Haunted Cornwall Hotel, Moonta
The Cornwall Hotel is a historic and popular hotel in Moonta, South Australia. Not only is it the oldest pub in town, dating back to the early 1860s, it is also said to be one of the most haunted.
Formerly known as the Globe, the hotel was sadly extensively damaged by fire in 1885. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the blaze. Later, the hotel would be restored to its full glory. The hotel also possesses an extremely dark piece of history.
During the 1870s Moonta saw several epidemics sweep through town, leaving a trail of death behind. Due to poor sanitary conditions, many would become ill with diseases such as Typhoid, Cholera and Diphtheria. Hundreds would perish during this harsh time, in particular young children who weren’t strong enough to ward off such illnesses. The Moonta Cemetery is a testament to how brutal this time was, containing 300-400 unmarked graves of the young children who dies during this dark moment.
Because of the conditions in the Cornwall Hotel’s basement, a dark and cool area, it was converted to a morgue for children in order to cope with the bodies of those who passed away. This is just one cause of the many hauntings said to plague the hotel.
Ghost Stories of the Cornwall Hotel
Just beneath the creaky wooden floors of the Cornwall Hotel lies a dark and creepy basement. This underground area is said to be one of the more haunted areas of the building, having formerly been used as a children’s morgue. It is here, where both visitors and the licensee of the hotel, have left a selection of stuffed toys in the hopes of appeasing and comforting the many children said to haunt the area.
Supposedly, some of the toys have been moved around the room by unseen forces and one person even claimed to have witnessed a toy levitating. Additionally, child spirits have actually been sighted in the basement and many believe they have made communication with these young, trapped souls. An older male is also believed to haunt this area of the hotel and commonly asks people to leave. Though he has been described as being quite grumpy, he is also thought to be a type of protector for the children.
Although the basement is definitely the eeriest area of the hotel, spirits have been sighted all throughout the building. Some of the children have been known to leave the confines of the former morgue and roam the hotel, with some claiming to sight ghostly children or even hear them playing when no one is around. The apparitions of adults have also been seen around the hotel, including standing at the top of the stairway.
Room 6.5 is said to be the most haunted within the hotel. Staff have reported that a television inside this particular room seems to have a mind of its own. It frequently turns itself on at random times, with its volume turned right up and always flicking to a foreign language channel. Supposedly, the television has even completed this behavior after being unplugged from the wall. In addition, many have also reported strange noises, such as banging on the walls or an unwelcoming presence in the room. This is believed to be the son of former publicans who passed away in this room from illness.
Visiting the Haunted Cornwall Hotel in Moonta
The Cornwall Hotel is a stunning old hotel in the heart of Moonta. It is a place filled with history though boasting many modern amenities for guests. I highly recommend a stay at the hotel if you are passing through town, Room 6.5 can even be requested by calling ahead. Otherwise, the pub is definitely worth stopping by for a drink.
If you are interested in learning about other haunted places around the Cornwall hotel, I highly recommend checking out the Moonta Mines.
Thanks for reading!
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