Editing Lutterworth

{{short description|Town in Leicestershire, England}}
{{about|the town in Leicestershire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2013}}

{{Infobox UK place  
| country 				= England
| official_name			= Lutterworth
| coordinates 			= {{coord|52.456|-1.200|display=inline,title}}
| civil_parish			= Lutterworth
| population 			= 10,833
| population_ref 		= ([[United Kingdom Census 2021|2021]])
| shire_district		= [[Harborough District|Harborough]]
| shire_county			= [[Leicestershire]]
| region				= East Midlands
| constituency_westminster	= [[South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Leicestershire]]  
| post_town				= LUTTERWORTH
| postcode_district 	= LE17
| postcode_area			= LE
| dial_code				= 01455
| os_grid_reference		= SP541848
| static_image_name		= Lutterworth, a snow shower in March, geograph-3371058-by-John-Sutton.jpg
| static_image_caption	= Church Street, Lutterworth
| hide_services 		= yes
| website 				= [http://www.lutterworth.org.uk Lutterworth Town Council]
}}

'''Lutterworth''' is an historic [[market town]] and [[Civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[Harborough District|Harborough]] district of [[Leicestershire]], England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, close to the borders with [[Warwickshire]] and [[Northamptonshire]]. It is located {{convert|6.5|mi|km|abbr=off}} north of [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] and {{convert|12|mi|km|abbr=off}} south of [[Leicester]]. At the [[2021 UK census]], Lutterworth had a population of 10,833.<ref name="CityPopLut">{{cite web |title=LUTTERWORTH Parish in East Midlands |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastmidlands/admin/harborough/E04005452__lutterworth/ |publisher=City Population |access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref>

== History ==
Lutterworth was originally an [[Anglo-Saxon]] settlement; its name is probably derived from the [[Anglo-Saxon language|Old English]] ''Hlutre Worth''. Lutterworth was mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086.<ref name="localhistLut">{{cite web |last1=Lambert |first1=Tim |title=A BRIEF HISTORY OF LUTTERWORTH |url=http://www.localhistories.org/lutterworth.html |publisher=Local Histories |access-date=5 December 2018}}</ref>

Lutterworth was granted its [[market charter]] in 1214 by [[John of England|King John]] and became a small but busy [[market town]].<ref name="localhistLut"/>

In the 14th century, the religious reformer [[John Wycliffe]] was rector of Lutterworth between 1374 and 1384, and it was during his time here that he is traditionally believed to have produced the [[Wycliffe's Bible|first translation]] of the Bible from Latin into English.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Wycliffe: religious rebel and Bible translator |url=http://www.harboroughmuseum.org.uk/john-wycliffes-portrait/ |publisher=Harborough Museum |access-date=5 December 2018}}</ref> The Irish statesman [[Robert le Poer]] was also parish priest here c. 1318.

[[Lutterworth Grammar School]] was founded in 1630; by 1676 the population of Lutterworth had reached 644.<ref name="localhistLut"/>

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.<ref name="localhistLut"/> The town also contains a number of well-preserved [[timber framing|half-timbered]] buildings.<ref name="AA"/>
[[File:Whittle memorial, Lutterworth.jpg|thumb|right|The Whittle Roundabout]]
[[Frank Whittle|Sir Frank Whittle]], 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, with his company [[Power Jets]]. A replica of his first jet aircraft, the [[Gloster E.28/39]], stands in the middle of a roundabout just south of the town as a memorial and a number of papers and documents relating to Whittle's development of the jet engine are displayed at the town's museum.<ref>{{cite news |title=Frank Whittle and the invention of the jet engine: Six places to trace his genius |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/frank-whittle-and-the-birth-of-the-jet-engine/ |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=3 October 2017 |access-date=5 December 2018|last1=Leadbeater |first1=Chris }}</ref>

The [[M1 motorway]] was built just to the east of Lutterworth in 1964, and the [[M6 motorway]] was built a few miles to the south in 1971.<ref name= Victoria>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.ac.uk/sites/default/files/file-uploads/2021-03/Luttw%20online%20draft%20section%201B%20Lutterworth%20Parish.pdf |title=Lutterworth Parish|publisher=Victoria County History| first1=P. J. |last1=Fisher|first2= A. |last2=Watkins| access-date=17 February 2022}}</ref>

At the time of the first national census in 1801, Lutterworth had a population of 1,652; this had nearly doubled to 3,197 by 1901.<ref name="localhistLut"/> By 2001 it had reached 8,294. Further population growth in the 21st century brought the population up to nearly 10,000 by 2017.<ref name="CityPopLut"/>

==Notable buildings==
=== St Mary’s Church ===

[[File:St. Mary's Church - geograph.org.uk - 3619.jpg|thumb|left|240px|[[St Mary's Church, Lutterworth|St Mary's Church]], Lutterworth]]

The parish church of [[St Mary's Church, Lutterworth|St Mary]] was originally constructed in the 13th century and underwent major restorations in the 19th when a large tower replaced the original spire. The church contains some notable 15th century wall paintings which have been uncovered and restored.<ref name="AA">{{cite book |title=AA Illustrated Guide to Britain |date=1972 |publisher=Drive Publications Limited |page=183}}</ref>

=== Cavalier Inn ===
[[File:Cavalier Inn, Lutterworth - geograph.org.uk - 402281.jpg|thumb|right|The Cavalier Inn]]
One of the landmarks in the town is the 17th century building on the corner of George Street and Leicester Road on the northern edge of the town centre, previously a tavern called the Cavalier Inn. Originally called the "Ram Inn" – that part of George Street was called Ram Lane – it changed its name in the early 1970s after a brewery "makeover". It is said that the brewery did not like the name Ram Inn and prudishly renamed it "the Cavalier" after claims that wounded royalist soldiers sheltered in Lutterworth following the [[Battle of Naseby]] in 1645. The building has been modified over the years; it retains its rustic charm with stone walls and low ceilings and beams.{{CN|date=December 2024}} In October 2010 the Cavalier Inn closed and was changed to a log-burning store, retailing log-burning fires and similar products and services.{{CN|date=December 2024}}

===Lutterworth Town Hall===
[[File:Lutterworth Town Hall (geograph 3914669).jpg|thumb|left|[[Lutterworth Town Hall]]]]
The architect of [[Lutterworth Town Hall]] was [[Joseph Hansom]], who also designed [[Birmingham Town Hall]] and took out the first patent of the horse-drawn [[hansom cab]].<ref>Harris, Penelope, "The Architectural Achievement of Joseph Aloysius Hansom (1803–1882), Designer of the Hansom Cab, Birmingham Town Hall and churches of the Catholic Revival", [[Edwin Mellen Press]], 2010, {{ISBN|0-7734-3851-3}}</ref>

=== Shambles Inn ===

[[File:Lutterworth Shambles - geograph.org.uk - 2978759.jpg|thumb|right|The Shambles Inn]]

Another of the landmarks of the town centre is the thatched roof and timber-framed building now known as the "Shambles Inn". This former abattoir and butcher's is the oldest timber-framed building in Lutterworth, dating back to the 16th century. It was first used as a public house from 1791 until 1840, when it was converted back to a home and butcher's shop. In 1982 it was converted back into a public house and named the Shambles.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Shambles Public House A Grade II Listed Building in Lutterworth, Leicestershire |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101218008-the-shambles-public-house-lutterworth#.WQoIHMa1usw |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=5 December 2018}}</ref> 

In February 2023, the Shambles caught fire, causing damage to the upstairs, the B&B and the house.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-13 |title=Lutterworth: Crews tackle blaze at thatched roof pub |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-64628230 |access-date=2023-02-16}}</ref> The Inn has since been rethatched and reopened.

== Local economy ==
To the west of the town [{{convert|2.5|mi|km|abbr=on}}] is a large logistics and distribution centre called [[Magna Park, Lutterworth|Magna Park]], which is the main source of employment in the Lutterworth area. Magna Park is built upon the site of the old [[RAF Bitteswell|Bitteswell aerodrome]]. Also near Lutterworth is [[Stanford Hall, Leicestershire|Stanford Hall]].

A controversial issue in the town is how to manage the traffic flows emanating from Magna Park and the nearby M1 and A5 trunk roads. Approximately 3,000 heavy goods vehicles pass through the town every day and pollution levels are reported as being high.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cmispublic.harborough.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=7181|title=Lutterworth Traffic Study|date=1 February 2008|publisher=Leicestershire County Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220061328/http://cmispublic.harborough.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=7181|access-date=29 October 2021|archive-date=20 February 2012}}</ref>

The Census 2011 summary also indicates an overall growth in residents' vehicles, which is likely to add to traffic and pollution concerns according to the Census summary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/|title=Leicestershire County Council &#124; Serving the people of Leicestershire|website=www.leicestershire.gov.uk}}</ref>

There is a [[Morrisons]] Food Store (formerly [[Safeway (UK)|Safeway]]) on Bitteswell Road, as well as a [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] on High Street. [[Waitrose]] opened on 11 March 2010 on a site previously occupied by [[Netto (store)|Netto]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/Display.aspx?MasterId=e7eae72a-1038-4f3c-aa36-559a05f6f5f1&NavigationId=549 |title=Waitrose unveils plan for Lutterworth store |publisher=Waitrose Press Office |date=10 July 2009 |access-date=1 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328083420/http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/display.aspx?masterid=e7eae72a-1038-4f3c-aa36-559a05f6f5f1&navigationid=549 |archive-date=28 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Aldi]] opened a new store on Rugby Road on 12 Aug 2021.

On the Greenacres housing estate in the town there was an estate public house, recently called "The Sir Frank Whittle" and previously called "The Balloon". This building was sold by the brewery to the Co-op who changed the use and structure of the premises to be the new Co-op store in the town. The [[Co-op UK|Co-op]] food store previously located on George Street closed, being replaced by a branch of [[The Original Factory Shop|the original factory shop]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mack |first=Tom |date=2023-10-23 |title=Woman stole shirts as shoplifter boyfriend tussled with staff |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/woman-stole-shirts-shoplifter-boyfriend-8834563 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Leicestershire Live |language=en}}</ref> in June 2014 coinciding with the opening of the new store.

== Transport ==
Lutterworth lies on the [[A426 road|A426]] 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 road (Great Britain)|A5]] trunk road. A southern bypass, the [[A4303 road|A4303]], was opened in 1999, providing a route for traffic from the M1 to the A5 to avoid Lutterworth town centre.

The nearest railway station to Lutterworth is {{rws|Rugby}}, about six miles to the south. The town formerly had [[Lutterworth railway station|its own railway station]] on the former [[Great Central Main Line]], which opened in 1899 and closed in 1969.<ref name="localhistLut"/>

Historically there were another two railway stations close to Lutterworth: The first was [[Ullesthorpe railway station|Ullesthorpe & Lutterworth]], about {{convert|3|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the north west, on the former [[Midland Railway]] (later part of the [[London, Midland & Scottish Railway|LMS]]) line from Rugby to {{rws|Leicester}}, closed on 1 January 1962. The second was [[Welford and Kilworth railway station|Welford & Kilworth]], at one time known as Welford & Lutterworth, some {{convert|5|mi|km|abbr=on}} east on the [[London & North Western Railway]] (also later LMS) line from Rugby to {{rws|Market Harborough}} and {{rws|Peterborough}}, closed on 6 June 1966.

[[Arriva Fox County|Arriva Midlands]] and [[Centrebus]] are the main operators of bus services around Lutterworth with services into [[Leicester]], [[Market Harborough]], [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]], and [[Hinckley]].

==Sport==
The town supports two individual local football teams : [[Lutterworth Athletic F.C.|Lutterworth Athletic]], who play at Hall Lane, and [[Lutterworth Town A.F.C.|Lutterworth Town]], who play at Dunley Way, play in the [[Midland Football League|Midland League]] Division One<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lutterworth Athletic {{!}} Midland Football League |url=https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam.html?divisionseason=934267567&teamID=43412345 |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=fulltime.thefa.com}}</ref> and the [[United Counties League]] Premier South<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lutterworth Town FC {{!}} GCE Hire Fleet United Counties Football League |url=https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam.html?id=482864113 |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=fulltime.thefa.com}}</ref> respectively. Lutterworth Tennis Club is located just outside Lutterworth on Hall Lane. Banger Racing was staged on farmland adjacent to the Coventry Road (the A4303} until the late 1990s.

==Education==
[[Image:OldSherrierSchool.JPG|right|thumb|The Victorian building that housed Sherrier Primary School until 1983.]]

===Primary schools===
There are two primary schools in Lutterworth: John Wycliffe Primary School and Sherrier Primary School. Sherrier was originally housed in a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] building on Churchgate before moving to a new location on Bitteswell Road in 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sherrier.leics.sch.uk/about.htm|title=Sherrier C of E Primary School – About the School|year=2008|location=Lutterworth|access-date=6 September 2009|quote=...&nbsp;The school was formerly housed in a Victorian building in Churchgate before being amalgamated with the Infants on this site in 1983&nbsp;...|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608162017/http://www.sherrier.leics.sch.uk/about.htm|archive-date=8 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sherrier featured on the BBC TV children's TV programme ''[[Blue Peter]]'' on 5 February 2008.

===Secondary schools===
The local secondary schools are [[Lutterworth High School]] (for ages 11–16) on Woodway Road and [[Lutterworth College]] (for ages 11–18) on Bitteswell Road, both of which achieve good results in applicable exams. A new Studio School called [[Sir Frank Whittle Studio School]] opened in 2015 (for ages 14–18) that offers purely vocational courses. In 2019 the Sir Frank Whittle Studio School closed due to a lack of students and minimal further interest, because of its proximity to Lutterworth college the building was incorporated into their site for the use of the sixth form.<ref>{{Cite web |title=School in Lutterworth to close due to lack of demand |url=https://rugbyobserver.co.uk/news/school-in-lutterworth-to-close-due-to-lack-of-demand-11027/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Rugby Observer |language=en}}</ref>

==Health services==
Feilding Palmer Hospital, run by [[Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust]] is situated in the town.  It has a ward which provides general rehabilitation and palliative and end of life care.<ref>{{cite web|title=Inpatient Care at Feilding Palmer Hospital, Lutterworth|url=http://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/_OurServicesAZ-CommunityHospitalInpatientCare-FeildingPalmerHospitalLutterworth.aspx|website=Leicestershire Partnership|access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref>  Under the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland [[Sustainability and transformation plan]] it is proposed to close.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Meek|first1=James|title=NHS SOS|url=https://www.lrb.co.uk/v40/n07/james-meek/nhs-sos|access-date=31 March 2018|issue=7|publisher=London Review of Books|date=5 April 2018|volume=40}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*Sir [[Frank Whittle]] (1907-1996), developed the first jet engine in Lutterworth.
*[[Anthony Thistlethwaite]], folk rock musician.
*[[Lauren Henry]], world champion rower and Olympic gold medallist.
*[[John Wycliffe]], an English [[scholastic philosopher]], [[Christianity|Christian]] reformer, [[Catholic priest]], and a [[theology]] professor.
*[[Jonnie Irwin]], an English television presenter known for presenting  ''[[A Place in the Sun (British TV series)|A Place in the Sun]]''
*[[Derek Gardner (designer)|Derek Gardner]], a [[Formula One|formula one]] engineer

==In popular culture==
Mark Corrigan of the British television series ''[[Peep Show (British TV series)|Peep Show]]'' describes a trip to Lutterworth by public transport as taking so long that it feels like "going to [[Mordor]]", a reference to [[Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' trilogy.

The 1973 sitcom ''Me, myself and Nigel Wright'' was set in an ostrich farm near the town.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Granada Television: The First Generation|last=Finch|first=John|publisher=Manchester University Press|year=2003|isbn=978-0719065156|location=Manchester|pages=157}}</ref>

== International relations ==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in the United Kingdom}}
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in England}}
Lutterworth is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Lutterworth and District Twinning Association|url=https://lutterworthtwinning.uk/|publisher=Lutterworth and District Twinning Association|language=en|access-date=2024-05-06}}</ref>
* [[Chambourcy]], France (1998)

== See also ==
* [[Bitteswell]]

== References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.lutterworth.org.uk Lutterworth Town Council]

{{Leicestershire}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lutterworth| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Leicestershire]]
[[Category:Market towns in Leicestershire]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Harborough District]]