The beautiful market town of Lutterworth is the perfect example of what makes England so endearing to the rest of the world. Though it is somewhat dwarfed by its larger neighbours Rugby and Leicester (Lutterworth's population is only about nine thousand or so) the town more than makes up for this discrepancy with its downright charming appearance and lovely citizens. In addition, the history of Lutterworth is arguably more fascinating than any other town in the county of Leicestershire. This is in fact quite a compliment, though, because Leicestershire is one of the most interesting and historical counties in the entire United Kingdom.
Lutterworth was already a community by the time it was forever immortalized in the Domesday Book. By 1214 it received its very own Market Charter. In those days there were two major roadblocks in the way of any hamlet that wished to become a part of the Kingdom. The first was inclusion in the Domesday Book, which was more or less a guest list compiled at the behest of William the Conqueror in order to figure out who owed what taxes. The second, and arguably more important, was the granting of a Market Charter. With the right to hold a weekly market a town could grow exponentially and the citizens could enjoy a much higher standard of living. At any rate, by the 13th Century Lutterworth was well on its way to greatness.
In the 1400s Lutterworth was the site of one of the most important theological events of the day. John Wyclif, the famous religious figure, was working in the Church of St. Mary right in Lutterworth when he set about changing the face of Christianity by making the first ever translation of the Bible from Latin into English. Once this massive task was accomplished Christianity spread like wildfire and this in turn allowed the Catholic Church and even the Crown to claim a divine right to control. For better or worse it was in Lutterworth that the Bible finally was able to be read by the countless English-speaking people in the area. Even to this day Lutterworth is indelibly intertwined with the Bible: It is the British Headquarters for the Gideons International.
Lutterworth was also the home of the brilliant inventor Frank Whittle. Whittle is best remembered as the inventor of the jet engine and in was in Lutterworth that he made some of his earliest and best models. Rugby is also a very famous aviation town and between the two cities a fan of the genre can be thrilled endlessly with trivia and factoids. Those that are fans of theology are also in their element in Lutterworth but the truth of the matter is that anybody who appreciates beauty in all its forms or history will have the time of their life in Lutterworth. If you have yet to lay eyes on this pristine and friendly town it is highly recommended that you take the time to make a stop in Lutterworth the next time you're travelling to or from Rugby.
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