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 (film) that Pengallan is the secret leader of the wrecking gang, Pengallan shoots and kills Patience from offstage. Joss then dies of his wound as well. While Mary is reeling from the shock of witnessing these two violent deaths, Pengallan takes her hostage, ties and gags her, and tells her that he plans to keep her now that she has no one else in the world. He drives her, still tied up and covered by a heavy cloak, to the harbor, where they board a ship bound for France. The gang returns to Jamaica Inn to find Joss and Patience dead.