As requested, our most recent adventure was a trip to the spookiest, most haunted place in Hamiltoe - The Hermitage. Some may say that The Hermitage is not officially part of Hamiltoe, it being in Ancaster, but to them we respectfully say...eat it. After driving down some extremely dark, windy roads which we're sure are populated by many a serial killer and psychopath, we came upon an old looking building on Lovers Lane. Shortly after our arrival, we were greeted by the GRIM REAPER HIMSELF, to whom we asked, "Hey Grim, any room left on this tour?" He responded in a gravelly voice, "Room for ONE MORE...." AHHH!
We and twenty other people followed Grim behind the old building, which we later learned was The Gatehouse of the old Hermitage property. There we waited for our "ghost guide," Sir Christopher. He was a sharp looking man dressed in a long, black cloak and a top hat, carrying only a lantern, which helped to create a ghostly ambiance. He taught us the history of the area, which dates back to the War of 1812, and then led us down the dark, unpaved trail into the forest.
SIR CHRISTOPHER AND AN ORB (!)
Every five minutes or so, Sir Christopher stopped to tell us (in his fake but well-delivered Mid-Atlantic accent) a ghost story. For example, when we stopped at the Hermitage ruins, he told us about why the street we drove in on is called Lovers Lane. Just under one hundred years ago, a man named Otto Ives bought the property and lived there with his family and his niece, whom we'll call "Gladys." She fell in love with the gatekeeper, William Black, a charming, handsome fellow, but alas - below her in status. They kept their love a secret until they could no longer, when William asked Mr. Ives for "Gladys'" hand in marriage. William Black was refused her hand and banished for deigning to move beyond his status. He was found the next morning by Mr. Ives, hanging from the Gatehouse ceiling by a leather harness. Mr. Ives did not take pity on him even in death - he secretly buried the body at the end of the driveway in a pile of horse manure. To this day, there have been many sightings of William Black's ghost, wandering around the property, crying out for his love.
For anyone interested in more information about the Hermitage and more ghost stories, check out these links!
Though our tour was interesting and a bit spooky, the atmosphere was disturbed by some drunken teenaged hoodlums, wandering around the property trying to scare us. Furthermore, we fought our teacher instincts to shush the people in our group (Hayley shushed once. It was loud.) who were talking all throughout Sir Christopher's ghost stories. Though we were not really scared to be walking around the forest in such a large group of people, we feel that if we came back on a night that was not Friday the 13th (a.k.a. Haunted Hamilton's busiest night of the year), the experience would be much more authentic. We only hope that our most terrifying and threatening security guard, a.k.a. "Bloodhound," will accompany us on our next tour.
LOOK OUT SHE'S HUNGRY
DO WE EVEN NEED A CAPTION FOR THIS?
Until next time!
