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Rose Hall Great House


rosehall 

There are some places that, once you have crossed the threshold, they seem to stay with you.  They are enigmatic, memorable locales, that leave traces in your mind long after you have packed your bags and gone home. 

The Rose Hall Great House is one of these abodes, and it is easy to see why. 

Rose Hall has one of a handful of Montego Bay's plantation great houses.  Many were burned to the ground during a rebellion, but somehow, even though many would insist it should have been the first to burn, it stands tall... a constant reminder of the atrocities that occurred within. 

Annee Palmer ran the Great House with a strong arm and a whip clenched tightly in her hand.  She was known to torture her slaves purely for her own entertainment.  However, inflicting pain was not enough for Annee, as that she also murdered three husbands.  Finally dying at the hands of her slave lover, she is suspected of haunting Rose Hall, and is commonly known as the White Witch.

This structure bedazzles all who enter with its architecture, history, and its notable surroundings.  However, it is often human nature to be drawn to things which evoke both fascination, as well as a good dose of fear. 

Guests are taken throughout the house on a guided tour, filled with all sorts of facts regarding the property and its inhabitants.  As one climbs the staircase to the second level, the mood in the air definitely seems to change. 

Upon walking into one of the bedrooms where Annee made herself a widow, I literally feel as if someone has tossed a wet blanket over my head.  There is a "heaviness" in the room, and a slight chill, on an otherwise hot and balmy afternoon.  Being a bit of a disobedient tour guest, I have walked into this room a few moments before the rest of the group.  As I stand, taking in these emotions, I "feel" someone walk up behind me... obviously the other visitors.  However, as I turn around to make space for them to view the room, there is no one there, and I can still hear the guide's voice two rooms away. Perhaps it was a visitor of a different sort... 

The Rose Hall Great House is a beguiling property, and they offer both day and night tours, complete with a visit to Annee Palmer's grave.  For anyone interested in history, architecture, and a good ghost story, your visit to Montego Bay will not be complete without an exploration of the Rose Hall Great House!

For more information, visit the Rose Hall Great House online, or call (876) 953-2323.