The Tower of Refuge was erected in 1832 on Conister Rock. It was the response of Sir William Hillary, founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, to the problem of rescuing people wrecked on this hazard. The unpowered lifeboat could not reach them before they were swept off. They could shelter in the mock castle until they could be reached from the shore. The RNLI flag is still flown from this structure.