Size matters for the third cathedral

Summary. 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. Savage was of the opinion the small size arose when the Close was walled and this meant the cathedral and clergy houses had to be squeezed into the area within the wall.[3]

 

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

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

[3] H, E, Savage, ‘The fourteenth century builders’, Unpub, article on St Chad’s day held in the cathedral library, (1916) 19.