Lutterworth
Encyclopedia
Lutterworth is a market town
and civil parish in the Harborough
district of Leicestershire
, England
. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Rugby
, in Warwickshire
and 24 km (14.9 mi) south of Leicester
. It had a population of 8,293 in the 2001 UK census.
Leicester–Rugby road, adjacent to the M1 motorway
at junction 20. It is also located within a few miles of the M6 motorway
and A5 trunk road. The town once had a station
on the Great Central Railway
; however, since its closure the nearest railway station is now at Rugby
. A southern bypass, the A4303, was opened in 1999, providing a route for traffic from the M1 to the A5 to avoid Lutterworth town centre.
name "Lutter's Vordig" meaning Luther's Farm. Lutterworth was mentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1086.
The town was granted its Market Charter in 1214 by King John
and continues to hold a market to this day.
In the 14th century religious reformer Canon John Wyclif was Rector in Lutterworth's Parish Church of St Mary between 1374 and 1384, and it was here that he is traditionally believed to have produced the first translation of the Bible
from Latin
into English
.
In the days of the stagecoach
, Lutterworth was an important stopping-place on the road from Leicester to Oxford
and London
, and many former coaching inn
s remain in the town. The town also contains some historic half-timbered
buildings, some of which date back to the 16th century.
Altogether three railway stations have borne the name Lutterworth, but only one was actually in the town. The first was "Ullesthorpe & Lutterworth", about 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north west, on the former Midland Railway
(later part of the LMS
) line from Rugby to Leicester, closed on 1 January 1962. The second was "Welford & Kilworth", at one time known as "Welford & Lutterworth", some 8 km (5 mi) east on the London and North Western Railway
(also later LMS) line from Rugby to Market Harborough
and Peterborough
, closed on 6 June 1966. The third (the only one actually in Lutterworth) was on the Great Central Railway (later part of the LNER), the last main line to be constructed from the north of England
to London
, opened on 15 March 1899. Detractors of the Great Central point out that Lutterworth was the only town along its whole route not previously served directly by another line, and that the Great Central's presence had no real effect on the town, since it remained at roughly the same size throughout the line's existence, only growing substantially since the line's closure on 5 May 1969.
The architect of Lutterworth Town Hall was Joseph Hansom
, who took out the first patent of the horse-drawn Hansom cab
. He built Lutterworth's town hall as a prototype for his later design of Birmingham Town Hall
.
The parish church is St Mary's.
, inventor of the jet engine
, developed some of the world's first jet engines at the British Thomson-Houston
works in Lutterworth, and in nearby Rugby, during the late 1930s and the 1940s. The engine for the UK's first jet aeroplane, the Gloster E.28/39
, was produced in Lutterworth. A statue of the plane stands in the middle of a roundabout just south of the town as a memorial.
For many years there was a pub on Leicester Road called "The Frank Whittle". It was demolished in the 1990s and replaced with a car show room. During 2010 that showroom has also now been replaced with residential apartments. In the centre of the town on the Greenacres estate, the public house previously known as "The Balloon" has been renamed as "The Sir Frank Whittle" so the connection of the name to the town is intact.
The Cavalier Inn (The Cav to its locals) is located just on the north edge of the town centre of Lutterworth and dates back to the 17th century.
Although the building has been tastefully modified over the years, it still retains its rustic charm with granite walls and low ceilings and beams.
It is said that it acquired its name after wounded royalist soldiers sheltered in Lutterworth following the Battle of Naseby in 1645.
In October 2010 the landlady of 30 years elected to retire, and the pub has now closed. The building itself belongs to the local Co-op store and the future use of the building is yet to be decided. It is a listed building so the notable facade should be kept intact.
This former abattoir and butchers is the oldest timber-framed building in Lutterworth dating back to the 16th century, it was a first used as a public house in 1791 until 1840 it was then converted back to a home and butchers shop. In 1982 it was converted back into a public house and named the Shambles.
, which is the main source of employment in the Lutterworth area. Magna Park is built upon the site of the old Bitteswell aerodrome. Also near Lutterworth is Stanford Hall
.
It is a great controversy in the town how to manage the traffic flows emanating from Magna Park and the nearby M1 and A5 trunk roads. Some 3,000 heavy goods vehicles pass through the town every day and pollution levels are amongst the highest in the country. The town council has established a task group to try to resolve the issues surrounding the proposed Lutterworth Western Relief Road (or bypass) following extensive publicity in the local press.
There is a Co-op
on George Street, and a Morrisons
(formerly Safeway) on Bitteswell Road, as well as a Subway
on the High Street. Waitrose
opened on 11 March 2010 on a site previously occupied by Netto
.
Lutterworth also houses the British Isles headquarters of Gideons International
.
building on Churchgate before moving to a new location on Bitteswell Road in 1983. Sherrier featured on the BBC TV children's TV programme Blue Peter
on 5 February 2008.
(for ages 14–18) on Bitteswell Road, both of which achieve good results in applicable exams.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish in the Harborough
Harborough
Harborough is a local government district of Leicestershire, England, named after its main town, Market Harborough. Covering , the District is by far the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the County....
district of Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and 24 km (14.9 mi) south of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. It had a population of 8,293 in the 2001 UK census.
Transport
Lutterworth lies on the A426A426 road
The A426 road is a road in England which runs from the city of Leicester to the market town of Southam in Warwickshire via the towns of Lutterworth and Rugby.-History:...
Leicester–Rugby road, adjacent to the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
at junction 20. It is also located within a few miles of the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
and A5 trunk road. The town once had a station
Lutterworth railway station
Lutterworth was a station on the Great Central Railway, the last main line to be constructed from the north of England to London, which opened in 1899 to serve the small Leicestershire town of Lutterworth...
on the Great Central Railway
Great Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
; however, since its closure the nearest railway station is now at Rugby
Rugby railway station
Rugby railway station serves the town of Rugby in Warwickshire, England. It opened during the Victorian era, in 1885, replacing earlier stations situated a little further west...
. A southern bypass, the A4303, was opened in 1999, providing a route for traffic from the M1 to the A5 to avoid Lutterworth town centre.
History
The name of Lutterworth is probably derived from the Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
name "Lutter's Vordig" meaning Luther's Farm. Lutterworth was mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086.
The town was granted its Market Charter in 1214 by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
and continues to hold a market to this day.
In the 14th century religious reformer Canon John Wyclif was Rector in Lutterworth's Parish Church of St Mary between 1374 and 1384, and it was here that he is traditionally believed to have produced the first translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
In the days of the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
, Lutterworth was an important stopping-place on the road from Leicester to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and many former coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s remain in the town. The town also contains some historic half-timbered
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
buildings, some of which date back to the 16th century.
Altogether three railway stations have borne the name Lutterworth, but only one was actually in the town. The first was "Ullesthorpe & Lutterworth", about 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north west, on the former Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
(later part of the LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
) line from Rugby to Leicester, closed on 1 January 1962. The second was "Welford & Kilworth", at one time known as "Welford & Lutterworth", some 8 km (5 mi) east on the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(also later LMS) line from Rugby to Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
and Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, closed on 6 June 1966. The third (the only one actually in Lutterworth) was on the Great Central Railway (later part of the LNER), the last main line to be constructed from the north of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, opened on 15 March 1899. Detractors of the Great Central point out that Lutterworth was the only town along its whole route not previously served directly by another line, and that the Great Central's presence had no real effect on the town, since it remained at roughly the same size throughout the line's existence, only growing substantially since the line's closure on 5 May 1969.
The architect of Lutterworth Town Hall was Joseph Hansom
Joseph Hansom
Joseph Aloysius Hansom was a prolific English architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style, who invented the Hansom cab and was one of the founders of the eminent architectural journal, The Builder, in 1843....
, who took out the first patent of the horse-drawn Hansom cab
Hansom cab
The hansom cab is a kind of horse-drawn cart designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York. The vehicle was developed and tested by Hansom in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. Originally called the Hansom safety cab, it was designed to combine speed with safety, with a low...
. He built Lutterworth's town hall as a prototype for his later design of Birmingham Town Hall
Birmingham Town Hall
Birmingham Town Hall is a Grade I listed concert and meeting venue in Victoria Square, Birmingham, England. It was created as a home for the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival established in 1784, the purpose of which was to raise funds for the General Hospital, after St Philip's Church became...
.
The parish church is St Mary's.
Sir Frank Whittle
Lutterworth's other claim to fame is that Frank WhittleFrank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
, inventor of the jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
, developed some of the world's first jet engines at the British Thomson-Houston
British Thomson-Houston
British Thomson-Houston was a British engineering and heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England. They were known primarily for their electrical systems and steam turbines. They were merged with the similar Metropolitan-Vickers company in 1928, but the two maintained their own...
works in Lutterworth, and in nearby Rugby, during the late 1930s and the 1940s. The engine for the UK's first jet aeroplane, the Gloster E.28/39
Gloster E.28/39
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.* Morgan, Eric B. "A New Concept of...
, was produced in Lutterworth. A statue of the plane stands in the middle of a roundabout just south of the town as a memorial.
For many years there was a pub on Leicester Road called "The Frank Whittle". It was demolished in the 1990s and replaced with a car show room. During 2010 that showroom has also now been replaced with residential apartments. In the centre of the town on the Greenacres estate, the public house previously known as "The Balloon" has been renamed as "The Sir Frank Whittle" so the connection of the name to the town is intact.
The Cavalier Inn
One of the Established Landmarks of the town is the 17th century building on the corner of George Street and Leicester Road, a Tavern called The Cavalier Inn.The Cavalier Inn (The Cav to its locals) is located just on the north edge of the town centre of Lutterworth and dates back to the 17th century.
Although the building has been tastefully modified over the years, it still retains its rustic charm with granite walls and low ceilings and beams.
It is said that it acquired its name after wounded royalist soldiers sheltered in Lutterworth following the Battle of Naseby in 1645.
In October 2010 the landlady of 30 years elected to retire, and the pub has now closed. The building itself belongs to the local Co-op store and the future use of the building is yet to be decided. It is a listed building so the notable facade should be kept intact.
The Shambles Inn
Another of the Established Landmarks of the town centre is the Thatched roof & timber framed building now known as 'The Shambles'This former abattoir and butchers is the oldest timber-framed building in Lutterworth dating back to the 16th century, it was a first used as a public house in 1791 until 1840 it was then converted back to a home and butchers shop. In 1982 it was converted back into a public house and named the Shambles.
Local economy
Some 4 km (2.5 mi) to the west of the town is a large logistics and distribution centre called Magna ParkMagna Park
Magna Park, Europe's largest dedicated distribution park, is located near Lutterworth, Leicestershire, England in what is known as the 'Golden Triangle' for distribution - between junction 20 of the M1, Junction 1 of the M6 and Junction 1 of the M69. Access is from the A4303 road. It is owned by...
, which is the main source of employment in the Lutterworth area. Magna Park is built upon the site of the old Bitteswell aerodrome. Also near Lutterworth is Stanford Hall
Stanford Hall
Stanford Hall is a stately home in Leicestershire, England, near the village of Stanford on Avon and the town of Lutterworth, Leicestershire.- History :...
.
It is a great controversy in the town how to manage the traffic flows emanating from Magna Park and the nearby M1 and A5 trunk roads. Some 3,000 heavy goods vehicles pass through the town every day and pollution levels are amongst the highest in the country. The town council has established a task group to try to resolve the issues surrounding the proposed Lutterworth Western Relief Road (or bypass) following extensive publicity in the local press.
There is a Co-op
Co-op UK
The United Kingdom is home to a widespread and diverse co-operative movement, with over 3 million individual members. Modern co-operation started with the Rochdale Pioneers' shop in the northern English town of Rochdale in 1844....
on George Street, and a Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
(formerly Safeway) on Bitteswell Road, as well as a Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
on the High Street. Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
opened on 11 March 2010 on a site previously occupied by Netto
Netto (store)
Netto is a Danish discount supermarket operating in several European countries. Netto is owned by Dansk Supermarked Group, which in turn is partly owned by A.P. Møller-Mærsk Group.Netto also operates an express version of the store, known as Døgn Netto...
.
Lutterworth also houses the British Isles headquarters of Gideons International
Gideons International
Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible in over 94 languages and 194 countries of the world, most famously in hotel and motel rooms. The organization was founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin, as an early American parachurch...
.
Education
Primary schools
There are two primary schools in Lutterworth: John Wycliffe Primary School and Sherrier Primary School. Sherrier was originally housed in a VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
building on Churchgate before moving to a new location on Bitteswell Road in 1983. Sherrier featured on the BBC TV children's TV programme Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
on 5 February 2008.
Secondary schools
The local secondary schools are Lutterworth High School (for ages 11–14) on Woodway Road and Lutterworth CollegeLutterworth College
Lutterworth College is a large 14–19 non-selective Upper School with a fully comprehensive intake, situated in the rural market town of Lutterworth in district of Harborough in the South Leicestershire countryside. A Specialist Technology and Applied Learning College and Church of England Voluntary...
(for ages 14–18) on Bitteswell Road, both of which achieve good results in applicable exams.
External links
- Lutterworth Observer The Local Newspaper
- Lutterworth Community Website
- Lutterworth Online
- Lutterworth Town Council
- Magna Park
- Lutterworths Own Radio Station
- Lutterworth Rugby Club
- Golf Club
- The Cavalier Inn
- The Shambles Inn
- Knowhere Guide
- Library