Luttrell's Tower
Encyclopedia
Luttrells Tower is a three-story stuccoed yellow brick folly
south of Southampton
, Hampshire
near the village of Calshot
. It has a 6 storey circular stair turret extending above the rest. It stands on the shore of the Solent
, close to the grounds of Eaglehurst House but is owned by the Landmark Trust
.
by Thomas Sandby
who was a founder member and first Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy.
Temple Luttrell was a Member of Parliament who had various smuggling interests on the south coast. The fact that the tower has a lookout that extends above the height of the main building would have afforded a commanding view of the activities of the customs men in the area, both out to sea and inland. The fact that there is tunnel from an entrance just above the beach, straight into the cellar of the tower would have made transferring contraband from the Isle of Wight a low risk operation. Once on the mainland the proximity of Southampton would have made distribution expeditious. Originally a number of marquees were permanently erected at the base of the tower, where those involved in the activities would shelter, but later Eaglehurst House was constructed. Documentation in the tower suggests there may have been tunnels from the base of the tower into the cellars of Eaglehurst House, if so they are now blocked up.
used it for his wireless experiments of 1912. He rented Eaglehurst House and the tower between 1911 and 1916, and used the top of the tower for his transmissions. His youngest daughter, Gioia, was christened at Fawley church in 1916
Most recently owned by the Landmark Trust
, a charity that rescues and restores historical buildings, since 1968, the tower has been available to let as a holiday home.
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
south of Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
near the village of Calshot
Calshot
Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire, England at the west corner of Southampton_Water where it joins the Solent. A settlement at the site is believed to have existed since the fifth century AD...
. It has a 6 storey circular stair turret extending above the rest. It stands on the shore of the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
, close to the grounds of Eaglehurst House but is owned by the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
.
Construction date
Built Circa 1780 for Temple Simon Luttrell.by Thomas Sandby
Thomas Sandby
Thomas Sandby was an English draughtsman, watercolour artist, architect and teacher. Along with his younger brother Paul, he became one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768, and was its first professor of architecture...
who was a founder member and first Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy.
Temple Luttrell was a Member of Parliament who had various smuggling interests on the south coast. The fact that the tower has a lookout that extends above the height of the main building would have afforded a commanding view of the activities of the customs men in the area, both out to sea and inland. The fact that there is tunnel from an entrance just above the beach, straight into the cellar of the tower would have made transferring contraband from the Isle of Wight a low risk operation. Once on the mainland the proximity of Southampton would have made distribution expeditious. Originally a number of marquees were permanently erected at the base of the tower, where those involved in the activities would shelter, but later Eaglehurst House was constructed. Documentation in the tower suggests there may have been tunnels from the base of the tower into the cellars of Eaglehurst House, if so they are now blocked up.
Uses
MarconiGuglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
used it for his wireless experiments of 1912. He rented Eaglehurst House and the tower between 1911 and 1916, and used the top of the tower for his transmissions. His youngest daughter, Gioia, was christened at Fawley church in 1916
Modern Use
It became a Grade: II* Listed building on 8 October 1959.Most recently owned by the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
, a charity that rescues and restores historical buildings, since 1968, the tower has been available to let as a holiday home.