Lichfield

Lichfield is a historic city in Staffordshire, England. It is famous for its three-spired medieval cathedral. It is also where Samuel Johnson was born. He wrote the first important Dictionary of the English Language.

The city's history started in 669 AD when Chad of Mercia came to build his church. This made Lichfield an important religious place.

In 2009, people found a big group of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver near the city. Lichfield became a busy place for travelers in the 1700s. Many well-known thinkers and writers lived there. Today, Lichfield is still a special place for religion. It has many old buildings that tell the story of its rich past.

Toponymy

The name "Lichfield" comes from two old sources. Near the city, there was an ancient village called Letocetum, which meant "Grey wood" in an old language. Over time, this name changed and became part of the name "Lichfield."

Some people think the name means "field of the dead" because of an old story, but there is no proof that this is true. The city's name really comes from the idea of a "grey wood" and the open country around it.

History

Prehistory and antiquity

Main article: Letocetum

The oldest signs that people lived in Lichfield are stone tools found near St Michael on Greenhill. These tools show that people may have worked with stone there a long time ago. Near there, traces of very old homes were found on a sandy hill where the Lichfield Cathedral stands today.

The three-spired Lichfield Cathedral was built between 1195 and 1249.

About 2 miles southwest of Lichfield, near where two old roads cross, was a place called Letocetum. It started in the year 50 as a fort for Roman soldiers. By the year 200, it had become a small town with baths and a special guest house. The Romans left around the year 400, and Letocetum slowly disappeared. Some old Roman items have been found in Lichfield, and one old grave found under the cathedral might be from that time. After the Romans left, Lichfield may have grown as people from Letocetum moved there.

Middle Ages

The early history of Lichfield is unclear. The first certain record of Lichfield appears in an old history book called Bede’s work, where it is named Licidfelth. It was here that a man named St Chad set up an important church for the people of Mercia in the year 669. The first Christian king of Mercia, Wulfhere, gave land in Lichfield for Chad to build a monastery. Because of this, Lichfield became the religious center of Mercia, about 7 miles northwest of the king’s home in Tamworth.

In the year 700, a new church was built to hold the bones of St Chad, who had died in 672 and became a sacred place for many visitors. Kings of Mercia were buried in this church, which made Lichfield more important. In the year 786, a king named Offa made Lichfield an archbishopric, giving it control over many churches from the Humber to the River Thames. This lasted for 16 years before power returned to Canterbury.

The Staffordshire Hoard was discovered in a field near Lichfield.

During the 800s, Danish Vikings damaged Mercia, and Lichfield, which had no walls, suffered. The church was harmed, and the leader moved to a safer, richer place called Chester in the year 1075. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Lichfield was a small village owned by the bishop of Chester.

In the year 1102, the leader moved back to Coventry, and work began on the current Gothic cathedral in Lichfield in 1195. In 1153, King Stephen allowed weekly markets in the Market Square, which have continued ever since.

Bishop Roger de Clinton organized the streets south of Minster Pool into the pattern we see today. He also protected the area around the cathedral and built walls around the town. In 1291, a big fire damaged most of the town, but the Cathedral and its grounds were safe.

In 1387, King Richard II allowed the creation of a guild led by St Mary and St John the Baptist. This guild acted as the local government until it was ended by King Edward VI in the year 1548.

Lichfield Cathedral in modern times

Early Modern

The rules of King Henry VIII greatly changed Lichfield. The Reformation ended visits to sacred places, including St Chad’s shrine in 1538, which hurt the town’s economy. The same year, a religious building called the Franciscan Friary was closed down, turning it into a private property. An even bigger problem came with a sickness called the plague in 1593.

During a big conflict called the English Civil War, Lichfield was divided. Some people, including those at the cathedral, supported the king, while most townspeople supported the Parliament. The town became important for supplies, and both sides wanted to control it. After the Royalist cause failed in 1646, the area gave up again. The cathedral was badly damaged during the war. It was fixed later with help from King Charles II.

Lichfield grew as a stop for travelers between London and Chester starting in the 1650s, becoming Staffordshire’s richest town. The town was described as neat and well-built. During this time, many old buildings were replaced with red-brick houses from the Georgian style. The town also got better sewers, paved streets, and gas lights. A part of the British Army began in Lichfield in 1705.

Map of Lichfield in 1781

Late Modern and contemporary

The Industrial Revolution and railways arriving in 1837 ended Lichfield’s role as a major stop for travelers. While nearby Birmingham grew quickly, Lichfield stayed much the same.

In the 1930s, the first houses for rent were built in an area called the Dimbles. When World War II started, over 2,000 children and families from busy areas were sent to Lichfield to stay safe. Even though Lichfield did not have big factories, it was bombed a few times. Near the city, airplanes took off from Fradley Aerodrome, known as RAF Lichfield.

After the war, many new houses were built in the 1960s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a large area called Boley Park was built with many homes. The city’s population grew three times between 1951 and the late 1980s.

Lichfield has kept growing, especially to the west. A big new area called Darwin Park has been growing for years. Plans were made for a new shopping and fun area called Friarsgate near Lichfield City Station, but these plans have changed.

Governance

Lichfield has had different ways of being governed over time. In the past, the Bishop of Lichfield had control over the city. In 1548, King Edward VI gave Lichfield its first secular government. Later, Queen Mary I made the city a separate county from Staffordshire.

Today, the City Council has 28 members from six areas of the city. The Mayor of Lichfield leads the council meetings. Lichfield is one of only 15 towns in England and Wales that still appoints a Sheriff.

Lichfield used to have its own Members of Parliament, but now the city is part of a larger area represented by one MP.

Geography

Lichfield is a city in Staffordshire, England. It covers about 5.41 square miles. The city is between high ground to the west and river valleys to the east. Lichfield is built on red sandstone. You can see this sandstone in many old buildings, including Lichfield Cathedral.

The land in Lichfield slopes down from the north-west to the area where the cathedral is. There are ridges and hills around the city, some as high as 134 meters. Two small streams flow through Lichfield and join together before running into a larger river.

Demography

In 2021, Lichfield had 34,738 people. Most people, about 96.5%, identify as white, and around 66.5% consider themselves Christian. More than half of people older than 16 were married. About 64% of people had jobs, and 21% were retired. These numbers are higher than the country average.

Population growth of the City of Lichfield since 1685
Year	1685	1781	1801	1831	1901	1911	1921	1931	1951	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021
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	32,219	34,738
%±	-	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%	15.5%	7.8%

Economy

Lichfield became rich as an important religious center. People visited to honor St Chad until changes in the 1500s.

In earlier times, Lichfield made woolen cloth and worked with leather. The area had many farms.

The Tudor Café in Bore Street was built in 1510.

Later, Lichfield was a busy place for travelers with many inns and shops. But when trains were invented, travel by coach dropped, and the city’s growth slowed. By the late 1800s, making beer became an important job, and nearby farms grew food for Birmingham and the Black Country.

Today, Lichfield has many small factories, especially in the eastern part of the city. Two well-known local companies are Armitage Shanks, which makes baths and showers, and Arthur Price of England, which makes fine knives and silver items. Many people live in Lichfield but work in Birmingham.

The city is home to the Central England Co-operative, one of the UK’s biggest independent consumer co-operatives.

Culture and community

Culture

Lichfield Greenhill Bower happens every year on Spring Bank Holiday. It began as a celebration after the Court of Arraye. There is a parade with marching bands, morris men, and carnival floats. The Bower Queen is crowned. There is a funfair in the city centre and another fair in Beacon Park.

The Lichfield Festival is an arts festival held every July. It celebrates music, dance, drama, film, and more. Events happen around the city, mainly at Lichfield Cathedral and the Garrick Theatre.

Every three years, Lichfield Mysteries takes place at the cathedral. It includes plays with many amateur actors. Other summer festivals include the Lichfield Folk Festival and The Lichfield Real Ale, Jazz and Blues Festival.

Lichfield Heritage Weekend happens in September. It features live music and free tours of important places.

Community facilities

There are many parks and gardens in the city. The main park is Beacon Park, where many events happen. The city centre has two lakes, Minster Pool and Stowe Pool. The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial garden.

The city has two sports and leisure centres. Friary Grange Leisure Centre offers sports and a swimming pool. King Edward VI Leisure Centre offers sports and an artificial turf pitch.

Lichfield Library used to be on St John Street but moved to St Mary's Church in 2018.

The city has the Samuel Johnson Community Hospital. It opened in 2006.

Media

Lichfield gets its news and television from BBC West Midlands and ITV Central. People watch TV using the signal from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter.

The city has several local radio stations, including BBC Radio WM, Capital Mid-Counties, Heart West Midlands, Greatest Hits Radio Birmingham & The West Midlands, Smooth West Midlands, Hits Radio Birmingham, and Cannock Chase Radio FM, a community station from Cannock Chase.

Local newspapers are the Lichfield Mercury and Lichfield Live.

Places of interest

Lichfield has many special places to see and visit. One of the most famous is the Lichfield Cathedral, which is special because it is the only medieval cathedral in Europe with three spires. There is also the Cathedral Close, an area around the cathedral with many interesting old buildings.

Other places include the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, where you can learn about the life of Samuel Johnson. The Erasmus Darwin House is a museum about Erasmus Darwin, opened to the public in 1999. The Hub at St Mary's in St Mary's Church is a place for community events and has a local library. The Lichfield Guildhall has been important for the city's government for over 600 years.

You can also visit the Bishop's Palace, built in 1687 and now used by a school, and Dr Milley's Hospital, an old building from 1504. The Hospital of St John Baptist without the Barrs is an old Tudor building that now homes elderly people. The Church of St Chad is a 12th-century church with a reconstruction of 'St Chad's Well' nearby.

The city also has St Michael on Greenhill, a church with a very large churchyard, and Christ Church, an example of Victorian architecture. The Market Square in the centre of the city has statues of Samuel Johnson and his friend James Boswell.

There are also parks and lakes such as Beacon Park and the lakes Minster Pool & Stowe Pool. You can see the ruins of The Franciscan Friary and the Lichfield Clock Tower. The remains of a Roman staging post can be found at Letocetum in the village of Wall. The Staffordshire Regiment Museum in Whittington shows the history of the regiment. The National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas is a place for remembering those who served in the armed forces. Lastly, there is the Sandfields Pumping Station, an old pumping station from the 19th century.

Transport

Railway

Lichfield has two railway stations: Lichfield City and Lichfield Trent Valley. These stations are on the Cross-City Line, with trains going to places like Bromsgrove and Redditch through Birmingham New Street.

Trent Valley station is also on the West Coast Main Line, a bit north-east of the city. From there, you can catch faster trains to London Euston, passing through Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stafford, and Crewe.

Buses

Several bus companies serve Lichfield, including Arriva Midlands, Diamond East Midlands, Chaserider, and National Express West Midlands. They run buses to cities and towns such as Birmingham, Aldridge, Brownhills, Burntwood, Rugeley, Burton upon Trent, Stafford, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, and Walsall. There is also a special bus service for people living in Lichfield, called LinkUp, which connects to Burntwood and nearby villages.

Roads

Lichfield is well connected by roads. Old Roman roads, such as Watling Street and Ryknild Street, used to pass near the city. Today, major roads like the A5 and A38 run close by. The A5 goes towards Wales and Tamworth, while the A38 goes to Birmingham and Derby. The nearest big motorway exit is T5 of the M6 Toll, just a short drive south of the city.

Canals

Lichfield used to have its own canal, the Lichfield Canal, which was part of a bigger canal system. It stopped being used in 1955. Plans are in place to bring it back to life one day.

The closest working canal is the Coventry Canal, which passes through Streethay.

Airports

There are two airports not too far from Lichfield: Birmingham Airport is to the south, and East Midlands Airport is to the north-east.

Education

Lichfield has nine primary schools and one infant school. It also has three secondary schools: The Friary School, King Edward VI School, and Nether Stowe School. Nether Stowe School is a comprehensive school that focuses on Maths and Computing.

There are two independent schools: Lichfield Cathedral School for ages 3 to 18, and Maple Hayes School for children who find reading difficult. The Lichfield campus of the University of Staffordshire and South Staffordshire College offers many courses, including advanced studies. A special school for art, design, and media opened there in 2006.

Religion and beliefs

Many people in Lichfield say they are Christian. Lichfield has been important for religion for a very long time. A man named St Chad became the first Bishop of Lichfield and built a monastery there in the year 669.

Lichfield has many places for people to pray and worship. There are churches for different Christian groups, like the Anglican Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and others. There are also places for other religions, such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

There are also schools in Lichfield that are connected to different Christian groups.

Religion	Percentage of population
Buddhist	0.3%
Christian	66.5%
Hindu	0.3%
Jewish	0.1%
Muslim	0.6%
Sikh	0.1%
No religion	24.9%
No answer	6.8%

Sport

Historically, rugby was more popular in Lichfield than football because it was the main sport at Lichfield Grammar School. Both sports have stayed at an amateur level. Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club was started in 1874. 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, southeast of the city on Tamworth Road.

Lichfield City plays in the Premier Division of the Midland Football League. Their first team plays at Brownsfield Park. LCFC is a community club with teams from under 7s to adults.

AFC Lichfield is a community youth football club with teams in the Lichfield & District Recreational League for ages from under 6 to under 18. They also have a football academy for boys and girls aged 4–8 years.

Lichfield Diamonds LFC is a leading girls' football club in Staffordshire. The team plays at the Collins Hill Sports Ground.

The Wandering Angels from Lichfield played in the first known Women's FA Cup Match on 1 November 1970.

Lichfield Cricket Club currently plays in the Third Division of the Birmingham and District Premier League. They also play at the Collins Hill Sports Ground.

Lichfield Hockey Club is a field hockey club based at Collins Hill Sports Ground on Eastern Avenue, and competes in the Midlands Hockey League.

Lichfield has four golf courses, including the local 18-hole course at Beacon Park. The others are: Darnford Moors Golf Club, a new 9-hole course; the Robert Rock Academy, a driving range and coaching academy; Lichfield Country Club in Elmhurst, with an 18-hole course; and Whittington Heath Golf Club, an 18-hole course.

Lichfield Archers were formed over 40 years ago and shoot at Christian Fields, where they have indoor and outdoor ranges. The club holds competitions.

Notable Lichfeldians

Ceatta of Lichfield, an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon saint.

16th century

Edward Wightman (1566–1612), a person known for untrue beliefs, in Lichfield.
Edmund Gennings (1567–1591), priest and a brave person

17th century

Thomas Minors (1609–1677) merchant, politician, MP from 1654 to 1660 and a church leader
Michael Biddulph (1610–1666) elected MP for Lichfield in 1660
Elias Ashmole (1617–1692), historian, politician, and founder of Ashmolean Museum
Edward Wetenhall (1636–1713), bishop of the Church of Ireland
Gregory King (1648–1712), historian, artist, and expert in numbers
John Floyer (1649 in Hints – 1734), doctor and writer
Richard Dyott (1667–1719) elected MP for Lichfield many times between 1690 and 1715
Joseph Addison (1672–1719), writer, poet, and politician.
Gilbert Walmisley (1680–1751), lawyer, friend of Samuel Johnson, buried near Lichfield Cathedral.
Theophilus Levett (1693–1746), lawyer, town leader of Lichfield, politician and landowner,

18th century

John Wyatt (1700–1766), inventor of a spinning machine
Thomas Newton (1704–1782), church leader, Bible expert and Bishop of Bristol, 1761 to 1782.
Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), often called Dr Johnson, was a famous English writer, poet, playwright, and dictionary maker
Richard Greene (1716–1793) historian and collector of interesting objects.
David Garrick (1717–1779), actor, playwright, and theatre leader
Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802), scientist and inventor, and grandfather of Charles Darwin
Anna Seward (1742–1809), poet and writer
Richard Lovell Edgeworth (1744–1817), politician, writer, inventor, lived at Stowe House
Theophilus Houlbrooke (1745–1824), minister and botanist, leader of the Liverpool Athenaeum from 1809 to 1813
General Richard Vyse (1746–1825), general and MP for Beverley in 1806
Joseph Potter (1756–1842) architect and builder, worked in Staffordshire and nearby areas
Thomas Day (1748–1789), writer and activist, lived for a time at Stowe House
Henry Salt (1780–1827), historian; gave Egyptian collection to the British Museum
Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Parker, 1st Baronet, of Shenstone (1781–1866), a Royal Navy officer

19th century

John Hewitt (1807–1878), historian
James Fowler (1828–1892), a Victorian church architect
Richard Garnett (1835–1906), scholar, librarian, writer and poet
Walter Noel Hartley (1845–1913), chemist and expert in light
Frederic King (1853–1933), singer
Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Swinfen-Broun JP (1858–1948), soldier, leader, High Sheriff and deputy leader of Staffordshire
Mary Alice Eleanor Richards (1885–1977), British botanist and plant collector in Zambian plants

20th century

Theodora Benson (1906–1968), writer
Alasdair Steele-Bodger (1924–2008), animal doctor
Elaine Horseman (1925–1999), author
Denis Alva Parsons (1934–2012), artist
Michael Laskey (born 1944), poet and editor
Tony Christie (born 1943), singer
John Hinch (1947–2021) drummer, original drummer of Judas Priest
Lieutenant General Louis Lillywhite (born 1948) retired British Army doctor, Surgeon-General 2006/2009
Phil Ford (born 1950), television writer
Charles Lambert (born 1953) novelist and short-story writer
Richard Allinson (born 1958), radio host, early morning weekend show on BBC Radio 2
Mark Thwaite (born 1965), guitarist with rock bands The Mission, Tricky, & Peter Murphy
Julian Argüelles (born 1966), jazz musician
Helen Baxendale (born 1970), actress
Richie Edwards (born 1974), bassist with rock bands the Darkness and Stone Gods
Adrian Poynton (born 1979), writer, playwright and comedian
Sian Brooke (born 1980), actress
Bryn Fowler (born 1982), musician, bassist and singer in the band the Holloways
Siobhan Dillon (born 1984), singer and actress
Susan Stokes-Chapman (born 1985), novelist
Michael Lieber (born 1988), novelist (student at Lichfield's Maple Hayes Hall)