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The Hermitage
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Article by Laurie Doyle

The History
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Trying to find the history about a place is an easy task. Type in a keyword and all the information pops up on your screen. The hard part is letting your mind go beyond the names and dates and imagine the lives that were lived long before we were even thought of. They laughed and cried, loved and lost. Things haven't changed in that way. The hermitage in Ancaster is no different from anywhere else in that way. The men and women who lived there have stories to tell and some of them remain still to share their stories with future generations.

It started in 1830 when a Presbyterian Minister named Reverend George Sheed bought the property and built his home. He then began work on his dream of building and ministering in his own church. Sadly he never saw those dreams realized. He died before the church was finished and the congregation had his funeral as the first service held in that church.

In 1933 a man by the name of Otto Ives bought the Hermitage and with his wife and niece they moved in. It wasn't long before his niece, who was considered to a true beauty, managed to catch a local coachman's attention. This was the beginning of the main legend of Ancaster, the Legend of Lover's Lane.

In 1855 the house was sold again to George Gordon Browne Leith. He was the second son of Major-General Sir George Alexander Leith. As the second son he would not inherit the title or estate so he was given a pension and he moved with his family to Canada. George poured two thousand pounds into building a new and modern home with attendant buildings on the property. By 1861 the property was a well-developed farm with 150 of 250 acres cleared and cultivated. A farm that he used to feed his family and several servants.

In 1865 George sold 10 acres to his daughter and her husband, Mr. And Mrs. Wright. They built their 18-room home on their new parcel of land. It was only five years later that they sold their 10 acres and it wasn't until 1880 that the home became a hotel and summer spa that boasted the Mineral Springs. The springs healing effect was felt by all those that patronized the beautiful hotel.

Shortly after George and Alexander died in 1901, George's youngest daughter, Alma Dick-Lauder, bought the estate for $5,500. from the surviving family. By 1910 the hotel had been ravaged by two fires and the hotel was shut down. An era had ended but it was not over.

Alma lived and laughed, cried and loved there for many years but in 1934 during a party at the house they were once again victims to fire. The fire burned out of control and the house was left in ruins. Alma was 79 years old and she was not about to leave the house and home that she loved. She erected a tent beside the ruins and lived in it until they built her another home.

It was in 1942 that Alma died at the age of 87. It is possible that she remains at the home she loved so much.

The Hauntings
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The land, (now owned by the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority) still whispers with voices of the past. It has been said that the woods surrounding the ruins are haunted. Old trees and vines creek loudly in the wind, wildlife is scarce and there is stillness in the air that makes you shiver with anticipation and fear.

For another angle on the legend of Lover's Lane, it is rumored that sometime during the mid 1800's a family friend visiting the farm fell in love with a tutor named Mary, brought in to teach Otto's Greek wife how to speak English.

He made his intentions known, but unlike the niece and Black, Mary would not return the man's advances. It got so out of hand one day that Mary told the boy to "get away from me, can't you see I'm not interested". This crushed him, and he would take his life on a near by willow tree. Fashioning a noose from a length of rope, the boy hanged himself.

When the land was sold to the Leith family, there was a suicide listed on the deed (something that had to be disclosed in those days). Was this William Black or the loveless boy, we're not sure.

There are other rumors that there have been murders and satanic rituals in the woods surrounding the Hermitage. All the rumors and stories added to the very daunting woods and it is no wonder that people are reporting strange occurrences almost daily. One that sticks out was reported by a group of young men who saw an apparition of the house restored to it's former glory with lights on in the windows and very obvious signs of life.

Others have reported hearing footsteps following them; whispers behind them and one person reported having seen a glowing corpse that vanished when they went in for a better look at it.

The Hermitage is filled with history and romantic tragedy's that grab a person's attention and keep them fascinated through out their lives. The rumors and dark stories as well as the sightings and chilling woods make it a place that will forever be whispered about when the darkness falls and the moonlight shines.

By Laurie Doyle, for Haunted Hamilton

Daniel's experience with the shadows
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This is the one time I can truly say I've seen something paranormal that can't be explained away as natural.

It was the end of a Hermitage Ghost Walk back in the days when Stephanie and I lead the tours. We used to allow people a couple of minutes to walk among the ruins and take pictures.

This was the night of a full moon, so I could see everyone when walking around the ruins. I went back to tell the group that we need to go or the security guard would lock us in the for the night. And as I came around the side wall I noticed two people walking towards me.

Thought nothing of it when calling out to them. They ignored me, so I called out a second time. They walked into the forest and I freaked out. It was pretty dark there and I was afraid they would fall and get hurt, so I ran seconds behind them with my flashlight to find nobody. They had vanished.

After this experience I found out a few things. First, I realized what I was looking at had no features, almost like they were black shadows without a face. Also, the area they walked into was the original location of the Hermitage farm's well. This would lend proof to a residual energy in that space. Could they have been energy of former residents of the home?

And finally, Stephanie ran up when she heard me calling out to them. She watch me call out to nobody, not seeing the figures I saw.

The Legend of Lover's Lane
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There were not many eligible suitors for the beautiful niece of Otto Ives, but many tried and many were turned away. Only one man caught her attention, the servant of the Ives farm, a man named William Black.

They began a courtship that would last months, stealing moments in secluded areas of the Hermitage lands, away from the prying eyes of chaperones and the family. Love blossomed, and together the couple made plans for their future together. But love can't stop tradition...

William Black grew tired of sneaking around, and carried the guilt of lying to his beloved boss. Yes, Black was a servant, but he was fond Ives, and the feeling was returned for the efficient young man.

Finally the day came, when William Black would ask Otto for his niece's hand in marriage. He sat down with Ives in the parlour, asked in a most respectful way, and was told to "Get out!".

For this was the 1800's, and the idea of a servant marrying a woman of station was ridiculous! William stumbled out of the house a broken man.

The next morning Otto waited for the carriage to take him into town, but it next came. He felt this to be strange because William was never late, but knew he must have hurt the boy's feelings the night before. Ives walked to the carriage house, swung open the door to find William's lifeless body swinging from the rafters.

Otto Ives wasn't scared, but instead disgusted. He was a man of war and had seen good men go to their death for an important cause, and here was this boy, willing to throw God's gift back at him, and for what, lost love!

Without emotion, Ives cut the body down, letting land in a manure cart below. He carted it up to the corner, where today Sulphur Spring's Road meets Lover's Lane (named for this legend) and buried Black cart and all.

To this day many report seeing a man walking back and forth from the location of the grave. He walks along the winding roads of Sulphur Springs, the lands around the Hermitage and the streets above looking for his lost love.

Read The Second Ghost by Robert Howard (Hamilton Spectator)

No Trespassing at night
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Please note that the Hermitage is owned by the Hamilton Conservation Authority.

The park closes at dusk and venturing out after this time is considered trespassing. Please be respectful of this historic piece of property.

To see the Hermitage at night, do join Haunted Hamilton on a Ghost Walk.
For dates and times, please visit www.ghostwalks.com.

** photographs taken by Stephanie Lechniak-Cumerlato
** updates by Daniel Cumerlato

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