Philadelphia Weirdness

The Headless Woman

The Germantown section is thought to be one of Philadelphia's most haunted areas, with its old mansions harboring many an elusive spirit. Yet many of the ghosts said to loiter in the vicinity do not appear to be shy, hence the fact that several of these spooks have become well known due to their frequent appearances.

The headless female phantom of Cliveden is a popular ghostly yarn, and is said to originate from 6401 Germantown Avenue within the realms of the six acre parkland where the Georgian manor house Chew Mansion sits. The mansion was once battered and bruised by the 1777 Germantown battle, the very same bloody battle which spawned so many local apparitions. Many of those ghosts appear in the form of soldiers, for it was said that more than fifty were killed while attempting to capture the mansion.

Even with the shadowy presence of many Colonial soldiers, the headless woman tale is one that rises above mediocrity as hauntings go. No one really knows who she is, for sources are scarce and dates are as murky as the folklore of the location.

It appears that the ghost is an elderly woman, a victim of the battle who died a gory death. Legend states that a crazed British soldier stationed at the garrison decapitated the woman and ran around the grounds parading the bloody head, clutching it by its matted hair.

Of course, the ghost is said to be headless and one which searches in vain for its missing piece. Some witnesses have claimed that the specter is often seen stumbling around the mansion, under the shadows of the trees and onto the lush lawn, endlessly searching to no avail for its missing body part.

The search is seemingly endless, but perhaps one day the headless woman of Cliveden will find her head. It seems that until that moment, she is destined to exist in clumsy torment as a classic ghost story.

Image Credit: Flickr user stephcarter