L u t t r e l l `s T o w e r

It`s probably not unknown for a yacht sailing into Calshot or
Southampton, to inadvertently have an odd bottle of whisky or sherry
laying forgotten in one of its lockers. So it would not be classed as
smuggling when it is not declared to customs, more a case of an innocent
mistake or lapse of memory.
The local tale has it that in the past people had three Custom and Excise
options to choose from in this area, the red channel, the green channel,
or Luttrell`s tower, and for this reason the tower saw many a nocturnal
activity.
Photographs
Submitted by and copyright of Gary Player
Luttrell the Smuggler
It was built in the 1780`s for a Mr Temple Simon Luttrell by Thomas
Sandby. It has three storeys with it is said an extensive cellar, from
which there is a tunnel that leads directly to the beach, exiting in
the cliff face below.

The
inside of the tower is finely decorated inside, and unlike many a folly
tower this was built to be habitable when needed, so therefore it is
not actually a folly in the true sense.

How do you construct a tower, which considering its position and tunnel
to the beach had one sole purpose, and avoid being apprehended for smuggling
? You smuggle in contraband for the right people, in Mr Luttrell`s case
the then Prince Regent.
Unfortunately for Luttrell the French were not of the same mind as the
Prince Regent, and imprisoned him for several years.
Visiting:-
The tower is now owned by the Landmark Trust who own many follies and
rent them out as holiday accommodation, it is not open to the public
however, the property can be viewed from the beach though.
Co-Ords:
447690 100960 / SU 476009 
Bookmark this Page 
Reproduction of part or all of the contents of any of these pages is prohibited except to the extent permitted below.
These pages may be downloaded onto a hard disk or printed for your personal use without alterations. Any other use needs consent of the web site owner Mr C Curtis :- see Contact Page. These pages may not be included in any other work or publication, or be distributed or copied for any commercial purpose except as stated above.