Outstanding Features

Only medieval cathedral with three spires, was once the only fortress cathedral with a surrounding moat and is now a Victorian Gothic Revival building. A significant pilgrimage centre from early times. Has the best-kept Early Medieval stonework sculpture in Europe. Has a very early Gospels. Cells off the Lady Chapel might have been for anchorites. The chapel has 16th-century hand-painted Flemish glasswork. There is an extraordinary foundation to the second cathedral, probably built by King Offa. Once had the most sumptuous shrine in medieval England. Suffered three Civil War sieges, including a heavy bombardment. Has associations with Kings Henry III and Richard II. Only one of two cathedrals located on the same site as the original church.

Dates.

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 (1353 years ago); Bede wrote he 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

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. Dissidents, martyrs, George Fox

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

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.

16. Vikings. When the Vikings came.

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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