Outstanding Features

Only medieval cathedral still with three spires. Was a fortress cathedral with a moat. Is a Victorian Gothic Revival building. A significant pilgrimage centre. Has the best-kept Early Medieval stonework sculpture in Europe. Has an early Gospels; oldest book in UK still in use. Lady Chapel might have cells for anchorites. Has 16th-century hand-painted Flemish glasswork. Has an extraordinary foundation to the second cathedral; built by King Offa? Once had a sumptuous shrine. Suffered three Civil War sieges. Has associations with Henry III and Richard II. Only one of two cathedrals on the same site as the original church. First Bishop of Mercia in 656. First Bishop of Lichfield in 669. Pilgrimage began 672, 1353 years ago. 8th century shrine tower. Second cathedral, possibly 8th century. Gothic Cathedral built c. 1210 to c.1340. Civil War destruction, 1643-6. Extensive rebuild and repair, 1854-1908. Chad was buried on 2 March 672, 1354 years ago. Bede wrote Chad administered the diocese in great holiness of life.

Plan of Lichfield and linked posts.

 



Click on the statement in red and the post should appear.

1.    Christian Fields. Lichfield’s founding myth. Why Licitfelda was approved

2.    Site of early church. 7th-century Lichfield  A sacred landscape

3.    First siege at south east gate. Fortress cathedral,1640. First Civil War siege of the Close, March 1643.

4.    Second siege at north west tower. Second siege,7-21 April, 1643.

5.    Third siege at west gate. Third siege March 8 –July 16, 1646. Civil war damage and restoration.

6.    Market square. Martyrs

7.    Franciscan Friary. Franciscan Friary.

8.    Town gates. Twelfth century Lichfield  Fortress cathedral, 1640. Pilgrimage defines the cathedral

9.    Site of early settlement. Early settlers?

10. Grid layout of roads. Twelfth century Lichfield. Lichfield, Wells and Salisbury cathedrals are post-Norman. 

11. Piped water. Twelfth century Lichfield.

12. Tomtun. Tomtun, King AEthelred's vill?

13. Boundary or vallum.  Early benefactors.  Twelfth century Lichfield. Fortress cathedral,1640

The Close

14. Plague. Plague

15. Name of Lichfield. Wulfhere and Wilfrid, and later Bede, name Lichfield. Lichfield recasts its name.  Wilfrid, creator of the first cathedral. The name Lichfield

16. Vikings. Vikings

17. St Chad’s well. Chad fantasy, folklore and maybe. Chad, fact and fiction.

18. Causeway. Bishop Walter Langton.

19. St Michael's Hill  Three conjectures on the early church

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