The Jamaica Inn is a free house situated on the borders of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. It was built as a coaching house in 1750 and is famous for being the base of smugglers in the past and is also well known as the setting for Daphne du Maurier’s novel.

The young author was inspired to write her novel when, having gone horse-riding on the moors she became lost in thick fog and sought refuge at the inn; whilst recovering from her ordeal the local rector is supposed to have entertained her with ghost stories and tales of smuggling; he would later become the inspiration for the enigmatic character of the Vicar of Altarnum.

The novel was made into the film Jamaica Inn in 1939 by Alfred Hitchcock, the exterior of the inn being used as a location for some of the scenes.

It is rumoured to be haunted and has featured in an episode of the British TV programme, Most Haunted.

Notable apparitions include a malevolent figure of a highwayman in a tri-cornered hat, an anguished young mother and her baby and the spirit of a young smuggler who is believed to have been murdered and who has been seen sitting on the wall in the courtyard.