgely Jr. (1882-1959), had no choice but to sell it to the Avalon Foundation.
The Ridgely family owned this grand mansion until 1948, when the Avalon Foundation bought Hampton House, which then, in turn, eventually gave it to the federal government.
Because of Hampton House’s outstanding architectural merit, the mansion and 60 acres were designated a national historic site in 1948. John Ridgely Jr. and his wife continued to live in Hampton, residing in the farmhouse.
The mansion was opened for tours for the first time in 1979, and the National Park Service took over the administration of the mansion and its surviving 60 acres.
Haunted Hampton Mansion Conclusion
Haunted Hampton Mansion is a powerful reminder that history isn’t just something we read about; it’s an experience waiting to unfold. The stories of the spirits that roam its halls invite us to explore deeper truths about life, legacy, and what it means to truly connect with our past.
So, whether you’re planning a visit or simply intrigued by the unknown, remember that every ghost has a story, and every story has the potential to teach us something profound about ourselves. Embrace the mystery, confront your fears, and who knows? You might just uncover a piece of your own history along the
I hope you enjoyed my Haunted Hampton Mansion article.
Amazon Link to Hampton Mansion Book.
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