Is it worth visiting Jamaica Inn, Bodmin, Cornwall?
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- Опубликовано: 11 фев 2021
- In this video we explore Jamaica Inn, Cornwall. Situated in an isolated village on Bodmin Moor, the Inn was formerly a coaching inn, being half way between the towns of Launceston and Bodmin.
Cornish history tells of smuggling and wrecking. Smuggling was rife in the late 1700, early 1800s in Cornwall. After several decades of warring, the British government was broke and raised taxes on luxuries like wine, spirits, tobacco and silk. The enterprising Cornish sailed to the Channel Islands and France to buy brandy, wine and tobacco, bringing it back to secluded coves, avoiding the Customs men, and selling to the locals, 'Cornish free trade'. Smugglers also stopped at Jamaica Inn because it was on the route between the south coast where the contraband was landed and the north coast where it was distributed.
Daphne Du Maurier was riding across Bodmin moor with a friend when the weather changed, rain lashed down and the mist hid all recognisable landmarks. Fearing how she would return, her friend suggested that they let the horses lead them back, much to Daphne Du Maurier's uncertainty. Eventually, the horses found their way to Jamaica Inn where they stayed the night. This was Daphne Du Maurier's first encounter with Jamaica Inn.
In her book, 'Jamaica Inn', she tells the story of a gang of wreckers, slightly different to smugglers. Where smuggling involved the whole community against the government and officials turned a blind eye, wrecking was much more sinister. At night, wreckers hung lanterns on the cliff tops above rocky coves, to make it look like a harbour, luring ships in until they hit the rocks. Wreckers murdered the crew and stole the cargo.
In this video we visit Jamaica Inn, where they have embraced their historical connection with smuggling and the book by Daphne Du Maurier. As a little post script, we travel 7 miles to the pretty little village of Altarnun to find the vicarage of Francis Davey, the fictional leader of the gang of wreckers.
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We are Sarah and Andrew and we film our walks around Cornwall and publish on RUclips, usually weekly. Sometimes we stay in accommodation in Cornwall and upload our vlog. Sarah is fascinated by sea glass and likes to collect it so there may be the occasional sea glass video too. The channel is a hobby and we both have normal day jobs!
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I too have been racing past Jamaica in for years. When I started the main road went passed the front of the Inn. I will certainly visit when it is open again. As for Smuggling I have a short tale to tell. Back in September 1976 I camped at Pentewan sands. My tent was right at the beach edge, just a low grass bank separated us. Great in the late summer sun but very cold at night. We came back to the tent on the second night, it was dark as we had stayed out all day and then went for a meal. The tent and bedding turned out to be wet as it had rained and water had got in. We salvaged what dry bedding we could and got our heads down in the car. About one in the morning I awoke to a sound. I could see on the rocks to the right a light shining and then I heard voices behind the car. A torch flashed behind us and two men walked right passed the car, I froze. I could see a small boat and figures on the beach near the rocks. My wife woke up and I told her to be quiet. I started the engine and quickly left the campsite. In the morning light we returned to pack up. I went down to the rocks but couldn't see anything but to this day I am convinced that they were smugglers.
Oh, it was you in the car, we could have done with your help as the barrels of whisky were heavy 😃.
I remember when I was a kid,early 70s !,, we slept in our Morris Marina on chisel beach, early hrs someone walked by on the pebbles,.
Next day the body of a diver was recovered , he'd been trying to raid the crab and lobster pots !!
Fabulous story! I bet they wondered what was going on in the car!! Probably fishermen! Sarah :)
@@CornishWalkingTrails I now live not thirty miles from Pentewan after moving to the South West twenty years ago. There is a defunct land locked harbour at the Eastern end of the beach but there is a boat landing strip a bit West of that. I don't know if the boat landing was there in 1976. But why would you land a boat near rocks when there is a gradually shelving beach? It spooked me at the time, but maybe they were fishing. It was September, the campsite had few people on it, mainly campers and caravans, not tents. I have never forgotten talking to an owner of a camper van behind us, he had just retired and was on a months tour of Britain. But here is a strange thing. Looking for information on the use of Pentewan sands for boats today I came across this, "A Satanic cult is being blamed for the horrific death of a horse found on a beach. The animal was discovered on Pentewan beach near Mevagissey, Cornwall, with a driftwood cross topped with the body of a dead seagull." This was reported in the National press including the Daily Telegraph in 2012." I have only been back once since 1976, That was when I first moved down. I think I will give it miss altogether next time, who knows what goes on there?
Couple of guys going fishing off the beach.
Morning Cornwall.
Thank you both....appreciate your vlogs ..just what we need..love Cornwall.
Alturnum: another place I've never visited. Wow, so picturesque with the bridge and river. Haven't been to Jamaica Inn since the 1980s, when the A30 went past it. There used to be a parrot which greeted you as you came in the front door. It wasn't an 'attraction' then. I think it was taken over recently and has now been revamped into a hotel, although I don't know why you'd want to stay there as it's in the middle of nowhere, but could come in very handy in a blizzard when the road is blocked. It has an interesting history.
Thanks once again, great video made my day and lots of other people's.
You brighten everyone's lives in these crazy times.
Keep safe X😄
Our pleasure! Sarah :)
That was lovely, can't beat Cornwall in the spring.
The daffodils are out in a village up the road already ! And I couldn't believe that a Camilla has flowered and is past its best too, everything is so advanced even with all this cold weather 👍🥟🥟🥟
Love the tour of the end. I’m a history fanatic and the older the story or legend the better.
The Inn. Hat spell check. Lol.
Stayed two times here, lovely place to be. And for sure I return one day, alive or death 😁
Good little video thank you. Ill have to visit it again as it has changed so much since i visited it, the museum was full of stuffed animals hundreds of them all set out doing different things like rats & mice playing cricket for eg, some of it was scary. there was only a little bit on Daphne Du Maurier.
Not a walk, but still awesome info, love the sceanic views,,,,I remember watching (here in OZ) a TV series, about Jamaica Inn rough storey but now I know it's true,,,,thanx for all your videos,,,👍🇦🇺
Loved it 👏👏👏
Well now where will I get my pasty from, since my smuggling connection is in stocks. Oh wait, he escaped and all is good. I love historical places like this. Looked like a fun place to explore. Have a wonderful week you two.
Hi Lance! How you doing? We are still in lockdown here and challenging times for filming! Sarah :)
Great video. I didn't realise the extent of smuggling pasties in Cornwall. The pasties were mined and also smuggled in by ship. 😂😂
Indeed! Smuggled, mined and harvested in Cornwall! Sarah :)
I'm glad you mentioned wreckers. Stay safe Andy and Sarah from them fasle lights.
This is such a lovely video. Jamaica Inn was my first introduction to Daphne Du Maurier. Visited the Inn many years ago... must go again! And thanks so much for the detour to Altarnun (Francis Davey... what a spooky man). Loved it x
I've stayed there a couple of times in the past, when working in the area. It has changed considerably in the time since. Nice to see it again, since I retired five years ago. I bought several of Daphne DuMaurier's books whilst there, and still have them, along with my room pass card from my last stay. Thank you for the nostalgic reminder.
I'd wager Andrew's a master pasty smuggler. "Devil in a dog-collar," is a great descriptive for DM's sinister vicar. I've seen other vids covering Jamaica Inn, the pub & the novel, even watched one awhile back briefly bio-ing Ms. Du Maurier, but I much more enjoy yr presentation, & how u go the extra mile, sometimes more sometimes less, in order to secure that image of whatever landmark features in yr vid that wk. Given my intense interest in your locale, it's ppl, their architecture, professions, & histories, I think it's time to consider reading the novels based on all these wondrous, mysterious places & characters which/whom to u are simply neighboring villages & their inhabitants. Time to start searching out source-material. Mayhap all this pleasurable research shall produce a novel of my own! Reading is fun & comes naturally, once u learn to do it. Writing can also be fun & natural, but entails much work: mental, physical, soul-searching & more, to hopefully create a story of sufficient value that others are interested enuff to pay to read it & publishers are willing to take a chance on getting it to that public. Tomorrow I resume writing, but today I read (& watch CWT). Carry on, u crazy kids! Luv yr comic, educational, entertaining, well-researched approach to all u do. Stay safe & keep it up. Cheers!
This was really exciting to watch :) I haven't been very much inland in Cornwall, as I am mainly walking the coastal paths. But I see that it could be a great idea to visit Jamaica Inn and perhaps also do some walking up to some of the lovely tors :) I was - again - inspired by you to order yet another book. Jamaica Inn. I will luckily get a lot of time for reading when I retire in the end of the year ;-) Thank you for sharing this video. Torunn :-)
Glad you enjoyed it! And enjoy the book! It is a great story and very different to the Hitchcock film, which must have been challenging to make but has altered the story to accommodate the stars at the time. I prefer the book! Sarah :)
Great fun
One of my favourite places.
Looks very interesting history, we look forward to our visit when we can go , enjoyed video thank-you
we went there last july early such a fabulous place must admit you get that eerie feel but it's a good feeling thanks for sharing great video x
Such a cool place to visit and I guess a must stop to pick up the final Cornish goodies on the way back up country! Sarah :)
@@CornishWalkingTrails deffo hun exactly what we did, we will be visiting again just loved it x
Great video really enjoyed it Canit wait for the next keep up the good work stay safe xx
Thank you! You too! Sarah :)
Hey there! We are Matt and Ann and we just recently came across your channel. Your videos are very nice to watch! They are very interesting and the scenes are really pretty! Thanks for sharing! Keep up the great work! :)
Awesome! Thank you! Sarah :)
Fascinating tour of Jamaica Inn. Now I want to read the book! Thank you for such an entertaining vlog!🥰
Me too! Even though I've read and re-read it several times!! Sarah :)
Hi Sarah and Andrew, loved that video, it brings back lots of happy memories. As I've probably said before we go down PZ every year sometimes twice (obviously not this year!) Always used to drive past until one day about forty or more years ago now when our boys were small, we decided to go in and have a look around. At the back there was a courtyard where there was a window you could look through and see Daphne Du Maurier's desk laid out with all her writing materials. Next door there was a museum with all sorts of artefacts relating to the sea and other strange things (including stuffed animals and odd looking things in jars? it was a bit creepy!) That's all gone now and as you see its been updated with that lovely gift shop and little film theatre etc., My son and I still visit, not every time but I like to call in on the way back home to look in the shop.😀 Many thanks. Take Care xx
I love the shop - full of goodies! Sarah :)
Lovely video. Great info and what looks like a fun day. Thanks again for allowing us into your world of beautiful Cornwall.
Our pleasure! Sarah :)
Just watched your latest video and it gave me so many happy memories. When we went there, we carried on to Carnglaze Caverns afterwards. Maybe this place would be of interest to you also?
Always somewhere that we have flashed by on the way to other places in Cornwall, so it was great to see inside. Been to Altarnun though and also to Warleggan (where the vicar put up cardboard cutouts as the congregation cos no one would go!). I love the tales and fables of Cornwall. Am re-reading the Minack Chronicles at mo during Lockdown, but I must dig out my Daphne Du Mauriers from under the bed for the next set of reading. Atmospheric stuff. Felt strange seeing you two being able to actually have a meal together somewhere. It's been a L-O-N-G time since we have done anything like that these days. I guess this was filmed and filed away for future viewing last Springtime. Bet the daffs are out though in Cornwall already! J x
Yes, the daffs are just starting, the camelias have been out for a while and the primroses too. Looking into getting some crocuses for saffron, I think they flower in the autumn! Sarah :)
Are pasties magic? I thought I had smuggled a few pasties out of Cornwall when I lived in the North of England but they had all vanished by the time I got home.
Oh really? That 's so weird! Pasties disappear here too! I think a sneaky Andrew has something to do with it! Sarah :)
Ich habe das Buch gelesen - leider habe ich einen Besuch dort verpasst. Aber wir kommen zurück ! Gruß Konrad.
Nice place/video....just as well it's also a museum and gift shop as may struggle to survive these days.
Yes, true. I think they are open for people that have to travel to work but otherwise, challenging, Sarah :)
Me here now. Its a strange thing how we've romanticised smugglers and highwayman and such like. Where as in reality they were more than often really nasty pieces of work.
Very true!! Better with than against, me thinks! You are having fun!! Sarah :)
Until I moved to Cornwall I thought Altarnun was a planet from Star Trek.
We were there in July/August 1978. A great holiday. There used to be a parrot/ cockatoo in a cage in the bar. It grabbed my girlfriend's ( now wife of 42 years) wooly jumper & woulndn't let go to the meriment of all in the bar. We laughed later at the next victim a little later. Cornwall is a lovely place. Tnanks for posting your wonderful walks.
I remember the parrot. I think it was a macaw. It was large and very colourful.
@@Hedgehogsinthemist123 The parrot was a girl, but called Percy. He left the Inn in the late 1990's as was unwell. The parrot lived a few more years with one of the bar managers.
@@theofficialjamaicainnparan1656 aw, god bless Percy. Thanks for the info.
That was a great story. I’ve passed close by many times in the past, but never stopped and explored. Am I correct in thinking the A30 used to pass very close by? Looks like a great place to spend an hour or two.
The perfect place to pick up those goodies on the way back home and have a great lunch! Sarah :)
I visited Jamaica Inn on my way back from a lovely stay at Sennen a few years back after listening to & reading all the hype.
I was bitterly disappointed tbh. The bar/restaurant area was dirty, dingey and dark and more akin to a transport cafe. After looking at what was on offer food wise & the prices, decided not to eat & just had drinks. Everything looked faux & contrived, it was more akin to a theme park, in my opinion - especially with the tacky overpriced gift shop attached. It's like an inland version of Land's End.
We wouldn't ever go back & couldn't recommend it to anyone.
evening
It's been ruined like a lot off special places in kernow!
Are the tunnels open
There are no tunnels under the Jamaica Inn
I will answer the question is it worth a visit .... NO .... they've ruined it and I'm a local.
What a lot of rubbish! This is no longer the Inn I knew when young and where I had my first legal pint of beer on my eighteenth birthday. Give Jamaica Inn back to Bolventor and the Moor! Kernow bys vyken !
Not a walk, but still awesome info, love the sceanic views,,,,I remember watching (here in OZ) a TV series, about Jamaica Inn rough storey but now I know it's true,,,,thanx for all your videos,,,👍🇦🇺
The BBC made a production a few year ago, 2015 I think, and it was slated here because the characters were too 'mumbly'. Trying too hard be authentic! Great story from Du Maurier though, worth reading her book, Sarah :)