The Mystery of Madame Sherri’s Castle

If you want to head out on a short hike to a castle in New Hampshire, then Madame Sherri’s Castle should be on your bucket list. We ventured out to Wantastiquet Mountain aka Rattlesnake Mountain where Madame Sherri Forest is in Chesterfield, NH to see what the fuss is all about.

I admit this is one of my favorite locations to visit. I’ve been here plenty of times over the years and it never ceases to amaze me. Madame Sherri’s Castle, or the remains of said castle, sit up in Chesterfield, NH and is open to the public. There are other hiking trails around too, so make a day of it with the family.

NOTE: Leashed dogs are welcome on these trails, so feel free to pack up the furry family members to spend a day at Madame Sherri Forest. 

The Mystery of Madame Sherri’s Castle

On this particular day, the parking lot for Madame Sherri’s Castle was full. So many people were flocking to visit the castle ruins. Kids, dogs, and adults alike were venturing up towards the sign that says “castle 150 yds” …

Madame Sherri

A young French woman born Antoinette DeLilas made her way to New York City for a life in the theatre. That was in 1911 and this woman soon changed her name to Sherri and opened up her own costume business. After acquiring quite a load of money, her husband soon died and left her a widow. Being that she had ample riches and could afford much of whatever she wanted, she decided to purchase a piece of land near Spofford Lake in Chesterfield, NH. 

Sherri’s Castle

Upon this piece of land Sherri’s immaculate castle was built. What we see now as old ruins was once a pretty happening place. You can still see the stone columns that once held two floors of Sherri’s castle together. The staircase leading up to where the second-floor stands, crumbling, for visitors to view. 

Madame Sherri’s Parties

Up until 1965, the locals reported seeing beautiful women coming and going at all hours of the night. During the day, Madame Sherri would drive around with nothing but her fur coat on. This flashy lifestyle, here in the middle of a NH town, most certainly stirred up the rumor mill. Madame Sherri certainly enjoyed a good party, and while none of us will ever truly know what happened in these woods all those years ago, the story is pretty interesting. 

On her death bed, at age 84 Madame Sherri signed the rights to this land over to Ann Stokes. Ann stokes continued keeping this area up until it was donated to the Society for the Protection of N.H. Forests. With over 500 acres of land here to explore, Sherri’s Castle is by far the most magical of all the places in this woods. 

People say that this is a great place to visit near Halloween season when the ghosts and goblins come out to play. Some say Madame Sherri’s ghost still haunts this area, but who knows. Perhaps you’ll see her ghost one day and realize that, quite possibly, all that the locals said … was true. 

Haunted or not, I still say this is a wonderful place to take the family on a little hike with a stop at Sherri’s Castle before you leave Madame Sherri Forest for the day.