Lutterworth - History

History

The name of Lutterworth is probably derived from the Old Norse 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.

The Irish statesman Robert le Poer was parish priest here c.1318.

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 inns 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 (5.0 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. {Disputed as the GC Rly directly contributed to the establishment of the Wycliffe Foundry - later called Folsain Wycliffe Foundry. Also the establishment of George Spencer knitwear "Vedonis" factory. Post WW2 the local council then Lutterworth Rural District Council, voted against accepting 'Birmingham Overspill' development the effect of which would have developed Lutterworth in a similar manner to nearby Daventry which was of similar size at that time.}

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.