1830-1832 The Tower of Refuge, Douglas Bay, Isle of Man

As a direct result of the wreck of the 'St George' in 1830, Sir William Hillary (Founder of the RNLI) who had been involved in the rescue attempt, petitioned for a lighthouse or sanctuary to be built on the small reef in Douglas Bay known variously as St Mary's Isle or Conister Rocks. However, the Harbour Commissioners refused to take action as the islet was in private ownership. Undeterred Sir William launched a public subscription, promising to fund any shortfall himself. The final cost of the building was £250 of which Sir William paid £78.

Manx Attorney General John Quane, the owner of the islet, presented it to Sir William, with the request that the present and all future Presidents of the MANX Lifeboat Society, would hold the Islet and Tower in trust, the Tower was designed by John Welch, who also designed several other buildings on the island namely the churches at Ballaugh, Kirk Michael and Lezayre, and is modelled on a 13th century castle, and any mariners who having need of the Tower would be able to use the bell housed there to summon help, with steps inside the Tower to take the mariner up onto the castellated flat roof, which is well above the waves affording shelter from the storm, his remit from Sir William, was to use the "rudest and strongest" materials available so as to stave off the worst of all the inclement seas and forces possible. The first stone being laid with much pomp and ceremony by Sir William and was completed in 1832, all the work being carried out at low tide for greater safety. 

The Tower was given it's now famous name by the poet William Wordsworth when he wrote...
 
"Blest work it is of love and innocence,
      A Tower of Refuge built for the else forlorn,
Spare it ye waves, and lift the mariner
     struggling for life, into its saving arms."