15th August: Luttrell’s Tower

On Monday 12th August there was a fatal incident at Calshot when a water user suffered a heart attack.  Ambulances and the Coastguard Helicopter 175 were deployed but were unable to revive him.  Since there would be an item in the weekly Calshot Bulletin I went up the Tower on the 15th to retrieve any photos on the station camera.  However the only image was of Rescue 175 on the beach recorded off the CCTV camera on the Sunderland Hangar since it was out of view from the station.

Luttrell’s Tower

Since I was, for once, not calling at Calshot on my way to Lepe,  I decided to sample a coffee at the Bluebird Cafe (but found very slow service) , and then walk along the beach to see how one can go before being prohibited by the Nature Reserve.

It turns out that one can walk past Luttrell’s Tower in the grounds of Eaglehurst and quite some way beyond.  I can’t help thinking that it is mainly the area in front of Cadland House where access is prohibited!

I was intrigued by the remains of a boat slipway off the Eaglehurst grounds and concrete foundations and a concrete road up towards Luttrell’s Lodge.  According to Hampshire Gardens Trust,  Simon Temple Luttrell acquired the land and had the folly built about 1780. After his death in 1803, the Earl of Cavan’s family owned the estate and the 7th Earl constructed the house.  The 8th Earl decided to sell Eaglehurst in 1844, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert considered it but bought Osbourne House.  Eaglehurst became owned by the Drummond family.  It was then leased to various people including Marconi.  In the 1930s it was leased to the RAF and Navy which may explain the concrete structures.  In 1996 a beach chalet and boathouse on the shore and were in need of repair.

I didn’t go all the way to the start of the Nature Reserve which I assume was where a distant digger was at work.  While it is a pity that one can’t walk from Calshot to Lepe along the beach, I can’t help but think it would be hard going!