17th September 2026 • The HERALD • Page 35 v SAY YOU SAW IT IN THE HERALD v ABOUT US Our roofers are the best in the business and are ready to give your roof a full and completely FREE inspection SP DECORATING Painting & Decorating Specialist Simon Perks Tel: 07889 091420 Email: simonperks@rocketmail.com • Interior & Exteriors • Wallpaper Hanging • Prompt & Reliable Service • Free Quotations & Expert Advice • Fully Insured Calshot Castle – A New Lease Of Life by Colin van Geffen Following the ending of the Napoleonic Wars by the signing of the Second Treaty of Paris, 20th November 1815, a new national Coastguard Service was formed and houses were built along the coastline for the men and their families. e Coastguard Cottages at Calshot were very close to the castle and in 1856 the coastguard moved into the Castle which became their HQ for a time. Eventually these cottages were demolished. In 1894 Calshot Castle was handed over to the War Department. Major repairs and re-arming began and continued until 1907, by which time the castle was extensively ‘modernised’. is work included the addition of two Quick-Firing (QF) 12pdr guns on the roof, which entailed installing reinforcements to the ceilings in the oors below, to cope with the 145 tons of concrete used for the gun mounts. e QF guns were not anti-aircra guns. ey were there to deter attacks from the new threat of fast torpedo boats from the continent - small lowpro le fast-moving vessels capable of doing a lot of damage if they got through. e lockers below the mounts were for ammunition. ( e 2nd gun was removed some years ago). Six more Quick-Firing guns were installed in a ground-level embrasure to the south of the castle, where the main (‘Sunderland’) hangar now stands, new outbuildings were added in the improvements and housed three horizontal searchlights, to pick out potential attackers on the surface. ese buildings have also served as stores, o ces and school rooms. External barrack rooms, washroom, bathroom, shower room, boiler room and cookhouse were added at this time. Harbour defences included oating booms that were towed across the mouth of Southampton water by boom-ships to prevent access to surface vessels or attack by torpedo. Modern equivalents – oil-spill control booms, can sometimes be seen being tested from the shore near the Castle. In 1909 apart from the Castle and the Coastguard Station there was also a Yacht Club and a jetty, but the rest of the spit was virtually unspoiled. At the south-western end of Calshot Spit hidden away from the village and overlooking the coast lies Eaglehurst – a large family property built by the 7th Earl of Cavan in the 19th century. In 1911 Guillermo Marconi came to Eaglehurst to conclude his experiments of transmitting radio waves across water, using his yacht Elettra which was moored o Cowes. ese experiments were conducted from a small building beside Luttrell’s Tower, and later from the roof of the tower. It was from here on 10th April 1912 that Marconi’s wife Beatrice and their three-year old daughter Degna waved to Titanic as she sailed past on her fateful voyage. Marconi had sailed to America three days earlier, aboard Lusitania – the whole family had been due to go as guests on Titanic, but he was in a hurry and went ahead. e family were to follow on Titanic when their young son Giulio was suddenly taken ill and they had to remain at Eaglehurst. ( ere will be more on Marconi in future articles). Plan view of courtyard, showing the three searchlight positions (©Colin van Geffen collection) View of Eaglehurst from Luttrell’s Tower (©Colin van Geffen) What’s On At Totton & Eling Community Centre ere is lots going on at Totton and Eling Community Centre on Library Road Totton (SO40 3PR) including: Baby bundles so play every Tuesday (term time only), 10am-12.30pm, including weighing for babies, free. Drop in to the Men’s Shed every Tuesday and Wednesday for a co ee morning 10.30am-11.30am for a chat and a cuppa, they also run chess club, a Ukulele group and lunches. Seated Exercise every Tuesday afternoon 2pm-3.30pm, £2. Bingo on the first Thursday in the month, 2pm-4pm £5 to play. Art erapy group every Thursday, 1pm-4pm, join this friendly group, take along your own art equipment or they can supply. Community lunch the last Thursday in the month 12.30pm-1.45pm, a two course hot lunch anyone is welcome, donation based.
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