Rose Hall Great House — Attraction in Jamaica

Let me start off by saying the staff members are absolutely amazing. Ricky was our night tour guide and I think he did a great job, given the circumstances.

This review is entirely based on the shockingly offensive nature of this tour and the racism it encourages from its attendees. At one point, a white man LAUGHED at a story of Black babies being thrown out the window. He literally yelled, “Out goes the baby!” and let out the most devilish cackle from his paper thin lips. I was completely disgusted by the irreverence shown and the sensationalization of Black pain and suffering.

I was expecting a sobering account of the horrors Annie Palmer inflicted on the people she wrongfully owned. Instead, it was a cartoonish mockery with people dressed as slaves trying to give out cheap scares. Yep, you read that right…there were people dressed as SLAVES jumping out of the shadows as if the existence of Black people is cause to be fearful.

In the dungeon, there were body parts and bones of Black people on the floor. It seemed as if the operators of this tour intended to build a haunted house and thought that slavery was some kind of Stephen King fable.

They don’t allow pictures inside the house. At first, I thought it was to protect the integrity of the tour. I later discovered it was probably to protect the identity of the racists that flock to it. I’m sure a lot of them would be out of a job if members of the wider public were able to see what was happening here.

Have you ever heard about that popular tour of Auschwitz with body parts of Jewish people carelessly tossed all over the place and people laughing at the sight of it? Of course not! That doesn’t exist and would likely never happen. However, no one seems to bat an eye since the trauma here involves Black people. I was absolutely horrified and traumatized by this tour and the jovial reactions of the white attendees as they heard stories about Black children as young as six being made to carry 15-pound buckets in order to build muscle.

There was a giant opportunity missed here to tell this story in a way that was respectful of the people who suffered there. The owner/operators ought to be ashamed of themselves. At this point, I can only hope TikTok gets a hold of it and shames them...

The White Witch of Rose Hall is a legendary character associated with the Rose Hall Great House in Jamaica. The story revolves around a woman named Annie Palmer, who lived in the early 19th century. She was said to be a beautiful but cruel woman who is believed to have practiced voodoo and dark magic.

According to local legends, Annie Palmer used her powers to manipulate and control men, leading to the mysterious deaths of her three husbands. It is said that she murdered her first husband by poisoning him and killed her subsequent husbands for various reasons. She was also reputedly involved in slave cruelty, using voodoo to control and torment her slaves.

As the legend goes, Annie Palmer met her demise when one of her slaves, known as "Takoo," cursed her. He reportedly administered a potion that caused her to die a slow, painful death. Some versions of the story even claim that the slaves revolted against Annie Palmer and killed her.

The legends surrounding the White Witch of Rose Hall have captured the imagination of locals and tourists alike, making Rose Hall a popular destination for those interested in the paranormal and Jamaican folklore. The Rose Hall Great House still stands today and is said to be haunted by the spirit of Annie Palmer.

However, it's important to note that the legend of the White Witch of Rose Hall is primarily a folklore tale, and historical accounts of Annie Palmer's life and actions differ from the legends. Some researchers suggest that the rumors surrounding her were exaggerated or fabricated.

Regardless of the accuracy of the tale, the White Witch of Rose Hall remains an intriguing part of Jamaican folklore and continues to attract visitors from...

This is definitely the most popular of the Great Houses and worth a visit. Our tour guide Erica was excellent. I think we more appreciated the conversation we had back and forth regarding our questions than we did the somewhat heavy side told about the White Witch history. We'd rather learn about what a sugar plantation was like, the conditions and the uprising along with the Georgian/British high society/family side of the house. There's really 2 stories to be told and the White Witch would be better as an aside then the main theme. But we still did get a lot of history and all our questions answered because Erica was a great guide. We went on a quiet day and ended up on a very small tour with almost no one else in the house. That was fantastic. They are up front that the house is nearly 100% renovated and not original, as well as the stuff inside - it's mostly correct for the period but nothing original. The cost at $25 per person is tremendously high when compared to general historic homes you might come across in America or Europe. There are no grounds to explore. Plus, as with most things in Jamaica, you feel the need to tip for the tour guide in the end because you doubt your admissions fee is actually going to the local people who are supporting the site day in and day out. Tourism in Jamaica is broken on many levels and it starts from the top. But the folks you interact with are always great. Last thing to know, we rated Greenwood Great House an easy 5 stars. That house has amazing original...