HISTORY

FEATURES OF THE CATHEDRAL: Only medieval cathedral with 3 spires, fortifications and a moat. Pilgrimage centre from early times. Has a sculpted stone; the best kept Anglo-Saxon stonework in Europe. Has an early Gospels. Has an extraordinary foundation to the second cathedral probably built by King Offa. Once had the most sumptuous shrine in medieval England. Suffered 3 ferocious Civil War sieges resulting in its destruction.

Dates.

DATES. First Bishop of Mercia - 656. First Bishop of Lichfield and Cathedral - 669. Shrine Tower - 8th century. Second cathedral - date to be determined. Third Cathedral - early 13th-century to 14th century. Civil War destruction 1643-1646. Extensive rebuild - 1854-1897. Worship on this site started in 669, 1355 years ago.

Index of posts by date of publication.

2024 (11)

October 2024                A sacred landscape for the first cathedral

September 2024            Anchorites at Lichfield

August 2024                 Chad, fact and fiction.

July 2024                      King Richard II liked Lichfield

June 2024                     Wilfrid, creator of the first cathedral

May 2024                      Reformation

April 2024                     Easter Hoard Cross and Bishop Wilfrid

                                     Hoard Gold Cross: context, use and date.

March 2024                  St Chad's Gospels

February 2024              South Transept

                                     North Transept

January 2024                Bishop Langton's Palace

2023 (13)

December 2023            Christmas - Christ's mass                                     

November 2023            Wulfhere and Wilfrid, and later Bede, name Lichfield

                                      Lichfield recasts its name

October 2023                Lichfield Angel.

September 2023           The incomparable apse of the second cathedral

August 2023                  Chad's relics

July 2023                       When the Vikings came

June 2023                      Pilgrimage defines the cathedral

May 2023                       Dating the cathedral

April 2023                      Two frescoes in the south aisle

March 2023                    Surely Chad's grave should be marked!

February 2023               Current explanation for the name of Lichfield.

January 2023                 Second cathedral has a short-perch layout. It is Early Medieval.

2022 (17)

December 2022             Three conjectures on the early church

November 2022             Making sense of Chad's grave, St Peter's cathedral...

October 2022                 It has to be the 'Lichfield Hoard'.

                                       Cross for a bishop of Mercia

September 2022            There is no historical evidence for a Norman secon...

                                       Why the second cathedral must be Englisc or Early Medieval.                              

August 2022                   Size matters for the third cathedral

July 2022                        Early churches and Englisc or Early Medieval culture                                  

June 2022                      Two churches in 672 and a shrine

May 2022                       King Penda of Mercia deserves a statue

April 2022                       Herkenrode painted glass

March 2022                    Langton's shrine

February 2022               Reasons why Lichfield (Licitfelda) had approval

January 2022                 Mystery object is a handbell.

                                       Hoard Cross with writing

2021 (29)

December 2021             Baptism pre-Reformation

                                       Death and burial pre-Reformation

                                       7th-century medicine

November 2021             First Civil War siege of the Close, March 1643.

                                       Second siege, 7-21 April 1643.

                                       Third siege, March 8 - July 16 1646

                                       Civil War damage and restoration.

October 2021                 7th-century Lichfield and the residents.

                                       Archbishop of Lichfield (Hygeberht)

September 2021             Lichfield's founding myth - take it seriously.

                                        Chad, fantasy, folklore and maybe.

August 2021                    Chantries

                                        Penitence pre-Reformation

                                        Pre-Reformation Mass

July 2021                        Boundaries and walls

                                        12th-century Lichfield.

June 2021                       Tomtun early settlement

                                        Three icons

May 2021                         John Wycliffe's New Testament

April 2021                        Was this an early settlement in Lichfield

                                         East-west alignment

March 2021                      Gothic Cathedral

                                         Victorian recovery

                                         James Wyatt's restoration, 1787-92

February 2021                  Old Library

                                         Franciscan Friary

January 2021                   Dissidents in the market square.

                                         Plague on Lichfield

                                         The inquisition of Robert Glover - a Lollard martyr

2020 (21)

December 2020                Chapterhouse

November 2020                Nave Part 1.

                                         Nave. Part 2 arcades.

October 2020                   Cathedral Piped Organs                                         

September 2020               Sleeping children. Francis Chantrey.

                                          Skidmore's choir screen

August 2020                     South Staffordshire Regiments

July 2020                          Bishop Walter Langton - benefactor

                                          Bishop John Hacket

                                          Early Benefactors

June 2020                         Washing feet

                                          Illumination

                                          Bishop Meuland - an enigma

May 2020                          Choristers

April 2020                          Lady Chapel and Sainte-Chapelle ?

                                          West front including the 'singing windows.'

March 2020                       Early English Choir

February 2020                   Mary Wortley Montagu

                                          Lady Chapel reredos

January 2020                     Rooms south of the choir

2019 (9)

December 2019                 Bishops, Conquest to Reformation

                                           Bishops, Reformation to Commonwealth

                                           Bishops Commonwealth to Recovery

November 2019                 Medieval glass

October 2019                     Crossing tower

September 2019                Priest's dress and Chad's appearance

August 2019                       Two early chapels

July 2019                            Beasts in the Lady Chapel

June 2019                           Building the cathedral

May 2019                            Prebendal Stalls

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