Brown Willy is said to be one of "the UK's best-loved high points". The hill features in an annual race held on New Year's Day that starts and finishes at Jamaica Inn, an old coaching inn made famous by Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel of the same name. The hill is regarded as a sacred mountain by members of the Aetherius Society, a UFO religion founded in 1954 by George King. They believe that Brown Willy was charged with "holy energy" on 23 November, which they celebrate each year as "Charging Day", and gather at the hill on that day each year
Jamaica Inn (1983 TV series) night. Her uncle threatens one of his consorts, who may later have been killed based on a conversation Mary overhears between her uncle and someone who may be the leader of the criminal gang. When a wagon transporting prisoners scheduled for execution suffers a breakdown near the inn, a young man helps the prisoners escape. Mary notices this but conceals it from the guards. He eventually turns out to be Jem, Joss’ younger brother, a horse thief. Later, when she takes a walk over the moor, Mary encounters the vicar of Altarnun, the reverend Francis Davey, who escorts her back