List of former RNLI stations


Former RNLI stations can be found all around the coast of the entire British Isles, and were the locations for a fleet of rescue lifeboats.
The service was established in 1824 as the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, later to become the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1854, and is operated largely by volunteers. Its headquarters are now at Poole in Dorset and it is a registered charity in both the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
In the days before motor-powered vessels, lifeboat stations were established at strategic locations around the coast, often just a few miles apart, where sailing vessels were known to have been driven ashore in poor conditions. The lifeboats would usually be 'Pulling and Sailing' lifeboats, equipped with both oars and sails.
With increasing numbers of motor-powered vessels, the number of shipwrecks declined rapidly. Motor-powered lifeboats were introduced in the early 1900s, which could then cover larger distances in shorter times. Inevitably, the number of lifeboat stations required also declined, and many stations closed. In some places, a well constructed lifeboat house still stands, but in others, no evidence remains.
This is a list of former RNIPLS and RNLI stations, primarily those where the RNLI has now ceased operations from that particular location, town or village. Some RNLI sites, where the station is still in operation, but not necessarily at the original location, are included in the List of RNLI stations.
In a handful of locations, an Independent lifeboat service has been re-established, some using the original RNLI boathouse. Details can be found here: Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland

Regions

The information is correct with reference to the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025 unless noted otherwise, and is set out like the RNLI's divisional model. As far as possible it follows a clockwise route around the coast.