Eagle at Pelham Field

Isle of Wight Times extract 1875 –
‘The gardener of “Copse Field”, Pelham Field, saw an eagle sitting on a wall of the property. These birds are extremely rare visitors to this town, and the gardener had no inclination to get too near the stranger. Later on, however, the eagle flew into the ashpit, and the man then procured a net, threw it over the receptacle for rubbish, and secured the bird.’

“Copse Field” was one of the many extensive and distinguished Pelham Field properties built in mid Victorian times. It later changed its name to “Copsefield.” A sales catalogue of 1908 describes it as –

A delightfully placed family or yachting residence, finely timbered, with perfectly secluded pleasure grounds, charming natural woodland and sloping right down to the Solent. The house, solidly built of stone, is a picturesque creeper-clad residence, with porch, hall, inner hall, lounge hall, boudoir or morning room, drawing room, conservatory, dining room, smoking room, eight lofty bedrooms and bathroom.

There are convenient domestic offices: kitchen, scullery, butler’s pantry, cool larder, dairy, servants’ sitting room, wine cellars etc.

The house is approached by a long carriage drive with a stone built entrance lodge containing three rooms. Well away from the residence is the enclosed stable yard with coach house, kennels etc. From the principal windows and from the grounds are obtained views of great beauty over the Anchorage and Racing Course of the Solent, and the Hampshire coast.

Today Copsefield is divided into apartments and the grounds contain numerous residences.

Sources: Isle of Wight Times 19 October 1875; Wallis, Riddett & Co, Sales Catalogue 23 September 1908, Roy Brinton Collection, RSHG Archive
Picture Sources: Close up of Eagle Head, photo by Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons; Copsefield photographs from 1908 Sales catalogue