Lichfield
THE BIRTHPLACE OF DR. JOHNSON
=How to get there.=–Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=–Lichfield.
=Distance from London.=–118 miles.
=Average Time.=–Varies between 2 to 3-3/4 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=–Single 16s. 9d. 10s. 9d. 9s. 8-1/2d.
Return 33s. 6d. 21s. 5d. 19s. 5d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=–"Swan Hotel,” “George Hotel,” etc.
Lichfield, though an ancient town, has now a modern appearance, but is
interesting on account of its beautiful cathedral and its association
with Dr. Johnson. The house where the “great lexicographer” was born is
still to be seen in the market-place, very little altered from its
original condition. Next to this house is the Three Crowns Inn, where
Dr. Johnson and Boswell stayed when they visited Lichfield in 1776.
Among the few old houses that are remaining are St. John’s Hospital,
rebuilt in 1495, and the Friary, part of an establishment of Grey
Friars, now forming a portion of a private house.
Lichfield has been a bishop’s see since Anglo-Saxon times, and among its
earliest bishops was St. Chad, who advanced Christianity in England. For
a short period Lichfield boasted an archbishop, during the reign of
Offa, king of Mercia, who persuaded the Pope to grant his kingdom this
honour. No trace of any Anglo-Saxon building is left, and of the Norman
church that was next erected only the west part of the choir remains.
The present cathedral, built in the Early English style of Gothic, was
commenced about 1200, and was not finished until 1325, builders being
employed all the time. Though numbered among the smaller cathedrals,
Lichfield is very beautiful, possessing a great charm in the ruddiness
of the stone used in its construction. Its most striking features are
the three graceful spires, the sculptured west front, and the large Lady
Chapel. Owing, unfortunately, to its being fortified, the cathedral
suffered much damage when besieged by the Roundheads during the Civil
War. Windows and statues were broken, brass stripped from the tombs,
registers burned, but the worst calamity was the destruction of the
central tower. After the Restoration the cathedral was carefully
repaired, greatly due to the efforts of good Bishop Hacket, who spent
his time and money upon the work. The central spire was rebuilt by Sir
Christopher Wren.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL.
Showing the richly-sculptured west front, and the central tower rebuilt
by Sir Christopher Wren.]
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Preface •
Ham House and Petersham •
Walton-On-Thames (scold’s Bridle) •
Harrow •
Holwood House, Keston •
Chigwell, Essex •
Waltham Abbey and Cross •
Downe •
Epsom: Its Races and Its Salts •
Epping Forest •
Hampton Court •
Rye House, Broxbourne •
Hatfield House, Herts •
Runnymead, the Signing of Magna Charta •
The Oldest Brass in England •
St. Albans •
Stoke Poges Church, Bucks •
Windsor •
Jordans and William Penn •
Knole House and Sevenoaks •
Greenstead Church •
Chalfont St. Giles •
Westerham •
Guildford, Surrey •
Gad’s Hill •
Ightham Mote, Kent •
Penshurst •
St. Michael’s Mount and Marazion •
Rochester Cathedral •
Tunbridge Wells •
The Quintain Post At Offham and Malling Abbey •
Eversley •
Farnham, Surrey •
Hindhead, Surrey •
Shottermill •
Penn’s Chapel At Thakeham, Sussex •
Chawton the Home of Jane Austen •
Selborne •
Elstow •
Lewes, Sussex •
Bodiam Castle, Sussex •
Colchester, Essex •
Layer Marney •
Battle Abbey •
Cambridge •
Arundel Castle •
Olney, Bucks •
Wantage and the Country of Alfred the Great •
Canterbury and Its Cathedral •
Reculvers •
Oxford •
Midhurst •
Pevensey Castle •
Savernake Forest •
Ely Cathedral •
St. Ives, Huntingdonshire •
Winchelsea and Rye •
Blenheim Palace •
Peterborough Cathedral and Crowland •
Peterborough •
Southampton •
Helmingham Hall •
Stonehenge, Wiltshire •
Netley Abbey •
Salisbury and Its Cathedral •
Sandwich, Kent •
New Forest, Hampshire •
Osborne House •
Carisbrooke Castle •
Lutterworth •
Compton Wynyates •
Kenilworth Castle •
Belvoir Castle •
Bath •
Boston and the Pilgrim Fathers •
Warwick •
Gloucester and Its Cathedral •
Norfolk Broads •
Norwich Cathedral •
Lichfield •
Sherborne and Its Abbey Church •
Newark •
Wells and Its Cathedral •
Stratford-On-Avon •
Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk •
Lulworth Cove, Dorsetshire •
Corfe Castle •
Lincoln and Its Cathedral •
Somerset, the Birthplace of Tennyson •
Glastonbury Abbey •
Walsingham, Norfolk •
Cheddar Caves, Cheddar, Somerset •
Newstead Abbey •
The Wessex of Thomas Hardy’s Romances •
Tintern Abbey •
Chesterfield, Derbyshire •
Dukeries •
Haddon Hall, Derbyshire •
The Isle of Athelney, and Sedgemoor •
Raglan Castle •
Dovedale •
Wellington and the Wrekin, Shropshire •
Wroxeter and the Roman City of Uriconium, Salop •
Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire •
Ludlow and Its Castle •
Shrewsbury •
Buxton and the Peak District •
Tewkesbury •
Exeter and Its Cathedral •
Market Drayton, Salop •
Chester •
Exmoor •
Knutsford •
Torr Steps On the Barle, Somerset •
Cleeve Abbey, Somerset •
Hawarden •
York Minster •
Coxwold, Yorkshire •
Llangollen and Valle Crucis Abbey •
Knaresborough, Dripping Well •
Fountains Abbey •
Ripon Cathedral •
Dartmoor •
Haworth •
Rievaulx Abbey •
Brixham, Devon •
Conway Castle •
The Doone Valley, Exmoor •
Llandovery, South Wales •
Dartmouth, Devon •
Richmond, Yorkshire •
Tintagel •
Whitby •
Carnarvon Castle •
Plymouth •
Durham and Its Cathedral •
Raby Castle, Durham •
Snowdon •
Harlech Castle •
Grasmere and Rydal Mount •
The Lake District •
St. Davids Cathedral •
Furness Abbey, Lancashire •
Monkwearmouth, Near Jarrow •
The Isle of Man •
Brantwood •
Fowey •
Hexham and Hadrian’s Wall •
The Lake District •
Keswick •
Alnwick Castle •
Lanercost Priory, Cumberland •
Lanercost Priory and Stepping-Stones.] •
St. Ives, Cornwall •
Bamborough Castle, Northumberland
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