One would think a sugar plantation on the gorgeous island of Jamaica would be one of the more delightful places to visit . . . perhaps not, if the spirit of the notoriously evil Annie Palmer is still in residence . . . and from all accounts, she appears to be!

Annie came to Jamaica in the 1700s from Paris, France, the teenage bride of the owner of Rose Hall, John Palmer.

Although a tiny woman, she had the inner spirit of a giant - and a mean one at that. Evidently this little lady was quite the serial killer in her lifetime, murdering three husbands for their money, many lovers when she tired of them, and innumerable slaves for whatever reasons she wished. Supposedly she killed one husband with poison, one with a knife, and the last by pouring boiling oil into his ears before choking him.

Annie would walk out onto her little balcony at the back of the mansion to issue her daily orders which often included murders and burials of victims.

Voodoo magic was prevalent among the slaves in Montego Bay, and Annie became fascinated with the religion of Vodun. Learning as much information as possible from her slaves, she soon gained a reputation as a powerful white witch.

The overseer on Annie's plantation was also known to be a powerful Voodoo priest. His daughter became engaged to one of the young male slaves whom Annie had happened to desire physically. After their sexual copulation one night, Annie took his life as she so often did with her lovers.

The overseer/priest was furious that his daughter's heart had been broken, and vowed revenge on the white witch.

Entering the house, the priest found Annie, and began a magical battle with her. He did kill her in the fight, but sacrificed his own life in the process. The body of the witch was placed in a grave in the woods near the house, although Annie is often sighted in Rose Hall to this day.

Sometimes she is riding a huge, black horse at night, wearing a green velvet dress and carrying a whip. Her footsteps are often heard in the main hall, and near the back entrance.

Her many victims often voice their distress with crying, tapping, moving objects, and turning the lights on and off.

A mirror in the house, now a museum, often reflects the images of people not in the room. Tourists sometimes capture odd phenomena in their photographs taken at Rose Hall.

References:

http://www.scaryplace.com/Jamaica.html

http://www.reggaeshow.com/rosehall.htm

http://www.moondance.org/2000/summer00/columns/column1.html