Established in 1853 the Newquay Lifeboat Station operate two inshore lifeboats. Funded by a bequest from Mrs Mary Triniman a new boathouse was commissioned in 1994 for the harbour to the East of the original Towan Head lifeboat station. The new station replaced an old timber building in the harbour which had housed the Newquay Seamen's Mission.
Before resorting to demolition the project team considered lifting the historic building to an adjacent site but it proved too unstable. To compensate for the loss the Institution agreed to provide a small mission church as an annex to the boathouse. The old floorboards and furnishings from the church were reinstated in the new church, preserving part of the history of the former building.
The joint RNLI boathouse and Seaman's Mission provided housing for D Class and Atlantic lifeboats as well as new crew facilities. Newquay's new lifeboat station was dedicated and opened officially on 22 October 1994. The new lifeboat boathouse was unique in that it was the only one in the country to have a mission church as an annex.
The building has become a well loved community asset and regularly opens it doors for local events and fund raising activities.
