This is Calshot

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Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire England. A settlement at the site is believed to have existed since the fifth century AD. It is mentioned as "Cerdicesora" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

Calshot Spit and Activity Centre

In 1539, Henry VIII ordered the construction of Calshot Castle, at the end of Calshot Spit, to defend the port of Southampton from attack. Its strategic importance continues to the present day, and there is still a military presence in Calshot, though the castle is no longer a manned fort.

Calshot is notable for its role in the development of aircraft and flying boats. It was also at one point home to Aircraftsman Shaw who was better known to many as Colonel TE Lawrence of Arabia. Shaw came to Calshot to help with the 1929 Schneider Races and was the personal fitter for Wing Commander Smith of RAF Mountbatten in Plymouth.

More information on RAF Calshot can be found via this external link. The original hangar from the World War II flying boats remains as an activity centre for watersports (including kite-surfing), climbing, snowboarding and track cycling. There is a small velodrome for the cycling, a small practice slopefor practising board tricks, and recently improved facilities for climbing and bouldering. The climbing grades varyfrom about 3 to the occasional 8a. The centre offers residential and visitor courses. Next to the hangaris a dinghy marina. The approach road passes on the landward side of the spit and there are a large number of beach huts. The spit comprises a flint pebble structure more than 1km long. Between it and the main shore is a saltmarshy area with a wealth of wildlife and birds. The nearby Fawley Power Station discharges cooling water into the shallow watersaround Calshot beach and this has led to some reports of warm water species beingattracted into the Solent. The Habitats Directive Review of Consents for the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC) did indeed identify thermal pollution on the intertidalzone on the west shore of Southampton Water but this is likely to be from more than this one source. Excavation for the nearby power station discovered buried land surfaces from the Neolithic as well as intriguing - butunconfirmed - reports of bodies in the Neolithic peat.

Following a volcanic eruption in 1961, the population of the Tristan da Cunha islands were evacuated to Calshot. Many evacuees thrived; children attending local schools and adults employed in a variety of local businesses and ships. But problems occurred: a pensioner was mugged and the islanders lacked immunity from ‘flu epidemics, and also had to endure the harsh winter of 1962 - 1963. Most of the Islanders returned home, but some of the families decided to stay. Currently one islander still lives in Tristan Close with other members of the community still living in nearby towns and villages .

There are spectacular views at night of the Fawley refinery and power station lit up. On a clear day, the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth can be seen to the East, and the Hamble estuary, to the North.

Marconi

Luttrell’s Tower and the nearby house, Eaglehurst, located at Calshot, near Southampton, Hampshire, UK  was let to Guglielmo Marconi in 1906.

He had a laboratory in the top room of the tower, and was able to transmit signals to his yacht, Electra, moored in Cowes Roads.

A stone plaque, affixed to the base of the tower, bears the following legend: “Luttrell’s Tower, built 1730. Here Marconi concluded his wireless experiments during the great war of 1914 – 1918.”

In 1912, he and his family were invited by the White Star line as their guests on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Fortunately Marconi left three days earlier on another ship, and the rest of the family were delayed by his son Giulio’s sudden illness.  Degna, his daughter, recalled how she and her mother climbed the tower on the morning of April 10th to watch the Titanic sail by. Degna was hardly four years old, but she remembered vividly: “....together we waved at the ship, huge and resplendent in the spring sunlight, and dozens of handkerchiefs and scarves were waved back at us.  As the Titanic passed from our view over the calm water, we slowly descended the steps. It was a long way down....” The tragedy of the sinking of the “unsinkable” liner had thus nearly destroyed the family, but Marconi’s genius did save many lives subsequently.

Luttrell’s Tower and Eaglehurst were restored and are managed by the Landmark Trust.

Calshot Raf Railway 1921 until 1945 Can you Help?

I am looking for information and original photos of the railway and the steam locomotive. I am not sure how many locos existed but I have found out that one of them is now at the Talyllyn Railway is a historic narrow-gauge steam railway, set in the beautiful Mid-Wales countryside. Running from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernolat. (contact - shaun@moncasterservices.co.uk)

Info. largely from “Waterside” by Clare and Fred Murley, 1991

Elettra pictured in Mounts Bay, Cornwall : http://www.marconicalling.com

Lutrell’s Tower and Plaque pictures by G6LVJ

Businesses in Burley, Cadnam, Calshot, Exbury, Fawley ,Fordingbridge, Holbury, Hythe, Marchwood, Minstead, Southampton and Totton, Hampshire get a free listing on this site.

contact - shaun@moncasterservices.co.uk