The Penlee Point Lifeboat Station Near Mousehole Granted Grade II Listed Status

The Penlee Point Lifeboat Station near Mousehole has been officially granted Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, following advice from Historic England.

A Tribute to Sacrifice

Built between 1911 and 1913, the station served the Penlee lifeboat crews until 1983, when it closed following the devastating Penlee Lifeboat disaster. On 19th December 1981, the Solomon Browne lifeboat crew attempted to rescue passengers from the cargo ship Union Star, which was on its maiden voyage. Battling hurricane-force conditions, all 16 people aboard—including the eight Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crew members—tragically lost their lives.

Adrian Carey of the RNLI said:

“Standing quietly inside the old Penlee lifeboat station, which remains as it was in 1981, you can’t help but feel the incredible courage, determination, and selflessness of the crew of the Solomon Browne. The fact that building will forever stand in testament to the sacrifice the eight crew made that night, is comforting to all those connected to Penlee RNLI and the wider RNLI community.”

Visit the Historic Station

To mark its significance, the Penlee Lifeboat Visits Team will be hosting open days in 2025, allowing visitors to explore the station, which has remained unchanged since its closure.

The open days will take place on:

• Monday 21st April 2025
• Monday 26th May 2025
• Sunday 29th June 2025
• Wednesday 6th August 2025
• Monday 25th August 2025

The station is located at Penlee Point, Cliff Road, Mousehole, Cornwall, TR19 6QT.

These visits offer a unique opportunity to step inside a piece of Cornwall’s lifeboat history and pay tribute to the bravery of the Solomon Browne crew.