Like many previous generations of Luttrells since the 16th century, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Minehead, his family's pocket borough near Dunster.

[4] Henry Fownes Luttrell therefore promptly vacated his seat in favour of North's candidate, former Governor Thomas Pownall.

[4] Henry Fownes Luttrell continued the pattern of reserving one seat for his son and selling the other to government supporter until his death in 1780.

Fownes Luttrell's allies in Minehead then planned the eviction of tenants who had failed to support the family, but Langston persisted and contested the seat again in 1802, but was defeated.

[6] Fownes Luttrell intended to return himself again in 1806, but after his treating voters extended into the period when that was forbidden, he withdrew in favour of his friend Sir John Lethbridge.