Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

St. Marys Church (Lutterworth)

St. Mary's is the parish church of the Leicestershire market town of Lutterworth.

Much of the fabric dates back to the 13th century.

There is a large mediaeval tower, with a top stage added in1761, replacing a spire which was blown down in 1703. This has four pinnacles. One of these is a late 20th century replacement for one which was taken down for safety reasons.

St. Mary's has two important wall paintings.

Over the chancel arch is a "Doom" painting, showing figures rising from their graves at the Day of Judgement, with Christ, surrounded by angels, presiding while sitting on a rainbow.

The other is on the North wall, and depicts the three living Kings and the three dead Kings. The living ones have faces representing Richard II, his wife Anne of Bohemia, and Richard's uncle John of Gaunt, one of whose houses was nearby Leicester Castle.

The Rector of Lutterworth in the 14th century was John Wycliffe, religious dissident whose followers were known as the Lollards, and who was first to translate the Bible into English. Wycliffe died here, having suffered a stroke.