Frank Baker's 1956 novel Talk of the Devil is set in Zennor and deals with fictionalised versions of Aleister Crowley and some of his associates.

Gurnard's Head, or Trereen Dinas, is an Iron Age promontory fort (or cliff castle) with five lines of fortification, and a mile to the west is Bosigran, close to Treen (Cornish: Tredhin), a second promontory fort along with a surviving field system,[6] suggested by Henry Jenner to mean 'the Dwelling of Igerna', King Arthur's mother in Arthurian legend.

The couple were later accused of spying and signalling to German submarines off the Cornish coast and in late 1917, after constant harassment by the armed forces authorities, Lawrence was forced to leave Cornwall at three days' notice under the terms of the Defence of the Realm Act 1914 (DORA).

4 Commando were involved in a mock seaborne raid codenamed "Exercise Brandyball", which took place on the 300-foot (91 m) cliffs, near Bosigran, known as the 'Brandys'.

[9] The training exercise was deemed one of the most hazardous and challenging of the war,[10] beginning with a seaborne landing,[9] followed by a climb up the vertical cliffs with full kit to destroy the target, an old disused tin mine.

These events were filmed by Allied officers,[9] as observers from all the services were present, including General Bernard Montgomery.

[14] Special Operations Executive intelligence officer Vera Atkins was cremated after her death and the ashes scattered in the churchyard.

Her memorial plaque, shared with her brother Guy, has the inscription: "Vera May Atkins, CBE Légion d'Honneur Croix de Guerre".

As well as a public house, the Tinner's Arms, next to it is a guesthouse[21][22] Carne Cottage is one of a number of abandoned buildings in the area.

[23] It is claimed that the death of Katherine Laird Cox, on 23 May 1938, was connected with Crowley and the cottage, but again, there is a lack of evidence to support this and it is likely to be an urban myth.

He died peacefully at his home in Zennor in March 1999, at the age of 79, and many of his works are displayed at the Tate St Ives art gallery.