Lichfield Cathedral

Lichfield Cathedral stands in the heart of Lichfield, a small city in Staffordshire. It is the principal church of the diocese and the seat of the bishop of Lichfield. The cathedral is built of soft red sandstone quarried near the city. Its three spires rise above the close, giving the building a distinctive outline. The central spire reaches 77 metres, while the western pair stand just below 58 metres. The nave stretches 113 metres from east to west. The cathedral’s history begins in the 7th century when a church was consecrated on this site. The relics of Saint Chad were kept here until the Reformation. During the English Civil War the close was besieged three times and the cathedral suffered heavy damage. Restoration began under Bishop John Hacket and continued through the 18th and 19th centuries. The Lady Chapel contains some of the finest medieval Flemish painted glass in England, brought from Herkenrode Abbey in Belgium. Inside, the nave leads to the octagonal Chapter House, completed in 1249. Its stone carvings are among the most admired in the building. The Chapter House also houses the Lichfield Gospels, an illuminated manuscript from the 8th century. The Cathedral Close remains one of the most complete in the country, with medieval courtyards and the choir’s former lodgings. The three spires are known locally as the Ladies of the Vale.