Jamaica Inn: Smugglers' Ghosts on Bodmin Moor
This remote 18th-century coaching inn on Bodmin Moor, immortalized by Daphne du Maurier, is haunted by smugglers, highwaymen, and a mother's anguished search for her baby.
Perched on the wild and windswept Bodmin Moor, Jamaica Inn has been welcoming travelers since 1750 – and some of those travelers have never left. Made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s novel, this remote coaching inn was once a haven for smugglers and rogues. Today, it’s one of Cornwall’s most haunted locations, where the ghosts of smugglers, highwaymen, and murdered men still walk, and a spectral mother searches endlessly for her baby.
The History
The Coaching Inn
Built in 1750, the inn served as a stopping point on the treacherous moor, offering travelers shelter as the road was dangerous and highwaymen lurked, often claiming lives.
The Smugglers
Jamaica Inn became a hub for smuggling operations, with contraband hidden in cellars, accompanied by corrupt dealings and violence and murder, establishing a dark reputation.
Daphne du Maurier
In 1936, Daphne du Maurier wrote the famous novel, set at Jamaica Inn, which included tales of smugglers and wreckers based on local legends, making the inn world-famous.
The Ghosts
The Highwayman
The most famous ghost is a cloaked figure on horseback, seen outside the inn on the moor road and sometimes entering the courtyard before vanishing completely.
The Stranger on the Wall
A regular phenomenon is a man sitting on the wall outside the inn, dressed in old clothes; speak to him and he vanishes, and staff have seen him for decades.
The Anguished Mother
In Room 5, a woman’s ghost walks, searching, searching for her baby who died at the inn, her grief eternal.
The Young Smuggler
In the courtyard, a young man appears, dressed in 18th-century clothes, perhaps killed in a deal gone wrong, walking between buildings and then through solid walls.
The Murdered Man
A former employee ghost was killed at the inn seventy-plus years ago and is still seen in certain areas, recognized by old staff, his death was violent.
Notable Phenomena
Room 5
The most haunted room is where the mother searches, guests report disturbances, babies crying heard, a woman’s presence felt, and not everyone can stay the night.
The Cellars
The old smugglers’ hideouts feature strange sounds, footsteps on stone, whispers and conversations, and the clink of bottles, as if the smugglers still work there.
Temperature Drops
Throughout the inn, sudden cold spots occur, no drafts to explain them, concentrated in certain areas, especially cellars and Room 5, a common phenomenon.
Investigations
Ghost Hunters
Many teams have investigated, consistently reporting activity, successful EVP recordings, photographs with anomalies, documented temperature anomalies, and high levels of phenomena.
The Museum
Jamaica Inn has a museum of smuggling history, displays about the inn’s past, the du Maurier connection, and ghost investigation findings, offering a complete experience.
Staff Accounts
Employees report objects moving, doors opening and closing, footsteps when alone, figures glimpsed, and accepting the ghosts as normal.
The Moor Itself
Bodmin Moor
The surrounding landscape is wild and atmospheric, featuring ancient standing stones, Beast of Bodmin sightings, Tregeagle’s ghost wails, and Dozmary Pool’s mysteries.
Tregeagle
A famous Cornish ghost is condemned to empty Dozmary Pool with a leaking limpet shell, his screams echo on the moor, a magistrate who sold his soul, and eternal punishment.
The Atmosphere
The moor creates isolation and eeriness, with mists that appear suddenly, strange lights, disorientation, and a perfect haunted setting.
Visiting Jamaica Inn
Today
The inn offers accommodation (including Room 5), a restaurant and bar, The Smuggling Museum, du Maurier memorabilia, and ghost experiences.
Ghost Nights
Regular events include professional investigations, ghost walks, paranormal experiences, access to haunted areas, and encounters are common.
The Experience
Guests report feeling presences, hearing unexplained sounds, seeing shadowy figures, dreams of smugglers, and a strong atmosphere.
The Question
For nearly 300 years, Jamaica Inn has stood on Bodmin Moor. Smugglers used it. Travelers sheltered there. Some never left. The highwayman still rides to the door. A man sits on a wall who isn’t there. In Room 5, a mother searches for a baby who died centuries ago. Daphne du Maurier wrote about the inn’s dark history. But she only told part of the story. The real story is still being written. By guests who hear footsteps at night. By staff who see figures in the cellar. By investigators who capture voices that shouldn’t be there. Jamaica Inn. A remote coaching inn on a haunted moor. The smugglers are long dead. But some of them still work here. The deals still go down in the cellars. The highwayman still needs to stable his horse. And in Room 5, a mother will search for her baby forever. Check in if you dare. But don’t expect to sleep alone. The other guests don’t appear on the register. But they’ve been here longer than anyone.
Sources
- Wikipedia search: “Jamaica Inn: Smugglers”
- Historic England — Listed Buildings — Register of historic sites