Around 30 maritime buildings and war memorials have been protected from future demolition.

Monuments marking the island’s part in the Crimean War and the Battle of Inkerman are among 27 landmarks granted protected status.

Milner’s Tower, the Point of Ayre Foghorn and two lifeboat stations in the south of the island have also been included.

Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot says the monuments ’play an important role in our cultural identity’.

They consist of 14 coastal buildings, including six lighthouses and 13 war memorials.

Being added to the island’s protected buildings register (PBR) means they are all protected from demolition, or any alteration that affects their character without registered building consent.

The Crimean War memorial is the earliest in the island, and commemorates Brig Gen Thomas Leigh Goldie, who fell at the Battle of Inkerman in 1854 and has been on display at Nunnery in Douglas for 163 years.

Mr Boot added: ’As an island nation we have a rich and proud maritime history and our war memorials provide people with a poignant reminder of the Manx lives lost in conflict - so I am delighted to add them to the PBR.’

There are now 302 buildings, ranging from thatched cottages to churches, on the protected buildings register.

The other listed maritime structures are: Calf of Man Upper Lighthouse; Calf of Man Lower Lighthouse, Chicken Rock Lighthouse; Corrin’s Tower (Folly), Customs House in Peel, the Harbourmaster’s Office in Port Erin, Maughold Lighthouse Tower, Castletown Nautical Museum, Point of Ayre Winkie Lighthouse, and the Range Front (Leading Light) Lighthouse in Port Erin.

Alongside the Crimean memorial, the other ones listed are: Ballaugh Parish War Memorial, Castletown War Memorial, Douglas Borough Cemetery Memorial, the Goldie Taubman Memorial at Douglas Head, King William’s College War Memorial, Lezayre Parish War Memorial, the Mona’s Queen (Dunkirk) Memorial in Port St Mary, the National War Memorial in St John’s, Onchan Parish War Memorial, Ramsey Town War Memorial and Santon Parish War Memorial.

Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture Geoffrey Boot MHK said: ’These buildings and war memorials play an important role in our cultural identity and it is important to protect them for future generations.

’As an island nation we have a rich and proud maritime history and our war memorials provide people with a poignant reminder of the Manx lives lost in conflict - so I am delighted to add them to the PBR.’