Luttrell
of Luttrellstown: early records
Niall
C.E.J. O’Brien
Introduction
In 1768 Simon Luttrell
of Luttrellstown near Dublin was raised to the peerage and took the title of
Baron Irnham. Later in 1781 and 1785 he was created Viscount Carhampton nd Earl
of Carhampton respectively. With these titles Simon Luttrell was claiming to be
a descendant of the original stock of Luttrell of Lincolnshire and more
particularly that of the branch of the Luttrell family established in Somerset.
But there is no evidence to support this connection with the Somerset family.
Indeed the Luttrell arms of Luttrellstown which bore a chevron between three
otters was different from the Luttrell family of Dunster, Somerset which was a
bend between six mantlets.[1]
Luttrellstown Castle
Early
Luttrells in Ireland
The first of the
Luttrell family to be associated with Ireland was Geoffrey Luttrell in the time
of King John. As well as serving the King in that country, Geoffrey Luttrell
acquired some land.[2]
In 1218 an inquisition into these lands was ordered as Philip Marc was to have
custody of the property during the minority of Geoffrey’s heir. Other documents
tell us the heir was a daughter and Philip Marc had the right of marriage.[3]
Because Geoffrey Luttrell left a female heir it is unlikely that the later
Luttrells of Luttrellstown were his descendants.
Additional documents
show other people by the name of Luttrell living in medieval Ireland. In 1228
Robert Luttrell was canon of St. Patrick’s Dublin and treasurer of the
cathedral. In 1245 Robert Luttrell served for a short time as Chancellor of
Ireland.[4]
Towards the end of the thirteenth century Michael Luttrell held land near
Lucan, Co. Dublin.[5]
In 1300 Nicholas Luttrell was involved in the court case between Reginald de
Dene and Thomas son of Alured.[6] In
about 1306 Geoffrey Luttrell was a witness in an inquisition by Walter de la
Haye concerning the property of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist outside
the New Gate of Dublin.[7] In
1349 Simon Luttrell lived near Lucan and in the reign of Henry V, Robert
Luttrell, son of John Luttrell, claimed to own the lands of the afore mentioned
Simon Luttrell.[8]
In about 1360 another Michael Luttrell held about 50 acres of the Archbishop of
Dublin at Johnston.[9]
This was possibly the same Michael Luttrell who was a witness concerning the
Archbishop of Dublin’s property around Finglas.[10] In
1391 John Luttrell was one of the attorneys for the parson of Ballygarth.[11]
Robert
Luttrell
The first of the
Luttrell family to be associated with Luttrellstown as per the documentary
evidence was Robert Luttrell in the early fifteenth century. In 1408 Robert
Luttrell is mentioned as tenant of Luttrellstown from the Tyrell family at the
manor of Castleknock. William Bolthame was an under tenant of Robert at
Luttrellstown by the service of 20d rent. William Bolthame was also a tenant of
Robert Luttrell at Tyremoln, Barbiestown, and Fynnaghland.[12] In
about 1402 Robert Luttrell took Nicholas Whit, vicar of Carbery, to the common
bench at Carlow on a plea of debt.[13] In
1420 Robert Luttrell was one of the subsidy collectors and again in 1421 when
he was assisted by John Luttrell.[14]
Luttrellstown castle
Christopher
Luttrell
In the mid fifteenth
century Christopher Luttrell was the owner of Luttrellstown. On 25th
March 1455 Christopher Luttrell of Clonchillagh (Clonsilla) died leaving a son
called Thomas Luttrell who was nineteen years old and married to Elena,
daughter of Philip Bellew. On 4th August 1455 an inquisition post
mortem held at Castleknock, Co. Dublin found Christopher Luttrell to have
Luttrellstown, held of the manor of Castleknock for 3s 4d per annum; along with
Clonsilla which was held of the same manor at 30s per annum; a piece of ground
called Tyremolyn which was held at 8s per annum and Barbyeston, held of Castleknock
at 47s per annum. For these lands, Christopher Luttrell did royal service and
suit of court at the manor of Castleknock.[15]
This inquisition shows
that the Luttrell family had Luttrellstown in 1455 but that they were living in
Clonsilla. It also shows that the family held no land in chief of the king but
instead rented Luttrellstown and other lands from the manor of Castleknock.
Evidence from elsewhere shows the Tyrrell family as lords of Castleknock in
1255 and 1355 and possibly in the time of Christopher Luttrell.[16] In
1537 John Burnell and Sir Christopher Barnewall shared the manor of Castleknock
in two halves.[17]
Not all the land in
Luttrellstown was the sole possession of the Luttrell family. In 1537 John
Burnell, lord of Castleknock, held some land in Luttrellstown.[18]
Thomas
Luttrell
The heir of Christopher
Luttrell was a nineteen year old son called Thomas Luttrell. In 1532 Thomas
Luttrell of Luttrellstown owed fealty and suit for lands at Baltra to Thomas
Holywood (died 26th September 1532).[19] On
27th June 1541 Peter, Earl of Ormond, granted 4 marks per year to
Thomas Luttrell of Luttrellstown for good service from the lands formerly held
by George Shaw.[20]
In 1547 Thomas Luttrell of Luttrellstown rented two messuages in Esker from St.
Patrick’s Cathedral.[21]
As an ambitious
landowner Sir Thomas Luttrell got involved in the dissolution of the
monasteries acquired the lands of St Mary's Abbey at Coolmine. Yet previous to
1540 Sir Thomas Luttrell had a lease on a number of religious properties
including the tithes of Clane, Co. Kildare from Kilmainham priory along with
the rectories of Rathmoylan and Killocongon in Co. Meath.[22] In
politics from 1532 to 1554 Sir Thomas Luttrell was Chief Justice of the Irish
Common Pleas.
The will of Sir Thomas
Luttrell of Luttrellstown, written on 31st December 1553, listed
lands in many different places. Some of these lands were held by ancient
inheritance but other property was recently acquired such as the seven parishes
which were formerly owned by the dissolved house of St. John the Baptist
outside the New Gate.[23]
In his will Thomas
Luttrell of Luttrellstown proposed to divide his estate among his six sons,
James, Simon, Robert, John, Walter and Christopher. While the sons were under
twenty years of age the rents of the Luttrell property would be received by
Thomas Luttrell’s brother-in-law, John Plunket of Dunshaughlin, James
Barnewall, his brother, Robert Luttrell Archdeacon of Meath and his sons-in-law
Luke Nettervill and Thomas Dillon. Thomas Luttrell also provided for his
daughters. Maude Luttrell was to get a marriage portion of £200 while Amy, wife
of Thomas Dillon, and Margaret, wife of Luke Nettervill, were to get £10 each.[24]
Christopher
Luttrell
The son and heir of
Thomas Luttrell was Christopher Luttrell and he was to have the manor and manor
house of Luttrellstown along with property at Knockrudder, Babeston,
Curtayheston, Ashburneslandes, Ballynconulley, Delquin, Ballydonnogh, Stagery,
Ballmakee, Brewon and all the lands in the parish of Clonsilla with reminder to
James, Simon, John and Walter Luttrell. Christopher Luttrell was also to
receive the family silver of basins and spoons. If James Luttrell should
succeed to Luttrellstown and the other property of Christopher Luttrell then he
was to cease to have Athboy which would pass to Simon Luttrell and if Simon
Luttrell succeeded then Athboy was to go to Robert Luttrell and so on.
If all these brothers
should die or fail to produce male heirs, Nicholas Luttrell, son of Robert
Luttrell was to succeed. Robert Luttrell was an uncle of Thomas Luttrell of
Luttrellstown.[25]
Elsewhere in the will
Thomas Luttrell directed that the manors of Dunboyne and Moymitt along with the
tithes of Colonshilighe, the lands of Dunboyne called Sopocke, held on lease
from Patrick Luttrell, certain lands in Clanhuston and Dunboyne, the lands ad
rents in Skagobbe, Hunteiston and other property were to go to the son who
inherited Luttrellstown. But if that son was a minor the revenue of the
aforesaid property would be shared among the surviving sons.[26]
Other
bequests of Thomas Luttrell
In his will, Thomas
Luttrell of Luttrellstown also left bequests to other family members such as
£200 to Anne Luttrell, daughter of his son Richard Luttrell. But if Anne
Luttrell married Edward Plunket of Balrathe, the wardship of whom Thomas
Luttrell had purchased, then Anne was to get only 50 marks. Elizabeth Luttrell,
daughter of Simon Luttrell, Thomas’s brother was to get 50 marks also as she
was already married. Her sisters, Mary and Catherine were unmarried and so they
were given £200 each as a marriage portion.[27]
Towards the end of his
will, Thomas Luttrell directed that money be spent on the repair of Malahide
Bridge. He also asked for the chancel of Clonsilla church to be widened and his
tomb placed in this new part of the church.[28]
On 15th May 1554 Thomas Luttrell of Luttrellstown died.[29]
The Luttrell family
continued at Luttrellstown castle until 1811 when the then owner, Henry Lawes
Luttrell, 2nd Earl of Carhampton, sold it to Henry White, a
successful bookseller.[30]
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End of post
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[1] Maxwell-Lyte,
H., A History of Dunster and the Families
of Mohun and Luttrell (2 vols. St. Catherine Press, London, 1909), Vol. II,
pp. 539, 540
[2] Maxwell-Lyte,
A History of Dunster and the Families of
Mohun and Luttrell, Vol. II, p. 540
[3] Sweetman,
H.S. (ed.), Calendar of Documents
relating to Ireland (5 vols. Kraus reprint, 1974), Vol. 1 (1171-1251), nos.
821, 861, 889
[4] Sweetman
(ed.), Calendar of Documents relating to
Ireland, Vol. 1 (1171-1251), nos. 1651, 1652, 1655, 1656, 1661, 1665, 1691,
1717, 1773, 2796
[5] Sweetman
(ed.), Calendar of Documents relating to
Ireland, Vol. 3 (1285-1292), pp. 97, 157; Calendar of Justiciary Rolls,
1295-1301, pp. 76, 222, 301; Mills, J. (ed.), Calendar of the Justiciary Rolls of Ireland, XXII to XXXI, Edward 1
(Dublin, 1905), p. 222
[6] Mills,
J. (ed.), Calendar of the Justiciary
Rolls of Ireland, XXII to XXXI, Edward 1 (Dublin, 1905), p. 301
[7] Brooks,
E. St. John (ed.), Register of the
Hospital of St. John the Baptist without the New Gate, Dublin (Dublin, 1936),
no. 302
[8] Maxwell-Lyte,
A History of Dunster and the Families of
Mohun and Luttrell, Vol. II, p. 540
[9] McNeill,
C. (ed.), Calendar of Archbishop’s Alen’s
Register c.1172-1534 (Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 1950), pp.
213
[10] Dryburgh,
P. & Smith, B. (ed.), Handbook and
Select Calendar of Sources for Medieval Ireland in the National Archives of the
United Kingdom (Dublin, 2005), p. 157
[14] Richardson,
H.G. & Sayles, G.O. (ed.), Parliaments
and Councils of Medieval Ireland, volume 1 (Dublin, 1947), pp. 142, 180
[15] Griffith,
M.C. (ed.), Calendar of inquisitions
formerly in the Office of the Chief Remembrancer of the Exchequer prepared from
the MSS of the Irish Record Commission (Irish Manuscripts Commission,
Dublin, 1991), no. H VI
[16] McNeill
(ed.), Calendar of Archbishop’s Alen’s
Register c.1172-1534, pp. 81, 209
[17] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. H VIII 105
[18] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. H VIII 105
[19] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. H VIII 65
[20] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. E VI 3
[21] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. E VI 1 (2)
[22] McNeill,
C. (ed.), Registrum de Kilmainham: Register
of Charter Acts of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in Ireland, 1326-1339
(Dublin, n.d.), pp. 145, 149
[23] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24, note 1
[24] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24, note 1
[25] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24, note 1
[26] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24, note 1
[27] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24, note 1
[28] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24, note 1
[29] Griffith
(ed.), Calendar of inquisitions in Office
of the Chief Remembrancer, no. P & M 24
[30] http://www.luttrellstowncastle.com/files/hotel/downloads/Castle_History_Booklet.pdf
accessed on 20th August 2017
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