Lichfield
Encyclopedia
Lichfield is a cathedral city
, civil parish and district
in Staffordshire
, England
. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly 25 km (15.5 mi) north of Birmingham
. In 2008, its population was estimated at 30,583 and the wider Lichfield district
at 97,900.
Notable for its three-spired medieval cathedral
, Lichfield was the birthplace of Samuel Johnson
, the writer of the first authoritative Dictionary of the English Language
. The city's recorded history began when St Chad
arrived to establish his Bishopric
in 669 CE and the settlement grew as the ecclesiastical centre of the Kingdom of Mercia. In 2009 the Staffordshire Hoard
, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon
gold and silver metalwork, was found 5.9 km (3.7 mi) south west of Lichfield.
The development of the city was consolidated in the 12th century under Bishop Clinton
who fortified the Cathedral Close
, and also laid out the town with the ladder-shaped street pattern that survives to this day. Lichfield's heyday was in the 18th century when it developed into a thriving coaching city. This was a period of great intellectual activity, the city being the home of many famous people including Samuel Johnson
, David Garrick
, Erasmus Darwin
and Anna Seward
, and prompted Johnson's remark that Lichfield was "a city of philosophers".
Today, the city still retains its old importance as an ecclesiastical centre, and its industrial and commercial development has been limited. The centre of the city retains an unspoilt charm with over 230 listed buildings in its historic streets, fine Georgian architecture
and old cultural traditions.
, and that the name 'Lichfield' actually means 'field of the dead' (see Lich
). There is however, no evidence to support this legend. At Wall
, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) to the south of the present city, there was a Romano-British
village called Letocetum
from the Brythonic
for "grey wood", from which the first half of the name Lichfield is derived. The second part of the name is derived from the Old English "feld", meaning 'open country'. In that sense 'Lichfield' would be 'common pasture in grey wood', 'grey' perhaps referring to varieties of tree prominent in the landscape, such as ash and elm.
flints on the high ground of St Michael’s churchyard, which may indicate an early flint industry. Traces of Neolithic
settlement have been discovered on the south side of the sandstone ridge occupied by the Cathedral
.
3.5 km (2.2 mi) south west of Lichfield, near the point where Ryknild Street crosses Watling Street
was the site of the Roman town of Letocetum
. Established in 50 as a military fortress, by the 2nd century it had become a civilian settlement with a bath house and a mansio
. Letocetum fell into decline by the 4th century and the Romans had left by the 5th century. There have been scattered Romano-British finds in Lichfield, and it is possible that a burial discovered beneath the cathedral in 1751 was Romano-British. There is no evidence as to what happened to Letocetum after the Romans left, however Lichfield may have emerged as its inhabitants relocated during its decline.
The early history of Lichfield is obscure. The first authentic record of Lichfield occurs in Bede
's history, where it is called Licidfelth and mentioned as the place where St Chad
fixed the episcopal see of the Mercians in 669. The first Christian
king of Mercia, King Wulfhere
donated land at Lichfield for Chad to build a monastery. It was because of this that the ecclesiastical centre of the Diocese of Mercia became settled at Lichfield, which was approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of the seat of the Mercian kings at Tamworth
. The first cathedral to be built on the present site was in 700 when Bishop Hedda built a new church to house the bones of St Chad, which had become a sacred shrine to many pilgrims when he died in 672. The burial in the cathedral of the kings of Mercia, King Wulfhere
in 674 and King Ceolred
in 716, further increased the prestige of Lichfield. In 786 Offa
, King of Mercia, raised Lichfield to the dignity of an archbishopric
, with authority over all the bishops from the Humber
to the Thames. However after King Offa's death in 796, Lichfield's power waned and in 803 the primacy was restored to Canterbury by Pope Leo III
after only 16 years. The Historia Britonum
lists the city as one of the 28 cities of Britain around AD 833.
During the 9th century, the Kingdom of Mercia was devastated by the Vikings from Denmark. Lichfield itself was unwalled and the cathedral was despoiled, so Bishop Peter
moved the see to the fortified and wealthier Chester
in 1075. His successor, Robert de Limesey
, transferred it to Coventry, but it was eventually restored to Lichfield in 1148. Work began on the present Gothic cathedral in 1195. At the time of the Domesday survey, Lichfield was held by the bishop of Chester
, where the see of the bishopric had been moved 10 years earlier; Lichfield was listed as a small village. The lord of the manor was the bishop of Chester until the reign of Edward VI
.
Bishop Clinton
was responsible for transforming the scattered settlements to the south of Minster Pool into the ladder plan streets we recognise today. Market Street, Wade Street, Bore Street and Frog Lane linked Dam Street, Conduit Street and Bakers Lane on one side with Bird Street and St John Street on the other. Bishop Clinton also fortified the cathedral close, enclosed the town with a bank and ditch, and gates were set up where roads into the town crossed the ditch. In 1291 Lichfield was severely damaged by a fire, which destroyed most of the town, however the Cathedral and Close survived unscathed.
In 1387 Richard II
gave a charter for the foundation of the gild of St Mary and St John the Baptist; this gild functioned as the local government, until its dissolution by Edward VI
, who incorporated the town in 1548.
had a dramatic effect on Lichfield. The Reformation
brought the disappearance of pilgrim traffic following the destruction of St Chad's shrine in 1538 which was a major loss to the city's economic prosperity. That year too the Franciscan Friary
was dissolved, the site becoming a private estate. Further economic decline followed the outbreak of plague
in 1593, which resulted in the death of over a third of the entire population.
Three people were burned at the stake for heresy
under Mary I. The last person in England to meet this fate was in Lichfield. Edward Wightman
from Burton upon Trent
was executed by burning
in the Market Place on 11 April 1612 for his activities promoting himself as the divine Paraclete
and Savior of the world.
In the English Civil War
, Lichfield was divided. The cathedral authorities, with a certain following, were for the king, but the townsfolk generally sided with the Parliament. This led to the fortification of the close in 1643. Lichfield's position as a focus of supply routes had an important strategic significance during the war, and both forces were anxious for control of the city. Lord Brooke
, notorious for his hostility to the church, led an assault against it, but was killed by a deflected bullet on St Chad's day, an accident welcomed as a miracle by the Royalists. The close yielded and was retaken by Prince Rupert of the Rhine
in this year; but on the breakdown of the king's cause in 1646 it again surrendered. The cathedral suffered extensive damage from the war, including the complete destruction of the central spire. It was restored at the Restoration under the supervision of Bishop Hacket
, and thanks in part to the generosity of King Charles II.
Lichfield started to develop a lively coaching trade as a stop-off on the busy route between London and Chester
from the 1650s onwards, making it Staffordshire's most prosperous town. In the 18th century and reaching its peak in the period from 1800—1840, the city thrived as a busy coaching city on the main routes from London to the north-west and Birmingham to the north-east. It also became a centre of great intellectual activity being the home of many famous people including Samuel Johnson
, David Garrick
, Erasmus Darwin
and Anna Seward
; this prompted Johnson's remark that Lichfield was "a city of philosophers". In the 1720s Daniel Defoe
described Lichfield as 'a fine, neat, well-built, and indifferent large city', the principal town in the region after Chester. During the late 18th and early 19th century much of the medieval city was rebuilt with the red brick Georgian style
buildings we see today. Also during this time the city underwent vast improvements with underground sewerage systems, paved streets and gas powered street lighting. An infantry regiment of the British Army
was formed at Lichfield in 1705 by Col. Luke Lillingstone
in the King's Head pub in Bird Street. In 1751 it became the 38th regiment of foot and in 1783 the 1st Staffordshire Regiment; after reorganization in 1881 it became the 1st battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment.
and the railways in 1837 signalled the end of Lichfield's position as an important staging post for coaching traffic. Whilst the industrial development at nearby Birmingham exploded, along with its population, Lichfield remained largely unchanged in character.
The first council houses were built in the Dimbles area of the city in the 1930s. The outbreak of World War II brought over 2000 evacuees
from industrialised areas. However due to the lack of heavy industry in the city, Lichfield escaped lightly, although there were air raids
in 1940 and 1941 and 3 Lichfeldians were killed. Just outside the city Wellington Bombers flew out of Fradley Aerodrome which was known as RAF Lichfield
. After the war the council built many new houses in the 1960s including some high-rise flats, the late 70s and early 80s brought a large housing estate at Boley Park in the east of the city. The city's population tripled between 1951 and the late 1980s.
The city has continued expanding to the west, the Darwin Park housing estate has been under development for a number of years and has swelled the city's population by approximately 3,000. Plans have been approved for Friarsgate, a new £100 million shopping and leisure complex opposite Lichfield City Station. The police station, bus station, Ford garage and multi-storey car park will be demolished to make way for 22,000m2 of retail space and 2,000m2 of leisure facilities consisting of a flagship department store, six-screen cinema, hotel, 37 individual shops and 56 apartments. In July 2009, The Staffordshire Hoard
, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon
gold ever found, was discovered in a field in the parish of Hammerwich
, 4 miles (6.4 km) south west of Lichfield.
Historically the Bishop of Lichfield
had authority over the city. It was not until 1548 with Edward VI's charter that Lichfield had anything like a secular government. As a reward for the support given to Mary I by the bailiffs and citizens during the duke of Northumberland's attempt to prevent her accession, the queen issued a new charter in 1553, confirming the 1548 charter and in addition granting the city its own sheriff. The same charter made Lichfield a county separate from the rest of Staffordshire
. It remained so until 1888.
The City Council has 28 members from the 6 wards of Boley Park, Chadsmead, Curborough, Leamonsley, St Johns and Stowe, who are elected every four years. After the 2011 parish council elections, the Conservatives
remained in overall control, with 28 seats being divided between the Conservatives (26), Labour
, (1), Liberal Democrat (1). The Mayor, Brian Bacon is the civic head of the Council and chairs Council meetings. The Council also appoints a Leader of Council to be the main person responsible for leadership of the Council's political and policy matters. The Council is also one of only 15 towns and cities in England and Wales which appoints a Sheriff
.
sent two members to the parliament of 1304 and to a few succeeding parliaments, but the representation did not become regular until 1552; in 1867 it lost one member, and in 1885 its representation was merged into that of the county. The Lichfield constituency was abolished in 1950 and replaced with the Lichfield and Tamworth constituency
. This contituency lasted until 1983 when it was replaced with the Mid Staffordshire constituency
.
The current Member of Parliament for Lichfield is the Conservative Michael Fabricant
, who has been MP for Lichfield since 1997. Fabricant was first elected for the Mid Staffordshire constituency
in 1992
regaining the seat for the Conservatives following Sylvia Heal's
victory for Labour
at the 1990 by-election
. Fabricant took the seat with a majority of 6,236 and has remained a Member of Parliament since. The Mid Staffordshire seat was abolished at the 1997 general election
, but Fabricant contested and won the Lichfield constituency, which partially replaced it, by just 238 votes. He has remained the Lichfield MP since, increasing his majority to 4,426 in 2001
, 7,080 in 2005
and 17,683 in 2010.
in the West Midlands
region of England
. It is approximately 25 km (15.5 mi) north of Birmingham and 200 km (124.3 mi) north west of London. The city is located between the high ground of Cannock Chase
on the west and the valleys of the Rivers Trent
and Tame
on the east. It is underlain by red sandstone
, deposited during the arid desert conditions of the Triassic
period. Mercia Mudstone
underlies the north and north eastern edges of the city towards Elmhurst and Curborough
. The red sandstone underlying the majority of Lichfield is present in many of its ancient buildings including Lichfield Cathedral and the Church of St Chad
.
The ground within the city slopes down from 116m in the north west to 86m on the sandstone shelf where Lichfield Cathedral stands. To the south and east of the city centre is a ridge which reaches 103m at St Michael on Greenhill
. Boley Park lies on top of a ridge with its highest point on Borrowcop Hill at 113m. To the south east the level drops to 69m where Tamworth Road crosses the city boundary into Freeford. There is another high ridge south west of the city where there are two high points one at Berry Hill Farm at 123m and the other on Harehurst Hill near the city boundary at Aldershawe where the level reaches 134m.
The city is built on the two sides of a shallow valley, into which flows two streams from the west, the Trunkfield Brook and the Leamonsley Brook and out of which the Curborough Brook runs to the north east, eventually flowing into the River Trent
. The two streams have been dammed south of the Cathedral on Dam Street to form Minster Pool
and near St Chads Road to form Stowe Pool
.
Lichfield's wealth grew along with its importance as an ecclesiastical centre. The original settlement prospered as the place where pilgrims gathered to worship at the shrine of St Chad, this practice continued up until the Reformation
when the shrine was destroyed.
In the Middle Ages, the main industry in Lichfield was making woollen cloth. There was also a leather industry in Lichfield. Much of the surrounding area was open pasture and there were many surrounding farms.
In the 18th century, Lichfield became a busy coaching centre. Inns and hostelries grew up to provide accommodation and industries dependant on the coaching trade such as coach builders, corn and hay merchants, saddlers and tanneries began to thrive. The main source of wealth to the city came from the money generated by its many visitors. The invention of the railways saw the decline in coach travel and with it came the decline in Lichfield's prosperity.
By the end of the 19th century, brewing
was the principal industry, and in the neighbourhood were large market gardens which provided food for the growing populations of nearby Birmingham and the Black Country
.
Today there are a number of light industrial areas predominantly in the east of the city, not dominated by any one particular industry. The district is famous for two local products: Armitage Shanks
, manufacturers of baths/bidets and showers, and Arthur Price of England
, master cutlers and silversmiths. Many residents commute to Birmingham.
Lichfield City Council has predicted that once completed, the new Friarsgate retail and leisure development could attract 11,000 more visitors to the city every month, generating annual sales of around £61 million and creating hundreds of jobs in the city.
, a festival dating back to the Middle Ages
takes place annually on Spring Bank Holiday. Originating from a celebration that took place after the Court of Arraye
in the 12th century, the festival has evolved into what it is today but has kept many of its ancient traditions. After a recreation of the Court of Arraye at the Guildhall
, a procession of marching bands, morris men
and carnival floats makes its way through the city, where the Bower Queen is crowned outside the Guildhall. There is a fun fair in the city centre, and another fair and jamboree in Beacon Park
.
The Lichfield Festival
, an arts festival has taken place every July for 30 years. The festival is a celebration of classical music, dance, drama, film, jazz, literature, poetry, visual arts and world music. Events take place at many venues around the city but centre on Lichfield Cathedral
and the Garrick Theatre. Popular events include the medieval market in the Cathedral Close and the fireworks display which closes the festival.
Triennially the Lichfield Mysteries
, the biggest community theatre event in the country takes place at the Cathedral and the Market Place. It consists of a cycle of 24 medieval style plays involving over 600 amateur actors. Other weekend summer festivals include the Lichfield Folk Festival
and The Lichfield Real Ale
, Jazz and Blues Festival.
Dr Johnson’s
Birthday Celebrations and Lichfield Heritage Weekend takes place on the third weekend in September with a variety of civic events including live music and free historical tours of local landmarks.
which hosts a range of community events and activities throughout the year. Also in the city centre are two lakes, Minster Pool
and Stowe Pool
. The Garden of Remembrance, a memorial gardens laid out in 1920 after World War I
is located on Bird Street. Many other parks are located on the outskirts of the city, these include Brownsfield Park, Darnford Park, Shortbutts Park, Stychbrook Park, Saddlers Wood and Christian Fields.
There are two public sports leisure facilities in the city. Friary Grange Leisure Centre in the north west of the city offers raquet sports, a swimming pool and sports hall and fitness gym. King Edward VI Leisure Centre in the south of the city offers raquet sports, a sports hall and an artificial turf
pitch.
Lichfield Library and Record Office is located on the corner of St John Street and The Friary. The building also provides adult education centre and a small art gallery. The current building became the library in 1989 after it moved from Lichfield Free Library and Museum on Bird Street.
The city is served by the Samuel Johnson Community Hospital located on Trent Valley Road. This hospital replaced the now demolished Victoria Hospital in 2006.
Lichfield is served by two railway stations, Lichfield City
and Lichfield Trent Valley
, both built by the London and North Western Railway
. These stations are now on the Cross-City Line to Redditch
via Birmingham. Additionally, Trent Valley station is on the West Coast Main Line
with hourly direct semi-fast services to London Euston
, and also to Stafford
, Stoke
and Crewe
, supplemented by occasional fast services. Despite being north of Birmingham, trains between Lichfield Trent Valley and London Euston can take as little as 1 hour 9 minutes. Lichfield City is located in the city centre and Lichfield Trent Valley is located 1.37 km (0.851280649210235 mi) or 20 minutes walk north east of the city centre.
Lichfield has regular bus services in and around the city. The bus station is located on Birmingham Road opposite Lichfield City railway station although as part of the Friarsgate development plans have been approved for it to be re-located next to the railway station. Arriva Midlands
as well as some other operators do regular services to Birmingham, Burntwood
, Burton upon Trent
, Nuneaton
, Stafford
, Staffordshire University
, Sutton Coldfield
, Stoke on Trent, Tamworth
, Uttoxeter
, and Walsall
.
Lichfield is centrally located on the UK road network
. Historically the Roman roads
of Watling Street
and Ryknild Street
crossed 3.2 km (2 mi) south of the city at Letocetum
. Today following much of the same routes are the A5 and A38
. The A5 runs west towards Wales
and south east towards Tamworth
. The A38 runs south to Birmingham and north east to Derby
. Running along the western perimeter of the city is the A51
road, which runs north to Chester and south west to Tamworth. The nearest motorway junction is Junction T5 of the M6 Toll
, located 3.2 km (2 mi) south of the city. Junction 9 of the M42
and Junction 4A of the M6
are 19 km (11.8 mi) and 24 km (14.9 mi) south respectively.
Lichfield Canal
was historically part of the Wyrley and Essington Canal
and ran south of the city from 1797 until it was abandoned in 1955. Starting in the 1990's a works programme started to restore the canal along much of its original route and make it navigable by 2025. As of 2011, none of the 11.3 km (7 mi) stretch of canal is navigable. The nearest navigable canal to Lichfield is the Coventry Canal
which runs through Streethay
.
Two nearby airports serve Lichfield. Birmingham Airport is 32 km (19.9 mi) south and East Midlands Airport is 55 km (34.2 mi) north east.
, Lichfield has three secondary schools:
There are two independent schools:
The Lichfield campus of Staffordshire University
and South Staffordshire College
is located on The Friary. This campus facility was opened in 1998 and offers further and higher education courses up to and including masters degrees. A £3 million School of Art, Design and Media, housed in purpose-built accommodation opened in 2006. This facility received the highest possible grade of 'outstanding provision' in the latest Ofsted
inspection report.
; 78.7% of the people in the area polled as part of the 2001 Census
professed the Christian faith. Lichfield has held a religious importance since St Chad became the first Bishop of Lichfield
and built a monastery in 669 CE. After Chads death in 672 CE he was buried in a Anglo-Saxon
church which later became part of Lichfield Cathedral
.
The Anglican
faith is in the majority with three parishes as well as the Cathedral. St Michael’s
and St Mary’s
serve one parish and Christ Church
and St Chad's
serve the other two. Lichfield is within the Diocese of Lichfield
and represented by Jonathan Gledhill
, the 98th Bishop of Lichfield.
There are two Roman Catholic churches; the Holy Cross and SS. Peter & Paul which are part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. In the city centre there is a Methodist
church and Wade Street Church, which is a United Reformed
and Baptist church. There is a Pentecostal
Church under the name Emmanuel Christian Centre in Nether Stowe and the Christadelphian
Hall on Station Road. The Jehovah's Witnesses
have a Kingdom Hall on Lombard Street.
There are five faith schools
in the city all of which are primary schools. St Michael’s C of E School, Christ Church C of E School and St Chad’s C of E (VC) School are all Church of England faith schools. St Joseph's RC School and SS. Peter & Paul School are Roman Catholic faith schools.
There are no places of worship in Lichfield for any other major world religions.
Humanists
and atheists
in Lichfield are supported by the Lichfield, Walsall & South Staffordshire Humanists (LWASS), affiliated to the British Humanist Association
.
was more popular in the city than football, this was largely due to the fact that it was the main sport at Lichfield Grammar School
. However, both sports have remained at amateur level. Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club
was founded in 1874. As of 2010–11 season they play in the Midlands 1 West
League; which is the 6th level of the English Rugby Union system
. The team plays at Cooke Fields located south east of the city on Tamworth Road, behind the Horse and Jockey public house.
AFC Lichfield is a community youth football club. The club currently have teams playing in the Lichfield & District Recreational League at under 7's, under 12's and under 15's. The club play there home matches at Beacon Park and the A51 Bypass. AFC Lichfield also boast a football academy offering FA coaching to boys and girls aged 4-8 years.
Lichfield City Football Club (formerly known as Beacon Park F.C. until June 2006) played in the Burton & District League until 2008. Following a successful season where goals from Adam Eccles and Simon Deeley saw the side win the Memorial cup. On the back of this success the club gained entrance to the Midland Football Combination
. Lichfield gained promotion from the third division in their first full season and narrowly missed out on back to back promotions in the 2009–2010 season. In the 2011–12 season Lichfield will play in the first division after promotion in 2011. The 1st team play at Brownsfield Park next the new Lichfield City FC Social Club (formerly known as Enots). LCFC are a FA Charter Community club with teams from under 7's to Adults.
Lichfield Diamonds LFC is at the forefront of girls football in Staffordshire, being the first all female club to achieve Charter Standard Status. The team plays at the Collins Hill Sports Ground.
Lichfield Cricket Club
, currently playing in the Third Division of the Birmingham and District Premier League
. They also play at the Collins Hill Sports Ground.
Lichfield is served by four golf course
s, these include the local authority 18 hole course at Beacon Park
. Darnford Moors Golf Club; a new facility in the south of the city which provides a 9 hole pay and play facility, a driving range
and coaching academy. Lichfield Country Club; based in Elmhurst
, the club boasts a 18 hole par 72 championship course and the Midlands
first American specification 9 hole par 3 course. Whittington Heath Golf Club; an 18 hole par 70 course south east of the city, laid out on heathland
and woodland.
Lichfield Archers were formed over 40 years ago and shoot at Christian Fields, where they have 20 yard indoor and 100 yard outdoor ranges.
, Germany Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon
, France.
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
, civil parish and district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly 25 km (15.5 mi) north of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. In 2008, its population was estimated at 30,583 and the wider Lichfield district
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
at 97,900.
Notable for its three-spired medieval cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
, Lichfield was the birthplace of Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, the writer of the first authoritative Dictionary of the English Language
A Dictionary of the English Language
Published on 15 April 1755 and written by Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, sometimes published as Johnson's Dictionary, is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language....
. The city's recorded history began when St Chad
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
arrived to establish his Bishopric
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
in 669 CE and the settlement grew as the ecclesiastical centre of the Kingdom of Mercia. In 2009 the Staffordshire Hoard
Staffordshire Hoard
The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork . Discovered in a field near the village of Hammerwich, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, England on 5 July 2009, it consists of some 3,500 items that are nearly all martial in character...
, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
gold and silver metalwork, was found 5.9 km (3.7 mi) south west of Lichfield.
The development of the city was consolidated in the 12th century under Bishop Clinton
Roger de Clinton
Roger de Clinton was a medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. He was responsible for organising a new grid street plan for the town of Lichfield in the 12th century which survives to this day.-Life:...
who fortified the Cathedral Close
Cathedral Close, Lichfield
The Cathedral Close is a historic set of buildings surrounding Lichfield Cathedral in Lichfield in the United Kingdom. The Close comprises buildings associated with the cathedral and the clergy which encircle the Cathedral...
, and also laid out the town with the ladder-shaped street pattern that survives to this day. Lichfield's heyday was in the 18th century when it developed into a thriving coaching city. This was a period of great intellectual activity, the city being the home of many famous people including Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
and Anna Seward
Anna Seward
Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
, and prompted Johnson's remark that Lichfield was "a city of philosophers".
Today, the city still retains its old importance as an ecclesiastical centre, and its industrial and commercial development has been limited. The centre of the city retains an unspoilt charm with over 230 listed buildings in its historic streets, fine Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and old cultural traditions.
Etymology
Legend has it that a thousand Christians were martyred in Lichfield around 300 CE, during the reign of the Roman Emperor DiocletianDiocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, and that the name 'Lichfield' actually means 'field of the dead' (see Lich
Lich
In modern fantasy fiction, a lich is a type of undead creature. Often such a creature is the result of a transformation, as a powerful magician or king striving for eternal life uses spells or rituals to bind his intellect to his animated corpse and thereby achieve a form of immortality...
). There is however, no evidence to support this legend. At Wall
Wall, Staffordshire
Wall is a small village and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, just south of Lichfield. It lies on the site of the Roman settlement of Letocetum.The nearby junction of the A5 and A5127 roads and the M6 Toll motorway is often referred to as Wall junction....
, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) to the south of the present city, there was a Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
village called Letocetum
Letocetum
Letocetum is the remains of a Roman settlement. It was an important military staging post and posting station near the junction of Watling Street, the Roman military road to North Wales , and Icknield Street . The site is now within the parish of Wall, Staffordshire, England...
from the Brythonic
British language
The British language was an ancient Celtic language spoken in Britain.British language may also refer to:* Any of the Languages of the United Kingdom.*The Welsh language or the Brythonic languages more generally* British English...
for "grey wood", from which the first half of the name Lichfield is derived. The second part of the name is derived from the Old English "feld", meaning 'open country'. In that sense 'Lichfield' would be 'common pasture in grey wood', 'grey' perhaps referring to varieties of tree prominent in the landscape, such as ash and elm.
Prehistory and antiquity
The earliest evidence of settlement has been the discovery of MesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
flints on the high ground of St Michael’s churchyard, which may indicate an early flint industry. Traces of Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
settlement have been discovered on the south side of the sandstone ridge occupied by the Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
.
3.5 km (2.2 mi) south west of Lichfield, near the point where Ryknild Street crosses Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
was the site of the Roman town of Letocetum
Letocetum
Letocetum is the remains of a Roman settlement. It was an important military staging post and posting station near the junction of Watling Street, the Roman military road to North Wales , and Icknield Street . The site is now within the parish of Wall, Staffordshire, England...
. Established in 50 as a military fortress, by the 2nd century it had become a civilian settlement with a bath house and a mansio
Mansio
In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling.-Background:The roads which traversed the Ancient World, were later surveyed,...
. Letocetum fell into decline by the 4th century and the Romans had left by the 5th century. There have been scattered Romano-British finds in Lichfield, and it is possible that a burial discovered beneath the cathedral in 1751 was Romano-British. There is no evidence as to what happened to Letocetum after the Romans left, however Lichfield may have emerged as its inhabitants relocated during its decline.
Middle Ages
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
's history, where it is called Licidfelth and mentioned as the place where St Chad
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
fixed the episcopal see of the Mercians in 669. The first Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
king of Mercia, King Wulfhere
Wulfhere of Mercia
Wulfhere was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of Northumbria's overlordship of southern England, and Wulfhere...
donated land at Lichfield for Chad to build a monastery. It was because of this that the ecclesiastical centre of the Diocese of Mercia became settled at Lichfield, which was approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of the seat of the Mercian kings at Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. The first cathedral to be built on the present site was in 700 when Bishop Hedda built a new church to house the bones of St Chad, which had become a sacred shrine to many pilgrims when he died in 672. The burial in the cathedral of the kings of Mercia, King Wulfhere
Wulfhere of Mercia
Wulfhere was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of Northumbria's overlordship of southern England, and Wulfhere...
in 674 and King Ceolred
Ceolred of Mercia
-Mercia at the end of the 7th century:By the end of the 7th century, England was almost entirely divided into kingdoms ruled by the Anglo-Saxons, who had come to Britain two hundred years earlier. The kingdom of Mercia occupied what is now the English Midlands, bordered by Northumbria to the...
in 716, further increased the prestige of Lichfield. In 786 Offa
Offa of Mercia
Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796. The son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa, Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æthelbald after defeating the other claimant Beornred. In the early years of Offa's reign it is likely...
, King of Mercia, raised Lichfield to the dignity of an archbishopric
Higbert, Archbishop of Lichfield
Hygeberht was the Bishop of Lichfield from 779 until the elevation of Lichfield to an archbishopric some time after 787, during the reign of the powerful Mercian king Offa...
, with authority over all the bishops from the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
to the Thames. However after King Offa's death in 796, Lichfield's power waned and in 803 the primacy was restored to Canterbury by Pope Leo III
Pope Leo III
Pope Saint Leo III was Pope from 795 to his death in 816. Protected by Charlemagne from his enemies in Rome, he subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position by crowning him as Roman Emperor....
after only 16 years. The Historia Britonum
Historia Britonum
The Historia Brittonum, or The History of the Britons, is a historical work that was first composed around 830, and exists in several recensions of varying difference. It purports to relate the history of the Brittonic inhabitants of Britain from earliest times, and this text has been used to write...
lists the city as one of the 28 cities of Britain around AD 833.
During the 9th century, the Kingdom of Mercia was devastated by the Vikings from Denmark. Lichfield itself was unwalled and the cathedral was despoiled, so Bishop Peter
Peter of Lichfield
Peter was a medieval Bishop of Lichfield. He moved the see from Lichfield to Chester in 1075.Peter had been a royal chaplain before being nominated to the see of Lichfield. Nothing else is known of his background, although presumably he was a Norman, as were most of King William I of England's...
moved the see to the fortified and wealthier Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
in 1075. His successor, Robert de Limesey
Robert de Limesey
Robert de Limesey was a medieval Bishop of Chester. He moved the see from Chester to Coventry in 1102....
, transferred it to Coventry, but it was eventually restored to Lichfield in 1148. Work began on the present Gothic cathedral in 1195. At the time of the Domesday survey, Lichfield was held by the bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
, where the see of the bishopric had been moved 10 years earlier; Lichfield was listed as a small village. The lord of the manor was the bishop of Chester until the reign of Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
.
Bishop Clinton
Roger de Clinton
Roger de Clinton was a medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. He was responsible for organising a new grid street plan for the town of Lichfield in the 12th century which survives to this day.-Life:...
was responsible for transforming the scattered settlements to the south of Minster Pool into the ladder plan streets we recognise today. Market Street, Wade Street, Bore Street and Frog Lane linked Dam Street, Conduit Street and Bakers Lane on one side with Bird Street and St John Street on the other. Bishop Clinton also fortified the cathedral close, enclosed the town with a bank and ditch, and gates were set up where roads into the town crossed the ditch. In 1291 Lichfield was severely damaged by a fire, which destroyed most of the town, however the Cathedral and Close survived unscathed.
In 1387 Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
gave a charter for the foundation of the gild of St Mary and St John the Baptist; this gild functioned as the local government, until its dissolution by Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, who incorporated the town in 1548.
Early Modern
Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
had a dramatic effect on Lichfield. The Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
brought the disappearance of pilgrim traffic following the destruction of St Chad's shrine in 1538 which was a major loss to the city's economic prosperity. That year too the Franciscan Friary
The Franciscan Friary, Lichfield
The Franciscan Friary was once a large estate located on the west side of Lichfield city centre in Staffordshire. The estate was built and inhabited by the Franciscan Friars from 1237...
was dissolved, the site becoming a private estate. Further economic decline followed the outbreak of plague
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
in 1593, which resulted in the death of over a third of the entire population.
Three people were burned at the stake for heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
under Mary I. The last person in England to meet this fate was in Lichfield. Edward Wightman
Edward Wightman
Edward Wightman was an English radical Anabaptist, executed at Lichfield for his activities promoting himself as the divine Paraclete and Savior of the world...
from Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
was executed by burning
Execution by burning
Death by burning is death brought about by combustion. As a form of capital punishment, burning has a long history as a method in crimes such as treason, heresy, and witchcraft....
in the Market Place on 11 April 1612 for his activities promoting himself as the divine Paraclete
Paraclete
Paraclete means advocate or helper. In Christianity, the term most commonly refers to the Holy Spirit.-Etymology:...
and Savior of the world.
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Lichfield was divided. The cathedral authorities, with a certain following, were for the king, but the townsfolk generally sided with the Parliament. This led to the fortification of the close in 1643. Lichfield's position as a focus of supply routes had an important strategic significance during the war, and both forces were anxious for control of the city. Lord Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke was an English Civil War Roundhead General.Greville was the cousin and adopted son of Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, and thus became 2nd Lord Brooke, and owner of Warwick Castle. He was born in 1607, and entered parliament for Warwickshire in 1628...
, notorious for his hostility to the church, led an assault against it, but was killed by a deflected bullet on St Chad's day, an accident welcomed as a miracle by the Royalists. The close yielded and was retaken by Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
in this year; but on the breakdown of the king's cause in 1646 it again surrendered. The cathedral suffered extensive damage from the war, including the complete destruction of the central spire. It was restored at the Restoration under the supervision of Bishop Hacket
John Hacket
John Hacket was an English churchman, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry from 1661 until his death.-Life:He was born in London and educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge. On taking his degree he was elected a fellow of his college, and soon afterwards wrote the comedy, Loiola , which...
, and thanks in part to the generosity of King Charles II.
Lichfield started to develop a lively coaching trade as a stop-off on the busy route between London and Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
from the 1650s onwards, making it Staffordshire's most prosperous town. In the 18th century and reaching its peak in the period from 1800—1840, the city thrived as a busy coaching city on the main routes from London to the north-west and Birmingham to the north-east. It also became a centre of great intellectual activity being the home of many famous people including Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
and Anna Seward
Anna Seward
Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
; this prompted Johnson's remark that Lichfield was "a city of philosophers". In the 1720s Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
described Lichfield as 'a fine, neat, well-built, and indifferent large city', the principal town in the region after Chester. During the late 18th and early 19th century much of the medieval city was rebuilt with the red brick Georgian style
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
buildings we see today. Also during this time the city underwent vast improvements with underground sewerage systems, paved streets and gas powered street lighting. An infantry regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
was formed at Lichfield in 1705 by Col. Luke Lillingstone
Luke Lillingstone
Luke Lillingstone or Lillingston was a British Army officer.Both Lillingstone's father, Henry Lillingstone, and maternal uncle, Thomas Dolman, were colonels in the Anglo-Dutch Brigade. Luke was himself first commissioned as an officer in the Brigade in 1673...
in the King's Head pub in Bird Street. In 1751 it became the 38th regiment of foot and in 1783 the 1st Staffordshire Regiment; after reorganization in 1881 it became the 1st battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment.
Late Modern and contemporary
The arrival of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and the railways in 1837 signalled the end of Lichfield's position as an important staging post for coaching traffic. Whilst the industrial development at nearby Birmingham exploded, along with its population, Lichfield remained largely unchanged in character.
The first council houses were built in the Dimbles area of the city in the 1930s. The outbreak of World War II brought over 2000 evacuees
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
from industrialised areas. However due to the lack of heavy industry in the city, Lichfield escaped lightly, although there were air raids
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
in 1940 and 1941 and 3 Lichfeldians were killed. Just outside the city Wellington Bombers flew out of Fradley Aerodrome which was known as RAF Lichfield
RAF Lichfield
Royal Air Force Station Lichfield also known as Fradley Aerodrome, was an operational training station from 1940 until 1958. It was situated in Fradley, 2 miles north east of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. The airfield was the busiest airfield in Staffordshire during World War II. The airfield...
. After the war the council built many new houses in the 1960s including some high-rise flats, the late 70s and early 80s brought a large housing estate at Boley Park in the east of the city. The city's population tripled between 1951 and the late 1980s.
The city has continued expanding to the west, the Darwin Park housing estate has been under development for a number of years and has swelled the city's population by approximately 3,000. Plans have been approved for Friarsgate, a new £100 million shopping and leisure complex opposite Lichfield City Station. The police station, bus station, Ford garage and multi-storey car park will be demolished to make way for 22,000m2 of retail space and 2,000m2 of leisure facilities consisting of a flagship department store, six-screen cinema, hotel, 37 individual shops and 56 apartments. In July 2009, The Staffordshire Hoard
Staffordshire Hoard
The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork . Discovered in a field near the village of Hammerwich, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, England on 5 July 2009, it consists of some 3,500 items that are nearly all martial in character...
, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
gold ever found, was discovered in a field in the parish of Hammerwich
Hammerwich
Hammerwich is a village and civil parish in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. It is situated to the south east of Burntwood.The name may derive from the Old English hamor and wic , or possibly, 'a smith's workshop' or 'a hammer-making workshop'.Charcoal burning, nail making, agriculture...
, 4 miles (6.4 km) south west of Lichfield.
Local government
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
had authority over the city. It was not until 1548 with Edward VI's charter that Lichfield had anything like a secular government. As a reward for the support given to Mary I by the bailiffs and citizens during the duke of Northumberland's attempt to prevent her accession, the queen issued a new charter in 1553, confirming the 1548 charter and in addition granting the city its own sheriff. The same charter made Lichfield a county separate from the rest of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. It remained so until 1888.
The City Council has 28 members from the 6 wards of Boley Park, Chadsmead, Curborough, Leamonsley, St Johns and Stowe, who are elected every four years. After the 2011 parish council elections, the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
remained in overall control, with 28 seats being divided between the Conservatives (26), Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, (1), Liberal Democrat (1). The Mayor, Brian Bacon is the civic head of the Council and chairs Council meetings. The Council also appoints a Leader of Council to be the main person responsible for leadership of the Council's political and policy matters. The Council is also one of only 15 towns and cities in England and Wales which appoints a Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
.
Members of Parliament
The Lichfield constituencyLichfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
sent two members to the parliament of 1304 and to a few succeeding parliaments, but the representation did not become regular until 1552; in 1867 it lost one member, and in 1885 its representation was merged into that of the county. The Lichfield constituency was abolished in 1950 and replaced with the Lichfield and Tamworth constituency
Lichfield and Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield and Tamworth was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Lichfield and Tamworth in Staffordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:The constituency was...
. This contituency lasted until 1983 when it was replaced with the Mid Staffordshire constituency
Mid Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Staffordshire was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom from 1983 until 1997.It covered a swathe of territory across the centre of Staffordshire, stretching from Lichfield and Rugeley in the south to Stone in the north....
.
The current Member of Parliament for Lichfield is the Conservative Michael Fabricant
Michael Fabricant
Michael Louis David Fabricant is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Lichfield in Staffordshire.-Early life:...
, who has been MP for Lichfield since 1997. Fabricant was first elected for the Mid Staffordshire constituency
Mid Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Staffordshire was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom from 1983 until 1997.It covered a swathe of territory across the centre of Staffordshire, stretching from Lichfield and Rugeley in the south to Stone in the north....
in 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
regaining the seat for the Conservatives following Sylvia Heal's
Sylvia Heal
Sylvia Lloyd Heal is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Halesowen and Rowley Regis from 1997 to 2010, having previously been the MP for Mid Staffordshire from 1990 to 1992...
victory for Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
at the 1990 by-election
Mid Staffordshire by-election, 1990
The Mid Staffordshire constituency of the United Kingdom Parliament held a by-election on 22 March 1990. The result was the election of Labour candidate Sylvia Heal to succeed the previous Conservative Member of Parliament John Heddle, who had precipitated the byelection by committing...
. Fabricant took the seat with a majority of 6,236 and has remained a Member of Parliament since. The Mid Staffordshire seat was abolished at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, but Fabricant contested and won the Lichfield constituency, which partially replaced it, by just 238 votes. He has remained the Lichfield MP since, increasing his majority to 4,426 in 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, 7,080 in 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
and 17,683 in 2010.
Geography
Lichfield covers an area of approximately 3.8 sq mi (9.8 km²) in the south east of the county of StaffordshireStaffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
region of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is approximately 25 km (15.5 mi) north of Birmingham and 200 km (124.3 mi) north west of London. The city is located between the high ground of Cannock Chase
Cannock Chase
Cannock Chase is a mixed area of countryside in the county of Staffordshire, England. The area has been designated as the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Chase gives its name to the Cannock Chase local government district....
on the west and the valleys of the Rivers Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
and Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
on the east. It is underlain by red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, deposited during the arid desert conditions of the Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
period. Mercia Mudstone
Keuper marl
Keuper marl is the former name for a layer of mudstones and siltstones from the late Triassic period . Typically red, or occasionally...
underlies the north and north eastern edges of the city towards Elmhurst and Curborough
Curborough and Elmhurst
Curborough and Elmhurst is a civil parish in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. The hamlets of Curborough and Elmhurst, that make up the parish, lie just north of the City of Lichfield, and are separated from each other by the West Coast Main Line. The parish council is a joint one with...
. The red sandstone underlying the majority of Lichfield is present in many of its ancient buildings including Lichfield Cathedral and the Church of St Chad
The Church of St Chad, Lichfield
The Church of St Chad is a parish church in the area of Stowe in the north of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. It is a Grade II* Listed Building. The church is located to the north of Stowe Pool on St Chad's Road...
.
The ground within the city slopes down from 116m in the north west to 86m on the sandstone shelf where Lichfield Cathedral stands. To the south and east of the city centre is a ridge which reaches 103m at St Michael on Greenhill
St Michael on Greenhill, Lichfield
St Michael on Greenhill is a parish church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, located on the high ground of Greenhill in the east of the city. A church has been on the present site since at least 1190 but the current building dates mainly from the restoration of 1842-43...
. Boley Park lies on top of a ridge with its highest point on Borrowcop Hill at 113m. To the south east the level drops to 69m where Tamworth Road crosses the city boundary into Freeford. There is another high ridge south west of the city where there are two high points one at Berry Hill Farm at 123m and the other on Harehurst Hill near the city boundary at Aldershawe where the level reaches 134m.
The city is built on the two sides of a shallow valley, into which flows two streams from the west, the Trunkfield Brook and the Leamonsley Brook and out of which the Curborough Brook runs to the north east, eventually flowing into the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
. The two streams have been dammed south of the Cathedral on Dam Street to form Minster Pool
Minster Pool
Minster Pool is a reservoir located between Bird Street and Dam Street in the heart of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. The pool lies directly south of Lichfield Cathedral and historically has been important to the defence of the Cathedral Close...
and near St Chads Road to form Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool is a reservoir located in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire.The reservoir was built in 1856 by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. in order to supply clean water to the Black Country. Before 1856, Stowe Pool existed as a mill pond, with Stowe mill located just to the west of St...
.
Suburbs
Boley Park | Chadsmead | Christ Church | Darwin Park | The Dimbles | Leamonsley | Nether Stowe | Sandfields | Stowe | Trent ValleyNearby places
Major towns and cities are in upper case, not all nearby villages and hamlets are listed here:Demographics
At the time of the 2001 census, the population of the City of Lichfield was 27,900. Lichfield is 98.1% white and 79% Christian. 56.7% of the population over 16 were married. 63.2% were employed and 16% of the people were retired. All of these figures were higher than the national average.| Population growth Population growth Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement.... of the City of Lichfield since 1685 |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1685 | 1781 | 1801 | 1831 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Population | 3,040 | 3,555 | 4,840 | 6,252 | 7,900 | 8,616 | 8,393 | 8,507 | 10,260 | 14,090 | 22,660 | 25,400 | 28,666 | 27,900 |
| %± | - | 16.9% | 36.1% | 29.2% | 26.4% | 9.1% | -2.6% | 1.35% | 19.1% | 37.3% | 60.8% | 12.1% | 12.9% | -2.7% |
Economy
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
when the shrine was destroyed.
In the Middle Ages, the main industry in Lichfield was making woollen cloth. There was also a leather industry in Lichfield. Much of the surrounding area was open pasture and there were many surrounding farms.
In the 18th century, Lichfield became a busy coaching centre. Inns and hostelries grew up to provide accommodation and industries dependant on the coaching trade such as coach builders, corn and hay merchants, saddlers and tanneries began to thrive. The main source of wealth to the city came from the money generated by its many visitors. The invention of the railways saw the decline in coach travel and with it came the decline in Lichfield's prosperity.
By the end of the 19th century, brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
was the principal industry, and in the neighbourhood were large market gardens which provided food for the growing populations of nearby Birmingham and the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
.
Today there are a number of light industrial areas predominantly in the east of the city, not dominated by any one particular industry. The district is famous for two local products: Armitage Shanks
Armitage Shanks
Armitage Shanks is a British manufacturer of bathroom fixtures and plumbing supplies.In 2004 Armitage Shanks had eight factories in the UK, the largest in Armitage, Staffordshire. Armitage Shanks is one of the sponsors of the Loo of the Year Awards....
, manufacturers of baths/bidets and showers, and Arthur Price of England
Arthur Price
Arthur Price & Co. is a British manufacturer and distributor of cutlery based in Sheffield.- Arthur Price :Arthur Price, founder of Arthur Price of England, Master Cutlers & Silversmiths, was born on 3 March 1865. He left school at the age of 14 and worked for various cutlery companies in...
, master cutlers and silversmiths. Many residents commute to Birmingham.
Lichfield City Council has predicted that once completed, the new Friarsgate retail and leisure development could attract 11,000 more visitors to the city every month, generating annual sales of around £61 million and creating hundreds of jobs in the city.
Culture and Community
Culture
The Lichfield Greenhill BowerLichfield bower
The Bower is well known in Lichfield, England and nearby areas. It is a festival held each spring on a bank holiday. It is about 800 years old. A statute of Henry II of England ordered that all men capable of bearing arms should be inspected by the magistrates. Since there was no standing army,...
, a festival dating back to the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
takes place annually on Spring Bank Holiday. Originating from a celebration that took place after the Court of Arraye
Court of Arraye
A Court of Arraye was a method of ascertaining numbers of men capable of fighting in towns and cities before England had a standing army....
in the 12th century, the festival has evolved into what it is today but has kept many of its ancient traditions. After a recreation of the Court of Arraye at the Guildhall
Guildhall, Lichfield
The Guildhall is a historic building in the centre of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. Located in Bore Street the Guildhall has been central to the government of the City for over 600 years, and in former times was not only the meeting place of the Corporation but also at various...
, a procession of marching bands, morris men
Morris dance
Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
and carnival floats makes its way through the city, where the Bower Queen is crowned outside the Guildhall. There is a fun fair in the city centre, and another fair and jamboree in Beacon Park
Beacon Park
Beacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was originally laid out in 1859 in the form of the Museum Gardens adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library and has been extended over the years to its current size of...
.
The Lichfield Festival
The Lichfield Festival
The Lichfield Festival is an annual multi-art-form festival held in Lichfield, Staffordshire, which aims to combine high quality, challenging and diverse events of an international calibre, alongside community-based, locally-sourced activities. Performances include drama, dance, film, literature,...
, an arts festival has taken place every July for 30 years. The festival is a celebration of classical music, dance, drama, film, jazz, literature, poetry, visual arts and world music. Events take place at many venues around the city but centre on Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
and the Garrick Theatre. Popular events include the medieval market in the Cathedral Close and the fireworks display which closes the festival.
Triennially the Lichfield Mysteries
Mystery play
Mystery plays and miracle plays are among the earliest formally developed plays in medieval Europe. Medieval mystery plays focused on the representation of Bible stories in churches as tableaux with accompanying antiphonal song...
, the biggest community theatre event in the country takes place at the Cathedral and the Market Place. It consists of a cycle of 24 medieval style plays involving over 600 amateur actors. Other weekend summer festivals include the Lichfield Folk Festival
Folk festival
A Folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music.-Canada:Alberta*Calgary Folk Music Festival*Canmore Folk Music Festival*Edmonton Folk Music Festival*Jasper Folk Festival*Wild Mountain Music FestOntario*Barriefolk...
and The Lichfield Real Ale
Cask ale
Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised beer which is conditioned and served from a cask without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure...
, Jazz and Blues Festival.
Dr Johnson’s
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
Birthday Celebrations and Lichfield Heritage Weekend takes place on the third weekend in September with a variety of civic events including live music and free historical tours of local landmarks.
Community facilities
There are many parks, gardens and open spaces in the city. The city centre park is Beacon ParkBeacon Park
Beacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was originally laid out in 1859 in the form of the Museum Gardens adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library and has been extended over the years to its current size of...
which hosts a range of community events and activities throughout the year. Also in the city centre are two lakes, Minster Pool
Minster Pool
Minster Pool is a reservoir located between Bird Street and Dam Street in the heart of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. The pool lies directly south of Lichfield Cathedral and historically has been important to the defence of the Cathedral Close...
and Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool is a reservoir located in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire.The reservoir was built in 1856 by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. in order to supply clean water to the Black Country. Before 1856, Stowe Pool existed as a mill pond, with Stowe mill located just to the west of St...
. The Garden of Remembrance, a memorial gardens laid out in 1920 after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
is located on Bird Street. Many other parks are located on the outskirts of the city, these include Brownsfield Park, Darnford Park, Shortbutts Park, Stychbrook Park, Saddlers Wood and Christian Fields.
There are two public sports leisure facilities in the city. Friary Grange Leisure Centre in the north west of the city offers raquet sports, a swimming pool and sports hall and fitness gym. King Edward VI Leisure Centre in the south of the city offers raquet sports, a sports hall and an artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
pitch.
Lichfield Library and Record Office is located on the corner of St John Street and The Friary. The building also provides adult education centre and a small art gallery. The current building became the library in 1989 after it moved from Lichfield Free Library and Museum on Bird Street.
The city is served by the Samuel Johnson Community Hospital located on Trent Valley Road. This hospital replaced the now demolished Victoria Hospital in 2006.
Places of Interest
- Lichfield CathedralLichfield CathedralLichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
- The only medieval cathedral in Europe with three spires. The present building was started in 1195, and completed by the building of the Lady Chapel in the 1330s. It replaced a Norman building begun in 1085 which had replaced one, or possibly two, Saxon buildings from the seventh century. - Cathedral CloseCathedral Close, LichfieldThe Cathedral Close is a historic set of buildings surrounding Lichfield Cathedral in Lichfield in the United Kingdom. The Close comprises buildings associated with the cathedral and the clergy which encircle the Cathedral...
- Surrounding the Cathedral with its many fine buildings is one of the most unspoilt in the country. 
Samuel Johnson Birthplace MuseumSamuel Johnson Birthplace MuseumSamuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is a biographical museum and bookshop located in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom...
- A museum to Samuel Johnson's life, work and personality.- Erasmus Darwin HouseErasmus Darwin HouseErasmus Darwin House in Lichfield, Staffordshire is the former house of the English poet and physician Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of naturalist Charles Darwin. The house is a Grade I listed building....
- Home to Erasmus Darwin, the house was restored to create a museum which opened to the public in 1999. - Lichfield Heritage CentreLichfield Heritage CentreLichfield Heritage Centre is a museum dedicated to the history and heritage of the city of Lichfield. The museum is located on the south side of the market square on the second floor of St Mary's Church in the centre of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom.The museum was opened by the...
- in St Mary's ChurchSt Mary's Church, LichfieldSt Mary's Church is a city centre church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, located on the south side the market square. A church is reputed to have been on the present site since at least 1150 but the current building dates from 1870...
in the market square, an exhibition of 2,000 years of Lichfield's history. 
Bishop's PalaceBishop's Palace, LichfieldBishops Palace is a 17th century building situated in the north east corner of the Cathedral Close in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom....
- Built in 1687, the palace was the residence of the Bishop of Lichfield until 1954; it is now used by the Cathedral School.- Milley's Hospital - Located on Beacon Street, it dates back to 1504 and was a women's hospital.
- Hospital of St John Baptist without the BarrsHospital of St John Baptist without the Barrs, LichfieldThe Hospital of St John Baptist without the Barrs is a Grade I listed building and sheltered housing complex with adjacent chapel in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom...
- A distinctive Tudor building with a row of eight brick chimneys. This was built outside the city walls (barrs) to provide accommodation for travellers arriving after the city gates were closed. It now provides home for elderly people and has an adjacent Chapel. - Church of St ChadThe Church of St Chad, LichfieldThe Church of St Chad is a parish church in the area of Stowe in the north of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. It is a Grade II* Listed Building. The church is located to the north of Stowe Pool on St Chad's Road...
- A 12th century church though extensively restored, on its site is a Holy Well by which St Chad is said to have prayed and used the waters' healing properties. - St Michael on Greenhill - Overlooking the city the ancient churchyard is unique as one of the largest in the country at 9 acres (4 ha).
- Christ ChurchChrist Church, LichfieldChrist Church is a parish church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. The church is situated in Leamonsley in the south west area of the city...
- An outstanding example of Victorian ecclesiastical architecture and a grade II* listed building. - The Market Square - In the centre of the city the square contains two statues, one of Samuel Johnson overlooking the house in which he was born, and one of his great friend and biographer, James BoswellJames BoswellJames Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
. - Beacon ParkBeacon ParkBeacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was originally laid out in 1859 in the form of the Museum Gardens adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library and has been extended over the years to its current size of...
- An 81 acres (33 ha) public park in the centre of the city, used for many sporting and recreational activities. - Minster PoolMinster PoolMinster Pool is a reservoir located between Bird Street and Dam Street in the heart of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. The pool lies directly south of Lichfield Cathedral and historically has been important to the defence of the Cathedral Close...
& Stowe PoolStowe PoolStowe Pool is a reservoir located in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire.The reservoir was built in 1856 by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. in order to supply clean water to the Black Country. Before 1856, Stowe Pool existed as a mill pond, with Stowe mill located just to the west of St...
- The two lakes occupying 16 acres in the heart of Lichfield, Stowe Pool is designated a SSSISite of Special Scientific InterestA Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
site as is it home to native White-Clawed Crayfish. - The Franciscan Friary - The ruins of the former Friary in Lichfield, now classed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
- Lichfield Clock TowerLichfield Clock TowerLichfield Clock Tower or Friary Clock Tower is a 19th century Grade II listed clock tower located on 'The Friary' south of Festival Gardens in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom....
- A Grade II listed 19th century clock tower, located south of Festival Gardens. 
LetocetumLetocetumLetocetum is the remains of a Roman settlement. It was an important military staging post and posting station near the junction of Watling Street, the Roman military road to North Wales , and Icknield Street . The site is now within the parish of Wall, Staffordshire, England...
- The remains of a Roman Staging Post and Bath House, in the village of WallWall, StaffordshireWall is a small village and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, just south of Lichfield. It lies on the site of the Roman settlement of Letocetum.The nearby junction of the A5 and A5127 roads and the M6 Toll motorway is often referred to as Wall junction....
, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south of the city.- Staffordshire Regiment Museum - 2.5 miles (4 km) east of the city in WhittingtonWhittington, StaffordshireWhittington is a village and civil parish which lies approximately 3 miles south east of Lichfield in the Lichfield district of Staffordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,591. The parish council is a joint one with Fisherwick...
, the museum covers the regiment's history, activities and members, and include photographs, uniforms, weapons, medals, artifacts, memorabilia and regimental regalia. Outdoors is a replica trench from World War I, and several armoured fighting vehicles. - National Memorial ArboretumNational Memorial ArboretumThe National Memorial Arboretum is a national site of remembrance at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It gives its purpose as:-Origins:...
- 4 miles (6 km) north east of the city in AlrewasAlrewasAlrewas is a large village and civil parish within Lichfield District, in Staffordshire, England. It lies on the A38 road, approximately 5 miles north of Lichfield...
, the arboretum is a national site of remembrance and contains many memorials to the armed services. 
Cannock ChaseCannock ChaseCannock Chase is a mixed area of countryside in the county of Staffordshire, England. The area has been designated as the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Chase gives its name to the Cannock Chase local government district....
- A designated Area of Outstanding Natural BeautyArea of Outstanding Natural BeautyAn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
, is 5 miles (8 km) north west of the city. It comprises a mixture of natural deciduous woodland, coniferous plantations and open heathland. There are a number of visitor centres, museums and waymarked paths, including the Heart of England WayHeart of England WayThe Heart of England Way is a long distance walk of around through the Midlands of England. The walk starts from Milford Common on Cannock Chase and ends at Bourton on the Water in the Cotswolds passing through the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.The walk provides links...
and the Staffordshire WayStaffordshire WayThe Staffordshire Way is a long distance walk in Staffordshire, England. The path links with the Cheshire Gritstone Trail, the Heart of England Way and the North Worcestershire Path.- The route :...
.- Shugborough HallShugborough HallShugborough is a country estate in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England, 4 miles from Stafford on the edge of Cannock Chase. It comprises a country house, kitchen garden, and model farm...
- On Cannock Chase's north-eastern edge, the ancestral home of the Earls of LichfieldEarl of LichfieldEarl of Lichfield is a title that has been created three times in British history. Lord Bernard Stewart, youngest son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, was to be created Earl of Lichfield by Charles I for his actions at the battles of Newbury and Naseby but died before the creation could...
.
Transport
Lichfield is served by two railway stations, Lichfield City
Lichfield City railway station
Lichfield City railway station serves the city of Lichfield, in Staffordshire, England. It is situated towards the northern end of the Cross-City Line 28 km north east of Birmingham New Street...
and Lichfield Trent Valley
Lichfield Trent Valley railway station
Lichfield Trent Valley is a split-level railway station on the outskirts of the city of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. It is one of two stations in Lichfield, the other being in the city-centre.-History:...
, both built by the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
. These stations are now on the Cross-City Line to Redditch
Redditch railway station
Redditch railway station serves the town of Redditch, Worcestershire, England. It is the southern terminus of the Cross-City Line 23 km south of Birmingham New Street...
via Birmingham. Additionally, Trent Valley station is on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
with hourly direct semi-fast services to London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
, and also to Stafford
Stafford railway station
Stafford railway station is an important main line interchange station in the United Kingdom. It serves the county town of Stafford.The present station built in 1962 is a good example of the Brutalist style of architecture - the beauty of the building was perceived to be its very functionality and...
, Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent railway station
Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station is a main-line railway station in central England. It is located on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line and serves the Staffordshire city of Stoke-on-Trent...
and Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
, supplemented by occasional fast services. Despite being north of Birmingham, trains between Lichfield Trent Valley and London Euston can take as little as 1 hour 9 minutes. Lichfield City is located in the city centre and Lichfield Trent Valley is located 1.37 km (0.851280649210235 mi) or 20 minutes walk north east of the city centre.
Lichfield has regular bus services in and around the city. The bus station is located on Birmingham Road opposite Lichfield City railway station although as part of the Friarsgate development plans have been approved for it to be re-located next to the railway station. Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services around the Midlands area of England and is made up of various previous bus operators.-Arriva Midlands North:...
as well as some other operators do regular services to Birmingham, Burntwood
Burntwood
Burntwood is a town in Staffordshire, England, lying in the Cannock Chase area approximately west of Lichfield. The town had a population of 25,674 at the time of the 2001 census and forms part of Lichfield district. The town forms one of the largest urbanised parishes in England. Samuel Johnson...
, Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
, Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
, Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
, Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a university with its main campus based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and with other campuses in Stafford, Lichfield and Shrewsbury.- History :...
, Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, Stoke on Trent, Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
, Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
, and Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
.
Lichfield is centrally located on the UK road network
Roads in the United Kingdom
Roads in the United Kingdom form a network of varied quality and capacity. Road distances are shown in miles or yards and UK speed limits are in miles per hour or use of the national speed limit symbol. Some vehicle categories have various lower maximum limits enforced by speed limiters...
. Historically the Roman roads
Roman roads in Britain
Roman roads, together with Roman aqueducts and the vast standing Roman army , constituted the three most impressive features of the Roman Empire. In Britain, as in other provinces, the Romans constructed a comprehensive network of paved trunk roads Roman roads, together with Roman aqueducts and the...
of Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
and Ryknild Street
Icknield Street
Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from the Fosse Way at Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire to Templeborough in South Yorkshire...
crossed 3.2 km (2 mi) south of the city at Letocetum
Letocetum
Letocetum is the remains of a Roman settlement. It was an important military staging post and posting station near the junction of Watling Street, the Roman military road to North Wales , and Icknield Street . The site is now within the parish of Wall, Staffordshire, England...
. Today following much of the same routes are the A5 and A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
. The A5 runs west towards Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and south east towards Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. The A38 runs south to Birmingham and north east to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. Running along the western perimeter of the city is the A51
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
road, which runs north to Chester and south west to Tamworth. The nearest motorway junction is Junction T5 of the M6 Toll
M6 Toll
The M6 Toll , connects M6 Junction 4 at the NEC to M6 Junction 11A at Wolverhampton with of six-lane motorway. The weekday cash cost is £5.30 for a car and £10.60 for a HGV...
, located 3.2 km (2 mi) south of the city. Junction 9 of the M42
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
and Junction 4A of the M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
are 19 km (11.8 mi) and 24 km (14.9 mi) south respectively.
Lichfield Canal
Lichfield Canal
The Lichfield Canal, as it is now known, was historically a part of the Wyrley and Essington Canal, being the section of that canal from Ogley Junction at Brownhills on the northern Birmingham Canal Navigations to Huddlesford Junction, east of Lichfield, on the Coventry Canal, a length of 7 miles...
was historically part of the Wyrley and Essington Canal
Wyrley and Essington Canal
The Wyrley and Essington Canal, known locally as "the Curly Wyrley", is a canal in the English Midlands. As built it ran from Wolverhampton to Huddlesford Junction near Lichfield, with a number of branches: some parts are currently derelict...
and ran south of the city from 1797 until it was abandoned in 1955. Starting in the 1990's a works programme started to restore the canal along much of its original route and make it navigable by 2025. As of 2011, none of the 11.3 km (7 mi) stretch of canal is navigable. The nearest navigable canal to Lichfield is the Coventry Canal
Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.It starts in Coventry and ends 38 miles north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal...
which runs through Streethay
Streethay
Streethay is an English village and civil parish adjoining the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire on the east side of the West Coast Main Line railway. The parish council is a joint one with Fradley.-Village amenities:...
.
Two nearby airports serve Lichfield. Birmingham Airport is 32 km (19.9 mi) south and East Midlands Airport is 55 km (34.2 mi) north east.
Education
In addition to nine Primary schools and 1 Infant schoolInfant school
An Infant school is a term used primarily in the United Kingdom for school for children between the ages of four and seven years. It is usually a small school serving a particular locality....
, Lichfield has three secondary schools:
- The Friary SchoolThe Friary SchoolThe Friary School is a community secondary school located in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. The school serves about 1,300 students aged 11–18...
- King Edward VI School (formerly Lichfield Grammar School)
- Nether Stowe High SchoolNether Stowe High SchoolNether Stowe High School is a comprehensive school located in Lichfield, Staffordshire. As of 2008, the school has achieved a Maths & Computing College status. It caters for students aged between 11 and 18, providing a wide range of curriculum over all key stages...
, a comprehensive schoolComprehensive schoolA comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
with specialist Maths and ComputingComputingComputing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
college status
There are two independent schools:
- Lichfield Cathedral SchoolLichfield Cathedral SchoolLichfield Cathedral School is an independent cathedral school located in the city of Lichfield, United Kingdom....
— A co-educational school for ages 3 to 18, based in the Cathedral CloseCathedral Close, LichfieldThe Cathedral Close is a historic set of buildings surrounding Lichfield Cathedral in Lichfield in the United Kingdom. The Close comprises buildings associated with the cathedral and the clergy which encircle the Cathedral...
and LongdonLongdon, StaffordshireLongdon is a village and civil parish in the District of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, situated midway between the towns of Rugeley and Lichfield. The parish also includes the nearby villages of Upper Longdon, Longdon Green and Gentleshaw....
. - Maple Hayes School — A DfES Approved Special School for dyslexic children.
The Lichfield campus of Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a university with its main campus based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and with other campuses in Stafford, Lichfield and Shrewsbury.- History :...
and South Staffordshire College
South Staffordshire College
South Staffordshire College is a further education college located over four sites in Staffordshire, England.The college was created in 2009 as a result of a merger of Cannock Chase Technical College, Rodbaston College and Tamworth and Lichfield College...
is located on The Friary. This campus facility was opened in 1998 and offers further and higher education courses up to and including masters degrees. A £3 million School of Art, Design and Media, housed in purpose-built accommodation opened in 2006. This facility received the highest possible grade of 'outstanding provision' in the latest Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
inspection report.
Religion and beliefs
The largest religious denomination in Lichfield parish is ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
; 78.7% of the people in the area polled as part of the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
professed the Christian faith. Lichfield has held a religious importance since St Chad became the first Bishop of Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
and built a monastery in 669 CE. After Chads death in 672 CE he was buried in a Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
church which later became part of Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
.
The Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
faith is in the majority with three parishes as well as the Cathedral. St Michael’s
St Michael on Greenhill, Lichfield
St Michael on Greenhill is a parish church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, located on the high ground of Greenhill in the east of the city. A church has been on the present site since at least 1190 but the current building dates mainly from the restoration of 1842-43...
and St Mary’s
St Mary's Church, Lichfield
St Mary's Church is a city centre church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, located on the south side the market square. A church is reputed to have been on the present site since at least 1150 but the current building dates from 1870...
serve one parish and Christ Church
Christ Church, Lichfield
Christ Church is a parish church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. The church is situated in Leamonsley in the south west area of the city...
and St Chad's
The Church of St Chad, Lichfield
The Church of St Chad is a parish church in the area of Stowe in the north of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. It is a Grade II* Listed Building. The church is located to the north of Stowe Pool on St Chad's Road...
serve the other two. Lichfield is within the Diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
and represented by Jonathan Gledhill
Jonathan Gledhill
Jonathan Michael Gledhill is the 98th Bishop of Lichfield. He was enthroned in Lichfield Cathedral on 15 November 2003....
, the 98th Bishop of Lichfield.
There are two Roman Catholic churches; the Holy Cross and SS. Peter & Paul which are part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. In the city centre there is a Methodist
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
church and Wade Street Church, which is a United Reformed
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
and Baptist church. There is a Pentecostal
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
Church under the name Emmanuel Christian Centre in Nether Stowe and the Christadelphian
Christadelphians
Christadelphians is a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century...
Hall on Station Road. The Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
have a Kingdom Hall on Lombard Street.
There are five faith schools
Faith school
A faith school is a British school teaching a general curriculum but with a particular religious character or has formal links with a religious organisation. It is distinct from an institution mainly or wholly teaching religion and related subjects...
in the city all of which are primary schools. St Michael’s C of E School, Christ Church C of E School and St Chad’s C of E (VC) School are all Church of England faith schools. St Joseph's RC School and SS. Peter & Paul School are Roman Catholic faith schools.
There are no places of worship in Lichfield for any other major world religions.
Humanists
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and atheists
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
in Lichfield are supported by the Lichfield, Walsall & South Staffordshire Humanists (LWASS), affiliated to the British Humanist Association
British Humanist Association
The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...
.
Sport
Historically rugbyRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
was more popular in the city than football, this was largely due to the fact that it was the main sport at Lichfield Grammar School
King Edward VI School (Lichfield)
King Edward VI School, Lichfield is a co-educational comprehensive school near the heart of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. The school is a co-educational comprehensive school maintained by Staffordshire Education Authority and admits pupils from the age of 11 , with some 60%...
. However, both sports have remained at amateur level. Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club
Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club
Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union club in Lichfield, England. They currently play in the Midlands 1 West of the Midlands Division.It is one of the oldest rugby football clubs still in active in England.- History :...
was founded in 1874. As of 2010–11 season they play in the Midlands 1 West
Midlands 1 West
English Rugby Union Midland Division - Midlands 1 West is a level 6 English Rugby Union League.Midlands 1 West is made up of teams from around the Midlands of England who play home and away matches throughout a winter season....
League; which is the 6th level of the English Rugby Union system
English rugby union system
England has a comprehensive league structure in place, including national fully professional leagues to amateur regional leagues.The format and competitiveness of the leagues have changed greatly since their beginnings in 1987...
. The team plays at Cooke Fields located south east of the city on Tamworth Road, behind the Horse and Jockey public house.
AFC Lichfield is a community youth football club. The club currently have teams playing in the Lichfield & District Recreational League at under 7's, under 12's and under 15's. The club play there home matches at Beacon Park and the A51 Bypass. AFC Lichfield also boast a football academy offering FA coaching to boys and girls aged 4-8 years.
Lichfield City Football Club (formerly known as Beacon Park F.C. until June 2006) played in the Burton & District League until 2008. Following a successful season where goals from Adam Eccles and Simon Deeley saw the side win the Memorial cup. On the back of this success the club gained entrance to the Midland Football Combination
Midland Football Combination
The Midland Football Combination is an English football league covering parts of the West Midlands. It comprises five divisions, a Premier Division, Divisions One and Two and two Reserves Divisions...
. Lichfield gained promotion from the third division in their first full season and narrowly missed out on back to back promotions in the 2009–2010 season. In the 2011–12 season Lichfield will play in the first division after promotion in 2011. The 1st team play at Brownsfield Park next the new Lichfield City FC Social Club (formerly known as Enots). LCFC are a FA Charter Community club with teams from under 7's to Adults.
Lichfield Diamonds LFC is at the forefront of girls football in Staffordshire, being the first all female club to achieve Charter Standard Status. The team plays at the Collins Hill Sports Ground.
Lichfield Cricket Club
Lichfield Cricket Club
Lichfield Cricket Club is a cricket team currently playing in the Birmingham and District Premier League, Third Division. The club has the nickname 'Three Spires', derived from the three nearby spires of Lichfield Cathedral....
, currently playing in the Third Division of the Birmingham and District Premier League
Birmingham and District Premier League
The Birmingham and District Cricket League is the oldest club cricket league in the world, formed in 1888. Arguably the strongest club competition in the country, it was also the first ECB Premier League, being designated such in 1998.- Geography :...
. They also play at the Collins Hill Sports Ground.
Lichfield is served by four golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s, these include the local authority 18 hole course at Beacon Park
Beacon Park
Beacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was originally laid out in 1859 in the form of the Museum Gardens adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library and has been extended over the years to its current size of...
. Darnford Moors Golf Club; a new facility in the south of the city which provides a 9 hole pay and play facility, a driving range
Driving range
A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially...
and coaching academy. Lichfield Country Club; based in Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Staffordshire
Elmhurst is a small village and civil parish within Lichfield District, in Staffordshire, England. It is located approximately 1.5 miles north of Lichfield. The village is rural in nature consisting of a few farms and a small amount of private houses...
, the club boasts a 18 hole par 72 championship course and the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
first American specification 9 hole par 3 course. Whittington Heath Golf Club; an 18 hole par 70 course south east of the city, laid out on heathland
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
and woodland.
Lichfield Archers were formed over 40 years ago and shoot at Christian Fields, where they have 20 yard indoor and 100 yard outdoor ranges.
Notable Lichfeldians
- Joseph AddisonJoseph AddisonJoseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was a man of letters, eldest son of Lancelot Addison...
(1672–1719) — Politician and writer - Richard AllinsonRichard AllinsonRichard John McNeill Allinson is a British broadcaster. He started his broadcasting with a 3-year stint at Bailrigg FM, known at that time as University Radio Bailrigg ,whilst undertaking college courses at Lancaster University Management School. He was firstly Treasurer and then became President...
(born 1958) — Broadcaster, currently presenting the early morning weekend show on BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres... - Elias AshmoleElias AshmoleElias Ashmole was a celebrated English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. Ashmole supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II he was rewarded with several lucrative offices.Ashmole was an antiquary with a...
(1617–1692) — Antiquarian, politician, founder of Ashmolean MuseumAshmolean MuseumThe Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
and advisor to Charles II - Helen BaxendaleHelen BaxendaleHelen Victoria Baxendale is an English actress of stage and television, possibly best-known for her roles in Cold Feet, Friends and Cardiac Arrest.-Early life:...
(born 1970) — Actress - Sian BrookeSian BrookeSian Brooke is an English actress, known for portraying Laura in All About George and Lori in Cape Wrath.-Background:...
(born 1980) — Actress - Adam ChristodoulouAdam ChristodoulouAdam Robert Christodoulou is a British racing driver, who won the 2008 British Formula Renault Championship, also won the 2009 Star Mazda Championship in the United States. His cousin Riki Christodoulou is also an emerging racing driver, currently competing in British Formula...
(born 1989) — Racing driver, 2008 British Formula Renault ChampionBritish Formula Renault ChampionshipThe United Kingdom has two Formula Renault championships: Renault Sport UK's Formula Renault UK championship and the British Automobile Racing Club's BARC Formula Renault championship. Generally, the UK series is recognized as the British Formula Renault.-History:The "British Formula Renault...
, 2009 Star Mazda Champion. - Erasmus DarwinErasmus DarwinErasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
(1731–1802) — Scientist, inventor and literary man and grandfather of Charles DarwinCharles DarwinCharles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory... - Thomas DayThomas DayThomas Day was a British author and abolitionist. He was well-known for the children's book The History of Sandford and Merton which emphasized Rousseauvian educational ideals.-Life and works:...
(1748–1789) — Author and abolitionist, lived for a time at Stowe House - Siobhan DillonSiobhan DillonSiobhan Patricia Dillon is an English actress and singer, who rose to fame when she performed in the British talent show-themed television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on BBC One in 2006...
(born 1984) — Singer and actress - Richard Lovell EdgeworthRichard Lovell EdgeworthRichard Lovell Edgeworth was an Anglo-Irish politician, writer and inventor.-Biography:Edgeworth was born in Pierrepont Street, Bath, England, grandson of Sir Salathiel Lovell through his daughter, Jane Lovell....
(1744–1817) — Politician, writer and inventor, lived for a time at Stowe House - Richie EdwardsRichie EdwardsRichie Edwards was born on 25 September 1974, in Lichfield, England. He is the former bassist of the British hard rock band The Darkness and the guitarist/vocalist of their successor band Stone Gods. He was confirmed as a member on 13 June 2005 replacing Frankie Poullain on bass...
(born 1974) — Bassist with rock bands The Darkness and Stone GodsStone GodsStone Gods were a British hard rock / heavy metal band formed by ex-members of the then defunct UK hard rock band The Darkness. Their debut album, titled Silver Spoons & Broken Bones, was released on 7 July 2008, with the first single "Knight of the Living Dead" being released on 23 June 2008... - John FloyerJohn FloyerSir John Floyer , English physician and author, was the third child and second son of Elizabeth Babington and Richard Floyer, of Hints Hall, a since demolished country house. Hints is a quiet village lying a short distance from Lichfield in Staffordshire...
(1649–1734) — English physician and author of the 18th century - Phil FordPhil Ford (writer)Phil Ford is a British television writer. He was the head writer for the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, broadcast in 2008, and wrote "The Waters of Mars", one of the 2009 special episodes of Doctor Who, with Russell T Davies.-Television:...
— Television Writer - Bryn Fowler (born 1982) — Musician, Bassist and backing vocalist in the band The HollowaysThe HollowaysThe Holloways are a four-piece indie-rock band from North London.-Formation:David Jackson and Bryn Fowler established the beginnings of the band, finding Rob Skipper at a local live music venue. They would meet later to jam together, playing in future drummer Dave Danger's room...
- Richard GarnettRichard GarnettRichard Garnett C.B. was a scholar, librarian, biographer and poet. He was son of Richard Garnett, an author, philologist and assistant keeper of printed books in the British Museum....
(1835–1906) — Scholar, librarian, biographer and poet - David GarrickDavid GarrickDavid Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
(1717–1779) — Famous 18th century actor, playwright, producer and theatre manager - Saint Edmund JenningsEdmund GenningsSaint Edmund Gennings was an English martyr, who was executed during the English Reformation for being a Catholic priest. He came from Lichfield, Staffordshire. His name is sometimes spelled Jennings....
(1567–1591) — Jesuit priest and martyr - Samuel JohnsonSamuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
(1709–1784) — 18th century poet, essayist, lexicographer and writer of the first Dictionary of the English LanguageA Dictionary of the English LanguagePublished on 15 April 1755 and written by Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, sometimes published as Johnson's Dictionary, is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language.... - David Charles MannersDavid Charles MannersDavid Charles Manners is a British writer and co-founder of Sarvashubhamkara, a charity that provides medical care, education and human contact for socially excluded individuals and communities on the Indian subcontinent...
(born 1965) — Theatre designer, author and charity founder - Gary MasonGary Mason (motorcycle racer)Gary Mason is a British motorcycle road racer, born 4 May 1979 in Tamworth, Staffordshire. He is the current British Superbike Championship priveteers cup champion, Mason has previously raced in the British Supersport Championship and the AMA supersport and superstock classes.-Starting out:Mason...
(born 1979) — Motorcycle racer in the British Superbike Championship - Robert RockRobert RockRobert Rock is an English professional golfer. He was born in Armitage, near Lichfield in Staffordshire. He joined the European Tour as an affiliate member in 2003 and has remained a member ever since....
(born 1977) — Professional Golfer currently on the PGA European TourPGA European TourThe PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
, formerly a coach at Swingers Golf Centre - Henry SaltHenry Salt (Egyptologist)Henry Salt was an English artist, traveller, diplomat, and Egyptologist.-Biography:Salt, the son of a physician, was born in Lichfield. He trained as a portrait painter, first in Lichfield and then in London under Joseph Farington and John Hoppner. In 1802 he was appointed secretary and...
(1780–1827) — Antiquarian, donated a large Egyptian collection to the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its... - Anna SewardAnna SewardAnna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
(1747–1809) — Romantic poet, memorialist and letter writer
Twinnings
The City of Lichfield is twinned with: Limburg an der LahnLimburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn is the district seat of Limburg-Weilburg in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Limburg lies in western Hesse between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn....
, Germany Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon
Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon
Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.It is a suburb of the city of Lyon, being located to the west of the city. It is thus a component of the metropolitan Urban Community of Lyon....
, France.
See also
- Bishops of LichfieldBishop of LichfieldThe Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
- The Lichfield GospelsLichfield GospelsThe Lichfield Gospels is an eighth century Insular Gospel Book housed in Lichfield Cathedral. There are 236 surviving folios, eight of which are illuminated. Another four contain framed text...
- Earl of LichfieldEarl of LichfieldEarl of Lichfield is a title that has been created three times in British history. Lord Bernard Stewart, youngest son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, was to be created Earl of Lichfield by Charles I for his actions at the battles of Newbury and Naseby but died before the creation could...
- Lichfield Cricket ClubLichfield Cricket ClubLichfield Cricket Club is a cricket team currently playing in the Birmingham and District Premier League, Third Division. The club has the nickname 'Three Spires', derived from the three nearby spires of Lichfield Cathedral....
- Lichfield CanalLichfield CanalThe Lichfield Canal, as it is now known, was historically a part of the Wyrley and Essington Canal, being the section of that canal from Ogley Junction at Brownhills on the northern Birmingham Canal Navigations to Huddlesford Junction, east of Lichfield, on the Coventry Canal, a length of 7 miles...
- Garrick TheatreGarrick Theatre (Lichfield)The Lichfield Garrick is a modern, purpose built theatre in Lichfield, a city in Staffordshire, EnglandThe main auditorium seats 480 people and the Studio seats 157 people. The theatre is named after the actor David Garrick, who was brought up in Lichfield....
- Heart of England WayHeart of England WayThe Heart of England Way is a long distance walk of around through the Midlands of England. The walk starts from Milford Common on Cannock Chase and ends at Bourton on the Water in the Cotswolds passing through the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.The walk provides links...
- Lichfield BowerLichfield bowerThe Bower is well known in Lichfield, England and nearby areas. It is a festival held each spring on a bank holiday. It is about 800 years old. A statute of Henry II of England ordered that all men capable of bearing arms should be inspected by the magistrates. Since there was no standing army,...
- Lichfield Rugby Union Football ClubLichfield Rugby Union Football ClubLichfield Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union club in Lichfield, England. They currently play in the Midlands 1 West of the Midlands Division.It is one of the oldest rugby football clubs still in active in England.- History :...
- RAF LichfieldRAF LichfieldRoyal Air Force Station Lichfield also known as Fradley Aerodrome, was an operational training station from 1940 until 1958. It was situated in Fradley, 2 miles north east of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. The airfield was the busiest airfield in Staffordshire during World War II. The airfield...
External links
- Lichfield City Council
- Lichfield District Council
- Visit Lichfield - Travel and Tourism body
- Lichfield Arts
- http://www.lichfieldpeople.co.uk