Jamaica Inn: Cornwall's Most Haunted Coaching House

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Standing alone on the wild, windswept expanse of Bodmin Moor, Jamaica Inn has been welcoming—and terrifying—travelers for nearly three centuries. This 18th-century coaching house, immortalized by Daphne du Maurier’s classic novel, carries a dark history of smuggling, violence, and mysterious death that has left an indelible psychic imprint on its ancient walls. Today, Jamaica Inn is considered one of the most haunted buildings in England, where staff, guests, and paranormal investigators have documented hundreds of unexplained encounters with entities that refuse to leave the scene of their earthly dramas.

History of Jamaica Inn

Origins and Early Years (1750-1800)

Jamaica Inn was built in 1750 as a coaching inn on the turnpike road that would become the A30. Its location was strategic but brutal—a solitary building on the high, exposed moorland where travelers could find shelter, food, and fresh horses for the journey ahead.

The Name: The origin of the name “Jamaica Inn” remains somewhat mysterious. Theories include:

• Named after the Jamaica rum traded (and smuggled) through Cornwall
• A connection to the Trelawny family, who had estates in Jamaica and owned land in the area
• Named after Jamaica, the former slave port, by merchants involved in the Atlantic trade
• Simply an exotic name chosen to attract travelers

The exact etymology has never been definitively established, but the Jamaica connection—whether through rum, trade, or simply colonial-era naming conventions—seems most likely.

Original Structure: The original inn was a substantial stone building designed to withstand the harsh moorland weather:

• Thick granite walls providing insulation against the constant wind
• Multiple rooms for overnight guests
• Stabling for horses
• Large kitchen capable of feeding numerous travelers
• Cellars that would later prove useful for storing contraband

The inn quickly became an essential stop on the road to the far west of Cornwall, serving everyone from wealthy travelers to poor migrants seeking work.

The Smuggling Era (1780-1850)

While Jamaica Inn served legitimate travelers, its remote location made it ideal for another trade: smuggling.

Cornwall’s Free Trade: During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, smuggling—known locally as “free trading”—was endemic in Cornwall. High taxes on imported goods made smuggling extremely profitable:

• Brandy from France
• Tobacco from the Americas
• Tea from the East
• Silk and lace from the Continent
• Rum from the Caribbean

Cornwall’s rugged coastline, with its countless coves and caves, was perfect for landing contraband. But the goods then needed to be moved inland, stored, and distributed—and isolated moorland inns became crucial links in the smuggling chain.

Jamaica Inn’s Role: Jamaica Inn’s position on Bodmin Moor made it an ideal staging post:

• Far from prying eyes of customs officers
• Connected to both coastal landing spots and inland markets
• Extensive cellars for storing contraband
• Landlords who were either complicit or intimidated into silence

The inn became notorious as a smugglers’ haven. Contraband was stored in the cellars, hidden in false walls, and concealed in the stables. Travelers who asked too many questions learned to stay silent—or disappeared on the treacherous moor.

Violence and Murder: The smuggling trade was not romantic adventure; it was violent organized crime. Smuggling gangs were ruthless, and Jamaica Inn saw its share of bloodshed:

• Informers were killed to ensure silence
• Customs officers who got too close disappeared
• Travelers who witnessed illegal activity met unfortunate ends
• Gang rivalries resulted in murders settled far from witnesses

The moorland around Jamaica Inn became an informal graveyard for those who knew too much. Many of the ghosts reported today are believed to be victims of this violent era.

Daphne du Maurier’s Novel (1936)

Jamaica Inn achieved literary immortality when Daphne du Maurier published her gothic novel of the same name in 1936.

The Story: Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn tells the story of Mary Yellan, a young woman who comes to live with her aunt at the isolated inn, only to discover that her uncle Joss Merlyn is the leader of a brutal wrecking gang that lures ships onto the rocks to steal their cargo. The novel captures the atmosphere of the moorland, the danger of the smuggling era, and the sense of secrets hidden in every shadow.

Du Maurier’s Connection: Du Maurier stayed at Jamaica Inn in 1930 while conducting research. She was inspired by:

• The atmospheric isolation of the inn
• Local legends of smuggling and wrecking
• The ghost stories already associated with the building
• The wild beauty of Bodmin Moor

The novel was immediately successful and has never been out of print. It was adapted for film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1939 and has been dramatized numerous times since.

Impact on the Inn: Du Maurier’s novel transformed Jamaica Inn from a remote moorland pub into a tourist destination. Visitors came to experience the setting of the famous story—and many encountered more than they expected.

The Modern Era (1936-Present)

Jamaica Inn has evolved into a complex that includes:

• The original inn with bar and restaurant
• Overnight accommodation in haunted rooms
• The Smugglers Museum with historical artifacts
• Mr. Potter’s Museum of Curiosity (taxidermy and oddities)
• Gift shop and tourist facilities
• Daphne du Maurier exhibition

The inn hosts approximately 100,000 visitors annually, many drawn by its paranormal reputation. It has been investigated by numerous television programs and paranormal research groups.

The Hauntings

The Murdered Sailor

The most famous ghost of Jamaica Inn is that of a murdered sailor—a young man who met his end at the inn during the smuggling era.

The Legend: According to tradition, a young sailor stopped at Jamaica Inn sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. He was carrying money—perhaps wages from a voyage, perhaps payment for goods—and made the fatal mistake of displaying his wealth. That night, he was murdered, his body disposed of on the moor, his money stolen.

The Manifestation: The sailor’s ghost has been reported for over a century:

• He appears as a young man in maritime clothing—typically described as wearing a long coat, boots, and sometimes a tricorn hat
• His face is pale and expressionless
• He is most often seen sitting alone at a table in the bar area
• When approached, he vanishes without a trace
• Some witnesses report he has no visible wounds; others describe blood on his clothing

Documented Sightings: Staff members have provided consistent accounts:

One bartender reported: “I was closing up around midnight when I saw a man sitting at the corner table. I was about to tell him we were closed when I realized I was able to see the wall through him. He just faded away while I watched.”

A guest staying overnight described: “I went down to the bar around 2 AM because I couldn’t sleep. There was a man in old-fashioned clothes sitting in the corner. I nodded to him, and he didn’t respond. When I looked back a moment later, he was gone—but I could smell seawater, very strongly.”

Location: The sailor is most frequently seen in:

• The main bar area, particularly in corners
• The corridor leading to the older rooms
• Occasionally outside, walking toward the stables

The Murdered Mother

A female ghost, believed to be a young mother, haunts the upper floors of Jamaica Inn.

The Story: According to local accounts, a young woman traveling with her infant child sought shelter at the inn during a storm. What happened next is unclear—some versions suggest she was murdered for her possessions; others say she died of illness or exposure on the moor. But her spirit remains.

Manifestations:

• A woman in period dress (typically 18th or 19th century) seen in corridors
• The sound of a baby crying when no infants are present
• A cold presence felt in certain rooms
• Doors opening and closing on the upper floor
• A figure seen standing at windows, looking out at the moor

Room 5: Room 5 has become known as the most haunted guest room. Guests have reported:

• Waking to feel pressure on their chest, as if someone is sitting on them
• Seeing a woman standing at the foot of the bed
• Hearing whispering voices in the darkness
• Extreme temperature drops during the night
• Electrical disturbances—lights flickering, phones draining battery

Some guests have requested to change rooms in the middle of the night; others have left the inn entirely.

The Phantom Coach

As a former coaching inn, Jamaica Inn naturally has ghostly connections to the coach trade.

The Apparition: Witnesses both inside and outside the inn have reported seeing a spectral coach and horses in the courtyard and on the road approaching the inn.

Descriptions include:

• A black coach drawn by four horses
• Horses that make no sound on the cobbles
• A driver who does not acknowledge observers
• The coach vanishing as it reaches the inn
• Sometimes accompanied by the sound of hooves and wheels when nothing is visible

The Coachman: A related haunting involves a figure seen in the stable area—a man in coachman’s dress who walks through walls and closed doors. He is believed to be associated with the coach apparition.

The Highwayman

Another ghost reportedly connected to Jamaica Inn is that of a highwayman—one of the robbers who preyed on travelers crossing the moor.

History: Bodmin Moor was notorious for highway robbery during the 18th and 19th centuries. The isolated road, the difficulty of pursuit across the moor, and the poverty of the region all contributed to a flourishing trade in robbery.

The Ghost: The highwayman appears as:

• A tall man in dark clothing
• Wearing a cloak and hat
• Sometimes mounted on horseback, sometimes on foot
• Seen on the road near the inn, particularly at dusk
• Associated with a feeling of menace or threat

Whether this ghost is connected to the inn itself or simply haunts the road nearby is unclear, but sightings cluster in the immediate vicinity of Jamaica Inn.

The Man on the Moor

Numerous witnesses have reported seeing a solitary male figure on the moorland near Jamaica Inn—a figure that vanishes when approached.

Descriptions:

• A man walking across the moor, often at night
• Dressed in period clothing
• Moving with apparent purpose toward an unknown destination
• Disappearing when observers attempt to reach him

Theories: This figure may represent:

• A smuggler still going about his business
• A traveler who died on the moor
• One of the many murder victims buried on the moorland
• A residual haunting—an imprint of past activity replaying endlessly

Poltergeist Activity

Beyond apparitions, Jamaica Inn experiences significant poltergeist-type phenomena:

Documented incidents include:

• Objects moving on their own—glasses sliding, bottles falling
• Doors opening and closing without cause
• Furniture found rearranged in the morning
• Sounds of footsteps in empty rooms
• Knocking on walls and doors with no apparent source
• Items disappearing and reappearing elsewhere

Staff have become accustomed to these occurrences:

One employee stated: “Things happen here all the time. You’ll put something down, turn around, and it is moved. You hear footsteps upstairs when you know no one is there. After a while, you just accept it.”

The Smell of Spirits

A recurring phenomenon at Jamaica Inn involves unexplained olfactory manifestations:

• The smell of rum in areas where no rum is stored
• Tobacco smoke when no one is smoking
• Seawater or salt air far from the coast
• Perfume associated with female apparitions
• Decay or earthiness in certain locations

These smells appear and disappear suddenly, often accompanying other paranormal activity.

Paranormal Investigations

Television Programs

Jamaica Inn has been featured on numerous paranormal television programs:

Most Haunted (Living TV): The popular British paranormal series investigated Jamaica Inn and captured what the team believed was significant activity, including EVP (electronic voice phenomena) recordings, temperature anomalies, and reported physical sensations.

Ghost Adventures (Travel Channel): The American investigation team conducted an overnight investigation, reporting multiple personal experiences including being touched by unseen entities.

Help! My House is Haunted: The British-American program visited Jamaica Inn, with investigators reporting encounters with multiple entities.

Formal Investigations

Paranormal research groups have conducted numerous investigations at the inn:

Methods employed include:

• EMF (electromagnetic field) detectors
• Digital and night-vision cameras
• Audio recorders for EVP
• Temperature monitoring equipment
• Motion sensors
• Séances and mediumistic investigation

Common findings:

• EMF spikes in areas associated with apparitions
• Temperature drops of up to 15 degrees in localized areas
• Photographic anomalies including orbs and mists
• Audio recordings containing unexplained voices
• Personal experiences including being touched, pushed, or sensing presences

Staff Experiences

Long-term staff members have accumulated extensive experience with the paranormal activity:

Common staff reports include:

• Refusing to work alone in certain areas
• Accepting paranormal events as routine
• Developing intuition about when activity is likely
• Numerous personal encounters with specific ghosts
• Guests reporting experiences the staff have learned to expect

One manager commented: “You can’t work here without becoming a believer. Too much happens that can’t be explained. The ghosts are just part of the place.”

Legacy

A Living Haunted House

Jamaica Inn represents a rare phenomenon: a building where documented paranormal activity continues alongside normal commercial operation. Unlike abandoned haunted houses or carefully preserved historic sites, Jamaica Inn is a functioning business where ghosts are an accepted part of daily life.

This creates unique dynamics:

• Staff develop routines for dealing with paranormal events
• Guests can choose their level of engagement with the supernatural
• The ghosts become part of the inn’s character rather than unwelcome intruders
• Investigation can occur in a working environment rather than an artificial setting

Cultural Significance

Jamaica Inn has become an icon of haunted Britain:

• One of the most-investigated paranormal locations in the country
• A touchstone for discussions of whether ghosts are real
• An example of how literature and reality can intertwine
• A tourist attraction that takes its ghosts seriously

The Question That Remains

After nearly three centuries, Jamaica Inn still poses the fundamental question of haunting:

Are the murdered sailor, the young mother, the phantom coachmen, and all the other spirits genuine entities—conscious or residual—that continue to exist in some form after death?

Or are they creations of imagination, expectation, and atmospheric power—real in experience but not in external existence?

Jamaica Inn offers no definitive answer. But it offers something equally valuable: the experience of standing in a place where the question genuinely matters, where the past feels present, and where—just possibly—the dead are not entirely gone.

Sources

• Wikipedia search: “Jamaica Inn: Cornwall”
• Historic England — Listed Buildings — Register of historic sites