The Fair Witch of Rosehall is a famous Jamaican legend that has been passed down through generations. It tells the story of a wealthy plantation owner named Annie Palmer, who was believed to be a witch. Annie Palmer was born in 1802 in Haiti and later moved to Jamaica. She inherited the Rose Hall plantation after the death of her husband. It is said that Annie's life took a dark turn after his death, and she became involved in witchcraft and voodoo. According to the legend, Annie was a beautiful but heartless woman who killed her three husbands and several slaves on the plantation.
It’s hard to separate survival and revival in the history of the Maypole, but the custom seems to have been alive and well in the Elizabethan era, as illustrated by these amazing painted glass panels from the later sixteenth century depicting a Maypole and the various “Morris Dancers” who danced around it on May Day. They are from Betley Hall in Staffordshire, and were somehow saved from Puritan iconoclasm and incorporated into a later house. May Day celebrations seem to be part of every romantic history of the Elizabethan era, if only because the first Elizabeth makes a perfect May Queen.
A singular memory, reinforced by a photograph of me looking like a little dark-haired Swiss girl in a dirndl, is of a Maypole, and going round and round it holding my ribbon. When couples performed the maypole dance, they had usually come staggering in from the fields, clothes in disarray, and straw in their hair after a night of lovemaking.
According to the legend, Annie was a beautiful but heartless woman who killed her three husbands and several slaves on the plantation. She was known for her brutal and cruel methods, such as using voodoo dolls and potions to control and harm others. The estate became known as "Rosehall" due to Annie's love for roses, which she would plant everywhere on the property.
Maypoles
When I was a very little girl my family lived in a small village in central Vermont which had no preschool program, so my parents sent me to a private school the next town over. My memories of this school are positively idyllic: reading Peter Rabbit, singing, games, toast. A singular memory, reinforced by a photograph of me looking like a little dark-haired Swiss girl in a dirndl, is of a Maypole, and going round and round it holding my ribbon. Because of the Maypole, May Day was the most special holiday to me as a child, and I’ve tried to keep it up as an adult, with wreaths and May wine (made with sweet woodruff, a great spring plant) and a general spirit of merriment. But I’ve yet to erect a Maypole in my backyard.
It is interesting to me that my experience with the Maypole happened in Vermont, the least puritanical of all the New England states. The Puritans hated Maypoles, and any ceremony or ritual or image that detracted from the word of God. So dancing around the Maypole, a very popular custom in the medieval and Tudor eras, was prohibited during much of the very Puritan seventeenth century, both in old and New England. There was definitely a revival in the eighteenth century, but it might have been too late for Massachusetts. Thank goodness I had my Vermont childhood!
It’s hard to separate survival and revival in the history of the Maypole, but the custom seems to have been alive and well in the Elizabethan era, as illustrated by these amazing painted glass panels from the later sixteenth century depicting a Maypole and the various “Morris Dancers” who danced around it on May Day. They are from Betley Hall in Staffordshire, and were somehow saved from Puritan iconoclasm and incorporated into a later house. May Day celebrations seem to be part of every romantic history of the Elizabethan era, if only because the first Elizabeth makes a perfect May Queen.
Betley Hall glass panels, later sixteenth century, Victoria & Albert Museum, London; “May Day in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth”, Hodgson & Graves print, c. 1836, British Museum, London.
After the English Revolution, the maypoles of England reappeared, including a famously tall one in the Strand in London (to which, according to Walter Thornbury’s “St Mary-le-Strand and the Maypole” , Old and New London, Volume 3 (1878), Sir Isaac Newton attached his telescope) and in the center of the weeks-long “May Fair” in the Mayfair neighborhood. The Great Fire and the great rebuilding of the later seventeenth and and eighteenth centuries removed maypoles from the streets of London but the custom apparently continued, as they appear in print and paintings as symbols of “Merry Old England”. This particular symbolism seems to intensify in the nineteenth century, an age of dynamic change which threatened to sweep everything away that was both merry and old. There is a definite revival of the Maypole motif in the later nineteenth and early twentieth century by the Arts and Crafts movement; as the old merrymaking custom endures, so too will traditional craftsmanship in the midst of mass production.
Country Dances Round a Maypole, Francis Hayman, c. 1741-42 (Supper Box Decoration at Vauxhall Gardens), Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
Edward Henry Corbould, May Day, 1873, British Museum, London; Kate Elinor Lambert, Woodcut device for the Stanton Press, 1921-22.
Another later nineteenth-century trend–the politicization of everything–also affected the maypole, which was appropriated primarily by the left side of the political spectrum, coincidentally with the association of May Day with workers’ movements. Below are two illustrations of a more modern Maypole: around which monopolists and workers dance.
Frederick Barr Opper, the Monopolists’ May-pole (including lots of Vanderbilts), Puck Magazine, 1885 and Walter Crane, The Workers’ May-pole”, 1894, Library of Congress.
Back to basics: of course, the survival (or revival) of the Maypole, in the nineteenth century and today, might simply be due to the fact that it provides entertainment for children, who probably see no greater meaning in its form than the focus of a simple dance in celebration of spring! That’s my memory.
May Day in Central Park, c. 1905, Detroit Publishing Company, Library of Congress; May Pole by Jennifer Davis, Etsy.
In the British Isles, the maypole celebration usually took place the morning after Beltane, a celebration to welcome spring that included a big bonfire. When couples performed the maypole dance, they had usually come staggering in from the fields, clothes in disarray, and straw in their hair after a night of lovemaking. This led 17th-century Puritans to frown upon the use of the Maypole in celebration; after all, it was a giant phallic symbol in the middle of the village green.
It is said that her ghost still haunts the plantation to this day. Many visitors have reported witnessing paranormal activities at Rosehall, including hearing Annie's laughter or screams, feeling a chilling presence, and seeing her apparition. The story of the Fair Witch of Rosehall has become a popular tourist attraction in Jamaica, and the plantation is now a museum. Though the legend of Annie Palmer has been embellished over the years, it remains a significant part of Jamaica's history and cultural heritage. Whether one believes in her existence as a witch or not, the story of the Fair Witch of Rosehall continues to fascinate and intrigue people around the world..
Reviews for "The Haunting Beauty of Rosehall's Fair Witch"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars: I was really disappointed with "The fair witch of Rosehall". The story started off promising, but it quickly became repetitive and predictable. The characters lacked depth and were quite one-dimensional. The writing style felt forced and awkward, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, I struggled to connect with the book and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 1/5 stars: "The fair witch of Rosehall" was a complete waste of my time. The plot was boring and uninspired, and the pacing was painfully slow. The dialogue was unrealistic and didn't add anything meaningful to the story. The author also seemed to rely heavily on clichés and stereotypes, which made the reading experience even more frustrating. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written novel.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars: I had high hopes for "The fair witch of Rosehall", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The character development was weak, and I found it difficult to relate to any of the characters. The supposed plot twists were predictable, and the resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying. Additionally, the historical setting lacked depth and authenticity. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this book and wouldn't recommend it to fellow readers.
4. Mark - 2/5 stars: I struggled to finish "The fair witch of Rosehall". The writing style was disjointed, and the story lacked coherence. The author seemed to introduce unnecessary subplots that didn't contribute to the overall narrative. The dialogue felt stilted and forced, making it hard to engage with the characters. I found the book to be a disappointing read and would not recommend it to others.