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A ghost tour in downtown Washington was well attended by living and deceased guests. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, Haunted Pamlico hosted a free, walking ghost tour attended by at least 100 people. During the tour, guests made three stops – one at the Hyatt House on Water Street, one at a home on Main Street and Washington Cafe. 

At each stop, guests learned a little history about the location then watched practicing witches, Catherine Ward, of Bath, and Beth Moulton, of Chocowinity, communicate with the deceased guests. At the Hyatt House, Ward and Moulton encouraged a woman to join her late sister who passed away many years ago. The second location was a home at 243 E Main Street. Ward heard from a Civil War soldier whose message was “peace in wartime” and “to love your neighbor.” Finally, at Washington Cafe, Ward and Moulton felt the presence of a man with a handlebar mustache who might have been an attorney or judge. The man did not appreciate so many people being in his space. Ward also felt the presence of a young girl who died at an early age. The girl wanted to “go home.” Ward told the girl she could not go home with any of the guests attending the ghost walk. 

Ward is a practicing cunning woman and has been since 2004. Her first encounter with a spirit occurred when she was about eight or nine years old at her grandparents’ home. She got in touch with her Aunt Grace who died in the same home. Ward recalled it being a negative experience mostly because she did not like Aunt Grace. Ward and her family moved to Bath when she was a pre-teen in 1998. 

She began to have more experiences which led her to paganism and learning about the cunning craft from teachers in New Bern. Ward defined paganism as an “earth based religious system.” 

Those who practice, work with ancestors and spirits which are called “deities” within the faith. Ward has her own group she teaches called the Coven of the White Doe in Bath. 

She recently moved back to Bath, because “every 300-year-old town needs a witch,” she joked.  

When talking about the ghost tour’s attendance, Ward said she likes having more (living) people in attendance, because the more energy that is created around an event, the better it is. The large amount of energy, she said, “creates a tactile, palpable energy in the air that creates an experience for us all. That’s important.” 

Moulton on the other hand identifies as a pagan witch and has been practicing for 14 years. She started following paganism at a time when she was looking for a religion to follow. She was raised by parents who were Jehova’s Witnesses, but the Christian faith didn’t appeal to her. 

Instead she “did a lot of research” and came across paganism. Moulton said what drew her to paganism is its connection with nature and the universe as opposed to being a “man made religion.” 

It was the first time Moulton had been part of leading a ghost tour. She was “pleased” by the amount of spiritual activity that happened. “We had some really good results,” she said.  

To prepare for listening to spirits, Moulton said she has to open herself up to communicating with them. If she does not shield herself from communication, it can sound like a radio constantly playing in her head, she described. 

She does lay down ground rules with spirits, telling them they have to be nice if they are interested in communicating with her.

At the house on Main Street, Moulton had an “extraordinarily painful” experience. She felt drawn to the right side of the home. When she feels a spirit, it’s called an impression. These impressions feel like remembering a conversation with a person, she said. 

In addition, Moulton gets physical impressions. She could feel pain in her arm as she stood by the house. She said there is a lot of pain that has saturated the walls and floors in the home. 

Moulton would like everyone to know that spirits are everywhere, and there is no reason to be afraid of them. 

Sitting on the porches of homes in downtown Washington, she has gotten impressions of spirits from a century ago who were strolling down the street. “They are just strolling arm and arm. They are not stuck. They are not in any sort of distress. They are just remembering. They are just coming back and remembering,” Moulton said. 

“Sometimes you get that little cold jolt…It’s just somebody passing by and they’re not stuck. They’re not malicious…It was a pleasant memory and they just came back to visit it one time. Just let them be,” Moulton said.