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Former Penlee Lifeboat Station Grade II listed

Penlee lifeboat station Old Penlee lifeboat stationPenlee lifeboat station
The lifeboat station is like a "time capsule," Historic England said

A former lifeboat station which lost its whole crew in a disaster in 1981 has been given Grade II listed status.

The buildings in Penlee, Cornwall, closed for active service in 1983 following the disaster.

The eight crew members on the Solomon Browne all died as did eight crew and passengers on the Union Star cargo ship they were trying to rescue.

The lifeboat station "played a crucial role in saving lives at sea since the 19th century", the RNLI said.

Solomon Browne
The eight crew of the Solomon Browne died, alongside the eight on board cargo ship Union Star

The building has been Grade II listed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.

Samantha Barnes, listing adviser at Historic England, said it had been very well maintained and was "almost like a time capsule inside".

"The building will always be remembered as the final launch for the lifeboat the Soloman Browne," she said.

She added that the building itself is also "now quite rare because it has not had alterations for bigger lifeboats", and the slipway "is considered to be an early example of its type".

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