The Gatehouse website record for Luton Court House

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Falkes de Breautes castle

In the civil parish of Luton. In the historic county of Bedfordshire (Modern Authority of Luton, 1974 county of Bedfordshire).

Castle erected in 1221 by Falkes de Breuté without licence, possibly with wet defences since he damed the river and flooded the church and other buildings. Earthworks now entirely disappeared. This is the site of Court House, a large square moated mansion documented by Leland. Salter writes this might be Someries though the description of flooding would make this impossible.
The probable site of a castle built in 1221 by Faulke de Breaute. Documents from the Assive at Dunstable in 1224 record that he was said to have dammed the river unlawfully, presumably for the moat around the castle, resulting in flooding to surrounding property. The area of the castle seems to have covered most of the area between St Mary's Church to the north and Lea Road to the south, with the River Lea at its eastern end and St Ann's Road to the west. The castle was subsequently demolished and the Court House built in the southern corner of the castle area. This was a moated house, probably reusing part of the castle moat, and was apparently still standing in 1611. (Beds HER)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL09602104

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 359708
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 185 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
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