The Luttrell FAQs
QUESTION 103: Who was the founder (first Luttrell) of Luttrellstown?
ANSWER 103- A
There are many writers who have mentioned Sir Geoffrey Luttrell as being the probable recipient of land from King John that was, what became known as, Luttrellstown. But, the Irish historian, F. E. Ball, in "A History of the County Dublin, Vol. IV" states "The only reference to Sir Geoffrey Luttrell's estates in Ireland relates to land in Thomond. . . ."
However he goes on to relate that Luttrells in the succeeding generations have "connections with the Luttrellstown neighborhood" as does the Dunster historian, Maxwell-Lyte in "A History of Dunster".
"Geoffrey Luttrell, the first recorded member of the English family of that name, was a minister of King John in Ireland, and acquired land in that country. Robert Luttrell, who may have been related to him, was a Canon of St. Patrick's, Dublin, in 1228, and for a time the King's Chancellor in Ireland. At the close of that century, Michael Luttrell had property near Lucan, in the county of Dublin, at or close to the place afterwards known as Luttrellstown. In 1349, there is mention of a certain Simon Luttrell in the same neighbourhood, and it may be noted that his Christian name recurs in the pedigree of the Irish Luttrells. Lastly, a certain Robert Luttrell, son of John Luttrell, occurs in the reign of Henry the Fifth as owning the land that had belonged to Simon Luttrell some sixty years before."
(From A History of Dunster, Appendix D, "The Luttrells of Luttrellstown Near Dublin", pg. 540, by H. C. Maxwell-Lyte, 1909).
As can be seen in the documents listed in "Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, King John and the Sheriff of Nottingham" on this website, Sir Geoffrey Luttrell's estates in Ireland were all given by the King (Henry III, son of King John) to Philip Marc who also was awarded the guardianship and marriages (for his own son and daughter) of Sir Geoffrey's English son and Irish daughter.
Robert Luttrell, who may have been Geoffrey's son or brother, is the first Luttrell who seems to be in possession of land in Castleknock at, or near, the land which later came to be known as Luttrellstown.
. . .
"Archbishop Alan tells us that under Archbishop Luke, Richard Gnouessale, Archdeacon of Glendalough held the prebend of Castleknock. We know, in fact, that he was Archdeacon in 1226 and had ceased to be Archdeacon before 1238. Hence we conclude that there was a prebend of Castleknock about 1230. But the prebend did not include the whole of the tithes of the parish. For between 1219 and 1223 the Convent of Malvern granted half of the tithes to the economy of St Patrick's. Moreover this concession was not to take effect till
after the death of Robert Lutterell, the farmer of the convent. Lutterell died shortly before August 1249,
and in that month the instrument of confirmation was sealed by Archbishop Luke.
http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/cathedral_chapter.htm
Castleknock included Luttrellstown and Clonsilla (3) F E Ball, "Parish of Clonsilla"
The location of this land in Castleknock is unknown. If it was conferred on Robert Luttrell's heirs at his death is unknown, but, land in Castleknock, in the vicinity of Luttrellstown shows up in the possession of the Luttrells in the not distant future (at the close of the 13th century). GEL
_______________________________
RE: the claim that Luttrellstown was granted to Sir Geoffrey Luttrell by King John (died 1216). . .
"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."
https://celtic2realms-medievalnews.blogspot.com/2017/08/luttrell-of-luttrellstown-early-records.html
Luttrell of Luttrellstown: early records by Niall C.E.J. O’Brien
From King Henry II, Hugh de Lacy received huge grants of land stretching from Dublin to the Shannon, including extensive districts in Meath. Hugh Tyrrell arrived in Ireland in 1171, as one of "De Lacy's Knights". De Lacy therefore, acting as King's bailiff, granted by charter—later confirmed by another charter of Henry's—the fort of Cnucha, from now on described as Castleknock, and the surrounding district "to his dear friend" Hugh Tyrrell.
Before the end of the thirteenth century a number of families had become established upon the Castleknock lands, some by grants direct from the Crown, others by becoming tenants of the Tyrrells. These families have left their names on the districts which they occupied at that time—such as Abbot, Blanchard, Keppok (Cappoge), Luttrell, Pilate (Pellet), Deuswell (Diswell), etc. Castleknock included practically all the land now enclosed in the Phoenix Park, extending thence nearly to the borders of County Meath, containing within it the present districts of Castleknock, Clonsilla, Mullahudert. and some land to the north-west of the last.
An account of the Castleknock demesne and the Castleknock lands from which the Lord in 1408 we have in a writ of seisin granted to Thomas Serjaunt of the Manor still drew revenue.
The lands from which revenue is derived include
20 acres in Tyremolyn [Timolin] under Robert Luttrell; lands in Luttrelstown under Robert Luttrell; one messuages and one carucate in Barbiestown [Barberstown] held by Robert Luttrell; and, 40 acres in Fynnaghland held by Robert Luttrell. . . .
The Tyrrells of Castleknock
https://www.knockunion.ie/news/castleknock-castle-its-owners-354
Early history of Luttrellstown
Richard Tyrrell's son and heir Hugh, third baron of Castleknock, who appears to have been at the English court in 1223 when his father died, was one of the magnates of Ireland on whom Henry the Third placed chief reliance....
To the south-west (of Castleknock) at Clonsilla the family of Luttrell had been enfeffed by the Tyrrells, subject to homage and an annual service of forty pence....
When the Irish tribes began to invade the country near the mountains in the last decade of the thirteenth century, some of the inhabitants took refuge at Castleknock, which, as has been already mentioned, was then known as 'the land of peace.' One of them, Paul Lagheles by name, found, however, that the land of peace was not necessarily a land of safety, and his sheep, to the number of 200, were carried off while grazing in Luttrellstown by, as he alleged, men from Louth, who were coming to fight the king's enemies in the mountains.
At the close of the fourteenth century the religious houses and several of the families mentioned at the close of the previous century remained in possession of their lands. The de la Feldes were still found at Corduff, the Woodlocks at Cappoge, and the Luttrells at Luttrellstown.
(3) Ball, "History of the County Dublin", Part VI
