Is it worth visiting Jamaica Inn, Bodmin, Cornwall?

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.

The standard description bit…
We are Sarah and Andrew and we film our walks around Cornwall and publish on YouTube, 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!

Frequently asked questions:
What camera do we use?
Since December 2018 we have used: Canon Powershot G7x MkII

How do I find the books you use?
Most are still in print although some we pick up in charity shops and may be available on Amazon secondhand. Please refer to the video for the book titles. Every video shows the book three times. Sorry but we can’t put a link in every description.

Best time of year to visit Cornwall?
We love May, June for flora and fauna, July and September for spectacular scenery.

What is your dog’s name?
Sorry but we do not release the name of our dog, perhaps you can make up your own name for him.

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