The Haunting of Jamaica Inn

Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall achieved literary fame through Daphne du Maurier’s novel. But the real inn has a history of smuggling, murder, and supernatural activity that extends back centuries. Its ghosts are among Cornwall’s most famous.

The Inn

Jamaica Inn was built in 1750 as a coaching inn on the treacherous route across Bodmin Moor. It became a center for smuggling, with contraband stored in its cellars. The remote location and lawless atmosphere attracted criminals and created legends.

The Smugglers

Ghostly smugglers have been seen in and around the inn. These figures, dressed in 18th-century clothing, move through the building as if still conducting their illicit trade. Some carry bundles or barrels, the ghostly contraband of centuries past.

The Footsteps

Staff and guests regularly report hearing footsteps in empty corridors and rooms. The footsteps are heavy, as if made by someone carrying a load. They occur at all hours but are most common late at night.

The Mother and Baby

A woman carrying a baby has been seen in one of the bedrooms. Her identity is unknown, but her sorrowful appearance suggests tragedy. She appears to be searching for something or someone, never finding it.

The Exterior Phenomena

The moorland around the inn has its own supernatural reputation. Lights have been seen moving across the moor where no paths exist. Figures on horseback have been observed, vanishing into the mist. The landscape itself seems haunted.

Assessment

Jamaica Inn’s history of smuggling, isolation, and violence created ideal conditions for haunting. The inn’s literary fame has brought thousands of visitors, many of whom have encountered its supernatural residents.