Rose Hall Jamaica: Ghosts, Voodoo, And The White Witch

People don’t usually go to Jamaica hoping to be scared, but if you’re heading to Montego Bay, you might want to make an exception. Rose Hall Great House isn’t just another pretty plantation mansion. It’s the setting of one of the Caribbean’s most chilling ghost stories, complete with tragic love, murder, and a woman who may or may not have dabbled in the dark arts. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the story of the White Witch of Rose Hall is worth exploring — especially if you like your history with a side of the supernatural.

Who Was the White Witch of Rose Hall?

Rose Hall was originally built by John Palmer and named for his wife, Rosa. The plantation it sat on, Palmyra, was run during a dark time in Jamaican history — a time when white landowners profited off the brutal, inhumane treatment of enslaved Black people. Slaves were beaten, trapped, and sometimes left to die, with bear traps (yes, actual bear traps — and no, there are no bears in Jamaica) used to punish escape attempts.

Eventually, the home passed down through the Palmer family to John Rose Palmer and his young wife, Annie — who would become known as the White Witch of Rose Hall.

Annie’s story is disturbing from the start. Orphaned at the age of ten in Haiti, she was raised by her nanny, who happened to be a Voodoo priestess. After her nanny died when Annie was just 18, she set her sights on Jamaica to find a wealthy husband. Enter John Rose Palmer. It didn’t take long for Annie to grow tired of him — and legend has it she killed him with arsenic. She then ruled the plantation with cruelty and fear, allegedly killing two more husbands and abusing the slaves who worked the grounds.

This included using bear traps to catch escapees, throwing the injured into the dungeon below the house to die, and forcing children to carry water in heavy buckets under the threat of beatings for a single spilled drop. Rumour has it she also used Voodoo to maintain her grip on the house.

Eventually, Annie met her end at the hands of Takoo, one of her slave lovers — but that wasn’t the end of her story.

Is Rose Hall Haunted?

You won’t find cobwebs and fog machines at Rose Hall — the place doesn’t need theatrics. Annie’s ghost is said to still haunt the mansion, her spirit wandering freely because a cross was carved on only three sides of her above-ground tomb. Naturally, this detail is included in the tour — and yes, I briefly considered dragging a fourth cross with me.

Spooky doesn’t even begin to cover it. I toured during the day, and that was eerie enough. If it had been at night? I would’ve sprinted back to my room and hidden under the covers.

The basement — once the dungeon where enslaved people were left to die — is now a pub. You can order the “Witches Brew,” a rum cocktail said to protect you from black magic. I mean, it’s probably just rum… but are you really going to take that chance?

Visiting Rose Hall Great House Today

Despite its dark history, the house itself is absolutely stunning. Perched high on a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea and a golf course, it’s hard to imagine the horrors that once happened here. But that’s the power of Rose Hall — the contrast between beauty and brutality is part of what makes it so unforgettable.

Tours are available during the day and at night (if you’re brave). The grounds are immaculately maintained, and the restoration of the home is impressive. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the real history of the plantation and its people makes this a visit worth your time.

Whether you believe that the ghost of a black-magic practicing, husband murdering, slave beating woman who died almost two centuries ago roams the grounds or you’re more of a skeptic; Rose Hall is an amazingly restored 18^th century plantation house that is worth visiting for the glimpse into history it offers.  It’s a definite must-see on any visit to Montego Bay. Ready to see it for yourself? Book a tour here!

Post refreshed May 15, 2025