RNLI St Davids lifeboat station was established in 1869 at St Justinians, a few miles to the west of the city. It initially comprised a boathouse and slipway (Grade II listed: 12696) built from locally quarried stone. The first lifeboat housed in this building was the AUGUSTA (1869-1885), followed by the GEM (1885-1910). The latter was wrecked during a rescue in Ramsey Sound in 1910 with the loss of three crew.

The GEM disaster lead to the construction the second boathouse (Grade II listed: 12695) at St Justinians to house a motor lifeboat, which was completed in 1911. The first lifeboat to use the new station was the GENERAL FARRELL (1911-1936), followed by the SWN-Y-MOR (1936-1963), the JOSEPH SOAR (1963-1985), and the RUBY AND ARTHUR REED (1985-1988). The final lifeboat to use the second boathouse was the Tyne class GARSIDE (1988-2016).

Construction began on the third boathouse (NPRN 423327) in 2014, a short distance to the south of the first and second boathouses. This work had the aim of housing a Tamar class lifeboat, which was completed in 2016 when the NORAH WORTLEY took up station.

The exterior of the second boathouse was recorded by the RCAHMW via a photogrammetry survey on 16/11/2023 (link below) to assess the feasability of this technique for recording complex monuments within the intertidal zone. Elements of the structure such as the concrete legs underneath the building are difficult to access, while components such as handrails on the slipway and the radio aerial above the crew room are difficult to record with this type of survey. The overall results proved the effectiveness of the technique, and will allow the refinement of methodology for future surveys of this, and similar structures.

Sources Include:

Cadw, Listed Building 12695 (Second Boathouse): https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=&id=12695

Cadw, Listed Building 12696 (First Boathouse): https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=&id=12696

Middleton, G. 2009. The Story of the St Davids Lifeboats. Haverfordwest: Cleddau Press.

RCAHMW Photogrammetry Survey, 16/11/2023: https://skfb.ly/oNJnH

J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, June 2024.

Site Record

RNLI St Davids, St Justinians