One of the most popular places in Jamaica is the Rose Hall Great House. Its fame comes from the reputation of Annie Palmer, an 18th century woman who was also known as the “White Witch of Rose Hall.” She earned this title because of her vast knowledge in the art of Voodoo and her cruelty with the slaves under her employment—cruelty defined as taking some of the slaves to bed and then killing them, torturing slaves when bored and even murdering her three husbands.


At present, Rose Hall has expanded into different resorts. While modifications have been made, the exterior of the Great House emanates more or less the same grandeur. Weddings and golf tournaments are often held there. However, guests can still explore the haunted side of Rose Hall. In fact, many of them send photographs of supernatural activity. These photographs are currently displayed in the bar which used to be the cellar.

Annie Palmer met her end when she dueled with her Overseer using black magic. At the cost of his life, the Overseer managed to kill Annie Palmer. A special coffin had already been built for her nearby. All that was left to do was to bury her with a ritual to ensure that she would not walk this plane again. Unfortunately, they must have failed to complete it properly for she still roams the estate. She could be seen at night seated on a black horse, wearing a green velvet dress and flailing those who stand in her way. Hurried footsteps could also be heard walking through the main hall to the back entrance.

However, it isn’t only her spirit that haunts Rose Hall. Countless others, perhaps those of the murdered slaves, also find residence there. There are reportedly sounds of babies crying (said to be the spirits of the babies she sacrificed), tapping on the walls, whispered voices in the dungeons and invisible footsteps. Lights also often switch on and off and old ballroom music can often be heard.

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5 Responses

  1. Lorie

    18|Oct|2007

    whoa jen. what an apt article.. it’s nearing All Souls’ and.. this is really creepy. and to think it takes a lot to creep me out! haha!

  2. jen_chan

    18|Oct|2007

    You should check out some of the past articles I’ve written about haunted places. I turned it into a series and am milking the topic for all its worth. Hehehe. Thanks. I’m actually a big scaredy-cat when it comes to these things but I also can’t help feeling intrigued by the stories behind the haunting.

    I’ve been meaning to contact you. I heard you gave me a recommendation. Thank you very much for all your help. :)

  3. Jamaica » Blog Archives » Haunting the Haunted: Rose Hall Great House (Jamaica)

    23|Oct|2007

    [...] Haunting the Haunted: Rose Hall Great House (Jamaica)One of the most popular places in Jamaica is the Rose Hall Great House. Its fame comes from the reputation of Annie Palmer, an 18th century woman who was also known as the “White Witch of Rose Hall.” She earned this title because of her … [...]

  4. Soni

    17|Aug|2009

    I have actually been to Rose Hall, I think when I was 9. I remember the atmosphere being heavy and ominus. Since then Ihave been fascinated with different stories about Rose Hall. In the “gift shop” there were actual pictures of entities that had been seen there. After some research I found there were people who after taking pictres at Rose Hall and discovering entities in them, had lost the feeling in one of their arms and all of the pictures wiped out of there camera. I can’t be sure if it is really true, but if you ever venture into Rose Hall, let this be your warning.

  5. Nicole

    19|Nov|2009

    This is a crazy story but I will be going to Montego Bay in January so I am going to make a point just to check it out!


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