Hidden in the Hills: Madame Sherri’s Castle Ruins

Join fellow BMAC members for a guided excursion to this enchanted relic just minutes from Brattleboro.

Stories swirl around the mysterious ruins and their former occupant, but most folks in the area seem to agree on a few points: Madame Antoinette Sherri, a costume designer from New York, began buying land in the small village of Chesterfield, New Hampshire, in the late 1920s; she planned to build an extravagant summer home on the property. Her mantra, purportedly, was “only the best,” and for years she threw wildly lavish parties there, hosting an eclectic band of friends from the city. Until her money ran out, that is.

Madame Sherri eventually moved on, leaving the chateau to fall into disrepair, and it burned down on October 18, 1962. What remains today is the stonework from the staircase, the foundation, columns, and a fireplace. These medieval-looking ruins continue to spark the imagination of photographers, nature lovers, and more than a few ghost hunters. Legend has it that Madame Sherri herself has been spotted atop the grand staircase — which some refer to as the “stairway to heaven” — and that if you listen closely, you’ll hear the faint strains of laughter and music coming from the “castle” grounds.

Admission: Free, open to BMAC members only. Call 802-257-0124, ext. 101 for directions. Not a member? Click here.