HISTORY

FEATURES: Only medieval cathedral with three spires, remains of fortifications and once having a wet moat. Significant pilgrimage centre from early times. Owns the best kept sculpted Anglo-Saxon stonework in Europe. Has early 8th century Gospels. Extraordinary foundation remains to the second cathedral were probably built by King Offa. Once had the most sumptuous shrine in medieval England. Suffered three Civil War sieges resulting in considerable destruction.

Dates.

DATES. 656, first Bishop of Mercia. 669, first Bishop of Lichfield. 8th century shrine tower. Second cathedral could be 8th century, but needs determining. Third Gothic Cathedral, early 13th to 14th century. 1643 to 46, Civil War destruction. Extensive rebuild and refashioned, 1854-1908. Worship on this site started in 669, 1355 years ago.

Monday, 1 August 2022

Size matters for the third cathedral

Abstract.  The current, third cathedral is comparatively small. It was once a cute king’s, secure cathedral. With Bishop Langton it became a small, secure, bishop’s cathedral next to his palace. In the Civil War it was an impregnable, fortified, compact target to besiege. Its small size is a defining feature.

If the current cathedral was built on or around a previous Norman cathedral it would be expected to have a solid, bulky and buttressed layout. It would also be large with extensive grounds. It would present as formidable and powerful. In fact, it is almost the smallest of the medieval cathedrals. Seven of the 26 Norman cathedrals exceed 150 m in length and 8 exceed 120 m, whereas Lichfield is a mere 113 m long. 


Length in metres

Length in feet

Glastonbury Abbey ruins

177

580

Bury St Edmunds

174

570

Winchester

169

554

St Albans Abbey

168

550

Canterbury

167

547

Ely

164

537

Wells

127

415

 All the cathedrals (Rochester and the earliest Westminster Abbey are unclear) built in the 11th, 12th and 13th-centuries exceed Lichfield in length by more than 10 m and even more in width (21 m). Indeed, if the Lady Chapel is seen as a late addition (1315–1336), it is miniscule by comparison with almost all medieval cathedrals and only a little larger than some University chapels. Clifton wrote other cathedrals are larger; indeed, this is the smallest of them all, grander, or more magnificent; but for simple beauty, for charm, for delicacy of construction and appearance Lichfield may rightly claim to take the foremost place.[1]  


Approx. start of build

Approx. area (m2)

Crypt

York Minster

1220

12,160

ü

St Pauls

1087/1256/1697

7833

ü

Lincoln

1072/1185

6215

ü

Chichester

1075/1199

6000

û

Winchester

1079

5964

ü

Westminster Abbey

1040s/1245/1376

5734

ü

Worcester

1084

5720

ü

Gloucester

1089

5720

ü

Canterbury

1070/1174/1834

5528

ü

Ely

1083

4273

ü

Bath

1090

4000

?

St Albans

1077

3645

û

Durham

1093

3575

ü

Peterborough

1118

3483

tunnels

Norwich

1096

3233

û

Old Sarum, Salisbury

1075/1120

2700

ü

Wells

1175

2700

û

Exeter

1133

2574

û

Hereford

1079

2494

ü

Lichfield

late 11th or 12th century

2,300*

û

The table shows a relative comparison of size. Areas are only approximations and many are taken from Bell’s handbooks on cathedrals. Many dates are derived. *This is the area calculated for the supposed Norman cathedral.

     Even the Franciscan Friary built in Lichfield, c. 1237–1538, was near to three-quarters the length of the cathedral. Lichfield was very small compared with its associated cathedral at Coventry, also known as St Mary’s Priory.

 

Coventry Cathedral started 1115–1140. Only one third of the site has been excavated, so there is some uncertainty. The west front was wider than Lichfield, the nave (21 m wide) the same and overall was more than 3 times larger. The east end was a later addition. It is uncertain whether it had spires. This richly endowed cathedral lost its monasitic community and then was destroyed during the 1539 Suppression.

 The small size of the Cathedral might have been reflected in the title of the bishop which contained the seats of Chester, Coventry and Lichfield. Before the time of Bishop John Hacket (1661) Lichfield usually came last in the order in the title, though Bishop Scrope, 1386, placed Lichfield first. Dugdale imagined Lichfield was built in imitation of Coventry.[2]

    Lichfield’s third cathedral was once a cute king’s, secure cathedral. With Bishop Langton it became a small, secure, bishop’s cathedral. In the Civil War it was an impregnable, fortified, compact target to besiege. It is now a relatively small, but well-adorned and admired cathedral. Its size, small and tall, is a distinctive feature.


[1] A. B. Clifton, The Cathedral church of Lichfield. George Bell and Sons (London: 1900).

[2] W. Dugdale, Monasticum Anglicanum (reprinted London: 1673)

 

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