Padstow has the second-oldest established lifeboat station in Cornwall. It was set up on 24 January 1827 mainly as a result of the efforts of Commander Williams, chief officer of coastguards. He collected C30 towards the cost of providing a lifeboat and contacted the National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, the fore-runner to the RNLI, which agreed to make a donation of £10 and place the station on its records..