Want a ghost story with your pint? Among haunted pubs in Cornwall, Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor is the one Historic England picked for its haunted-pubs list. Here’s what its stories say, and how to weigh them.
This guide is part of the wider section on cornish pubs, and it stays with the stories the sources can back up.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pub profiled | Jamaica Inn, Bolventor, on Bodmin Moor |
| Building date (Historic England) | Around the late 18th century |
| Established as a coaching inn (directory listing) | 1750 |
| Year of Daphne du Maurier’s novel | 1936 |
| En-suite rooms (directory listing) | 36 |
| Reported ghostly happenings | Strange voices, hooves and wheels on cobbles, a man in a tricorne hat, a drinker who returns |
These figures come from Historic England’s haunted-pubs story and the Jamaica Inn directory listing. Details such as room numbers and events can change, so check the sources before you rely on them.
Jamaica Inn: the Cornish name on Historic England’s haunted list
Historic England’s Licence to Chill story features 10 of England’s most haunted pubs, and Jamaica Inn is the Cornish entry. The rest sit elsewhere in England, from Wiltshire to Newcastle upon Tyne, according to the story itself.
For a sense of scale, the same story says the Red Lion at Avebury in Wiltshire is supposedly home to at least five different ghosts. Jamaica Inn’s reported hauntings are quieter, but they have the moor for a backdrop.
Other Cornish pubs may have local tales of their own. None is covered by the sources behind this guide, so they are left out rather than guessed at.
The inn stands in Bolventor, a hamlet on Bodmin Moor in Altarnun civil parish, between Launceston and Bodmin, according to Wikipedia. A directory listing describes it as just off the A30.
The ghost stories reported at Jamaica Inn
Historic England says the inn’s ghostly happenings include several kinds of disturbance. In its wording, they are:
- Strange voices.
- The sounds of hooves and wheels over cobbles.
- The vision of a man in a tricorne hat who walks through solid doors.
- A patron’s ghost that returns to the inn.
The patron’s tale is the most story-like. He left the inn with his drink half-finished, and his murdered body was found on the moor the next day. It is said his ghost returns to the inn to finish his drink, as Historic England retells it.
The directory listing goes further. It says the inn has a reputation as one of the most haunted places in the UK, with regular ghost hunts and paranormal events held on-site.
That is a reputation, not proof. Historic England itself uses cautious words such as “supposedly” and “it is said” across its list.
Look closely and the stories share a pattern. The hooves and wheels suit a coaching inn on a lonely road, and the directory listing says the inn’s remote location made it a notorious hub for smugglers. Sounds in the night are what a visitor to a place like that might expect to hear.
Notice what the sources leave out. They don’t name the man in the tricorne hat, and they don’t date the patron’s death. That gap is why these tales are best enjoyed as folklore: they are easy to retell, and hard to check.
If you do visit, listen for the details Historic England lists rather than hunting for something dramatic. A quiet evening in the bar, with a drink you actually finish, is a fair way to meet the legend.
How old is Jamaica Inn? The dates don’t agree
Ask how old the inn is and the sources give different answers. That matters for a ghost story, because a tale is often tied to a date.
- Historic England says it was built as a house and dates from around the late 18th century.
- The directory listing says it was established in 1750 as a coaching inn.
- Wikipedia says the inn has stood beside the main road through the village since 1547.
A heritage body, a tourism directory and an encyclopaedia are each measuring something slightly different. Treat any single date as a claim, and read the wording around it.
If old buildings are what draw you to a pub, the oldest pubs in cornwall are a natural next read.
Smugglers, a novel and a moorland setting
Much of the inn’s atmosphere comes from Daphne du Maurier. Historic England says the novel made the inn famous and that its popularity grew as a result of the book’s success.
Wikipedia says du Maurier, a former resident, chose Bolventor as the setting for her novel about Cornish smugglers. The directory listing dates that novel to 1936 and says the inn’s smuggling past inspired it, as set out on the listing page.
The same listing says the inn houses a Smuggling Museum and a Daphne du Maurier Museum. Both are worth knowing about if the ghost stories leave you wanting more of the history.
Even the village name has a story. Wikipedia says the “bold venture” explanation is probably folk etymology, and that the name more likely comes from the “Bold Adventure” tin-working area near the inn in the 1840s-1850s, per its Bolventor page.
Jamaica Inn sits on the moor, so for a coastal pint instead, look at the pubs on the south west coast path.
Visiting a haunted pub sensibly
A ghost story works best when you go in with sensible expectations. These steps help:
- Check the pub’s own website for opening hours, food and any event dates before you set off.
- If you want a ghost hunt or paranormal event, ask the pub directly, because event details can change.
- Read the tales as folklore. Pubs and heritage writers use words like “reputed” and “said to” for a reason.
- Be a good guest. A pub is a working business and a home to its staff as well as a stage for stories.
Take the weather seriously, too. The inn is on open moorland, so allow time for the drive and check conditions before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jamaica Inn really haunted?
Show answer
Nobody can prove it. Historic England lists “ghostly happenings” at the inn, and the directory listing calls its hauntings reputed. Treat them as stories handed down, not verified events.
Which ghosts are reported at Jamaica Inn?
Show answer
Historic England mentions strange voices, the sound of hooves and wheels over cobbles, and a man in a tricorne hat who walks through solid doors. It also tells of a patron whose ghost is said to return to finish his drink.
Does Jamaica Inn run ghost hunts?
Show answer
Its directory listing says regular ghost hunts and paranormal events are held on-site. Dates and availability can change, so ask the inn directly.
When was Jamaica Inn built?
Show answer
It depends on the source. Historic England says around the late 18th century, a directory listing says 1750, and Wikipedia says the inn has stood there since 1547.
Are there other haunted pubs in Cornwall?
Show answer
Possibly, but the sources behind this guide cover only Jamaica Inn in Cornwall. Other pubs are not named here because their stories could not be checked.
