Alexander Luttrell of Dunster Castle, Somerset, was an English land-owner who served as Member of Parliament for his family"s pocket borough of Minehead from 1727 until his death.
Background
Alexander Luttrell was born on 10 May 1705, the eldest son of Colonel Alexander Luttrell, of Dunster Castle, by his wife Dorothy Yard, daughter of Edward Yarde of Churston Ferrers, Devon. In 1726 he married Margaret Trevelyan, daughter of Sir John Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet of Nettlecombe, Somerset, by whom he had a daughter and sole heiress Margaret Luttrell.
Career
He was the last in the male line of the Luttrell family, which had owned Dunster Castle since 1376. In the House of Commons he generally voted against the Government. He held the seat until his death on 4 June 1737.
He was buried on 16 June 1737.
Following his death his estate was in a poor financial condition and was put into Chancery. Mrs Dyke died in 1764.
Maxwell Lyte lists a 1729 portrait of him by John Vanderbank at Dunster Castle, and others existed at one time at Nettlecombe Court and Bathealton Court. One portrait of Edward Dyke hangs at Dunster Castle in 2015.
Bibliography
J. Foster (1887).
Alumni Oxonienses, volume iii. South. Matthews (1970). "Luttrell, Alexander (1705-1737), of Dunster Castle and East Quantoxhead, near Minehead, Som.", The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, educated
R. Sedgwick
hockey club Maxwell-Lyte (1909).
A History of Dunster. (Two volumes: one and two).
Membership
7th Parliament of Great Britain. 8th Parliament of Great Britain]
The Luttrell family"s ownership of the manor and castle of Dunster gave them a "natural interest" over the seat of Minehead, thus a Pocket Borough, and he was returned as a Tory Member of Parliament for that borough shortly after coming of age. Fownes served as Member of Parliament for the Luttrell family"s pocket borough of Minehead.