Lutterworth and District Museum

About the museum

Lutterworth and District Museum is an independent museum run entirely by volunteers under the Lutterworth Museum Trust. It aims to collect and preserve the documents and objects that record the history of the town and the villages around it, from the earliest times to the present day. Entry is free, supported by an annual grant from Lutterworth Town Council.

The displays follow a timeline of the town, starting with Roman and Saxon settlement and the Domesday Book entry of 1086. They tell of John Wycliffe, who spent his last years in Lutterworth and completed the first English translation of the Bible there in 1383, and of the local clockmakers, the first purpose-built police station and magistrates' court of 1843, and the town's railway station, which is shown as a working model.

The museum is also known for its link with aviation. It shows the original Whittle W2/700 jet engine on loan from Leicestershire Museums, and a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine fitted to a Hurricane fighter in 1940. A dedicated Whittle Room, opened in October 2025, displays a wider selection of Sir Frank Whittle memorabilia. The museum has since taken over the whole of the High Point building and now offers an upstairs meeting room for hire.

Highlights

• Original Whittle W2/700 jet engine and Whittle Room
• Rolls-Royce Merlin engine from a Hurricane shot down in 1940
• John Wycliffe and the first English Bible
• Working model of the former Lutterworth railway station
• Free access to Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archive for family history research
• Archive of around 1,200 old local and school photographs

Permanent exhibitions

• Whittle Room – Sir Frank Whittle memorabilia with the original W2/700 jet engine, a model of his first test shed, and a Merlin engine from a Hurricane fighter.
• Timeline of Lutterworth – A walk through the town's history from Roman settlement to today, including John Wycliffe, local clockmakers, the police station and the railway station.

Founded

1991

Operated by

Lutterworth Museum Trust (registered charity 1008383)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free for residents and visitors, funded by Lutterworth Town Council. A 44-page museum guide is on sale for £2.00.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The upstairs Heritage Suite is reached by a staircase and a lift for less mobile visitors.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the High Point building on Market Street in the centre of Lutterworth. what3words: nitrate.deck.blackbird.

Amenities & dining

Visitors can use free access to Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archive and local microfiche records; printouts cost a small fee.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 60 guests.

The Heritage Suite upstairs seats 40 to 60 people (60 maximum) and suits business meetings, social group gatherings and small events. It has a small kitchen, air conditioning, a laser projector with screen and a public address system. Enquiries by email.

Plan your visit