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For four hundred years Jamaica Inn, pictured above, has stood overlooking Bodmin
Moor in Cornwall. Made famous by the author Daphne Du Maurier, Jamaica Inn is a popular
resting place for many travellers, some of whom are no longer living!
Formerly a coaching house, Jamaica Inn has its share of ghosts. Many people have reported
the sound of horses hooves and metal wheels on the cobbled courtyard but there is never
anything to be seen. The sound of footsteps pacing up and down the Inns corridors have also
been heard and the ghost of a man in a tricorn hat has been seen walking through solid doors.
Most of the ghostly activity within the Inn seems to take place in the Smugglers Bar, The
Stable Bar, the restaurant and in bedroom 4.
A widely known tale is that of man who had been drinking ale at the bar when he was invited
outside. He left half of his ale to go outside, and was never seen alive again. Is this
the ghost who walks through the doors? Or is he the ghost that sits outside on the wall?
And what about the ghostly coach and horses? Could that be ghostly smugglers returning to
the Inn with their contraband?
Jamaica Inn is also famous for its smugglers. Smuggling began around the 15th century and
tea, silk, tobacco and brandy were being smuggled into Cornwall very frequently. Being nicely
isolated on Bodmin Moor, Jamaica Inn was the ideal place to store contraband on its way
up into the rest of the country.
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| Cornwall was once the world leader in producing tin, and boasted about 2000 tin mines
similar to the one above. Foreign competition changed everything, as tin soon became much
cheaper to buy from other countries. Now, many old run down ruined and desolate tin mines are
evident all over Cornwall reminding us of a once thriving industry.
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| St. Michaels Mount, above, is a former Benedictine Priory and a Castle which is
separted from the mainland by a 500yard long causeway. My husband, who comes from Cornwall,
fell out of a boat here when he was a little boy and was lucky enough to be rescued by
near by fishermen!
St. Michaels Mount is said to have been built by Cormoran, a giant. Cormoran had a huge
appetite and raided the local farms, stealing their cattle and sheep for food. Everyone was
frightened of him except for a farmers boy called Jack. Jack dug a huge hole one night
when Cormoran was asleep and covered it with sticks to disguise the hole. The next morning
Jack blew his horn which woke Cormoran from his sleep and in a rage Cormoran began to
chase Jack and tumbled into the hole. Jack quickly filled the hole with earth and returned
to his home. The local people were so glad that Jack had managed to get rid of Cormoran
that they gave him a fine sword. The remains of the pit can still be seen half way up the
Mount and is always shown to visiting school children.
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| Lands End. To the left, New York and to the right John O Groats in Scotland.
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