Lichfield History

LICHFIELD
Description and History from 1868 Gazetteer

LICHFIELD, comprises the parishes of St. Mary, St. Michael, and St. Chad; it is a city, market town, municipal and parliamentary borough exercising separate jurisdiction, but locally situated in the S. division of Offlow hundred, county Stafford, 18 miles S.E. of Stafford, 15 N. of Birmingham, and 115¾ N. W. of London by the South Staffordshire and London and North-Western railways, on which it is a station.

The city stands in a vale surrounded by hills of moderate height, and is divided at the southern extremity from the Cathedral Close by a small stream, which is crossed by bridges. As it has never been surrounded by walls its shape is irregular, and many of the streets extend to a considerable distance from the body of the town. The majority of the houses are modern.

The name is of Saxon origin, and the first syllable is variously interpreted; some say that "lick" signifies a marsh, while others ascribe to it the meaning of corpse, and assert that this name was given to the city at the time of the persecution of the Christians under Diocletian. Christian Field, near the city, is said to be the spot where 1,000 martyrs were put to death. The Roman station of Etocetum was in the immediate neighbourhood.

Lichfield was the seat of the only bishopric in Mercia in the early Saxon period, and the first bishop is said to have been appointed by Oswy, king of Northumbria, after his defeat of Penda, king of Mercia. Ethelbald divided the see into the five dioceses of Lichfield, Leicester, Lincoln, Hereford, and Worcester.

In the time of William I. the city had so decreased that he transferred the bishopric to Chester; but it was restored by King Stephen, during whose reign a castle was built by Roger de Clinton, and a mint was also instituted. The whole city was destroyed by fire in 1291, with the exception of the castle, in which Richard II. was confined in 1399; and in 1593 it was visited by a plague.

During the Civil Wars in the 17th century the city was taken by Lord Brooke, on behalf of the parliament, in 1643, retaken by Prince Rupert, but finally given up by him in 1646. At the time of the rebellion in 1745, the Duke of Cumberland for a short period established his headquarters at the Friary, which was founded by Bishop Stavenby in 1229. The city was visited by Queen Elizabeth in 1575, by James I. in 1624, and by the present Queen, when princess, in 1832, and when queen in 1843.

The guildhall, in Bore-street, is a stone building containing a hall used for the quarter-sessions, private rooms for the transaction of city business, the police station, &c., while the basement is used for the house of correction. The city prisoners are now sent to Stafford gaol. The market-house and corn-exchange stands in St. Mary's square, on the site of the market cross erected by Dean Denton. The upper story consists of a room used for balls, concerts, &c. The savings-bank is close to this building.

A statue of Dr. Johnson, by Lucas, was presented to the town by the Rev. James Law, chancellor of the diocese in 1838. It stands in the market-place, opposite the house in which the doctor was born. The height of the statue is 7 feet, and it stands on a square pedestal of 10 feet, the sides of which contain bas-reliefs of various incidents in his life.

Water is supplied to the town from springs about 1 mile to the S.W., under a trust devised by Hector Beane; and both the Minster and Stowe pools are employed as reservoirs by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company. The streets are lighted by gasworks at the W. of the city.

The principal trades here are the carpet manufacture and brewing. There are also several coach-builders' yards and malt kilns, a flax mill, and a paper mill. The National and Provincial and the North Wilts banks have branches here. The borough, which is divided into two wards, is governed by a corporation consisting of 6 aldermen and 18 councillors, one of whom is mayor, with the style of "the bailiff and citizens of Lichfield." The first charter of incorporation was given in the second year of Edward VI., before which the city was governed by a guild established during the reign of Richard II. The charter by which the corporation was regulated previously to the municipal Act was granted in the 16th year of Charles II. Lichfield has returned two members to the House of Commons since the 49th year of Henry III.

The borough now includes the parishes of St. Mary, St. Michael, and St. Chad, the Close and Friary, extra parochial, and part of Pipe Hill. It is also a polling-place for the county election. The mayor, as sheriff, is returning officer. The income of the borough is about £1,330. The population in 1861 was 6,893, against 7,012 in 1851, showing a decrease of 119 in the ten years.

The Poor-law Union includes the city, Alrewas, Armitage, Burntwood, Colton, Elford, Farewell, Fisherwick, Fradley, Hammerwick, King's Bromley, Longdon, Orgreave, Ogley Hay, Ridware, Rugeley, Shenstone, Streethay, Swinfen, Curborough, Wall, Weeford, Whittington, and Yoxall. The new County Court district is the same, exclusive of Armitage, Colton, Longdon, Rugeley, and Pipe, which forms part of Ridware in the above list. Quarter sessions for the county of the city, and petty sessions for the county and city are held at Lichfield. The district registry for proving wills is also in this city. The excise district includes Lichfield, Walsall, Tamworth, Coleshill, Sutton, and Birmingham. The King's Own Staffordshire militia have their headquarters here, the barracks being in the Birmingham road. Lichfield gives the title of earl to Viscount Anson, of Shugborough.

The diocese of Lichfield extends over Stafford, Derby, and parts of Shropshire and Warwickshire, forming three archdeaconries, with the names of the first three of the above counties. They contain 24 deaneries and 491 livings. The chapter includes, besides the archdeacons, a dean, 4 canons, 19 prebendaries, a chancellor, and 6 minor canons. The seat of the bishop is at Eccleshall Castle, and his income is £4,500, with the patronage of about 116 livings.

The livings in the city are:-St. Mary's, a vicarage, value £458, in the patronage of the dean and chapter. The church stands in the market-place. It was rebuilt in 1721, and contains an altar-piece and monuments of the Dyott family.

St. Chad's, a curacy, value £250, in the patronage of the vicar. The church is at Stow, and the oldest in the neighbourhood. St. Chad's hermitage and well are close to the church, which formerly contained his shrine.

Christ Church, a curacy, value £250, in the patronage of the bishop, is at Lemonsley. The church, which is built in the decorated style, with a square tower, was consecrated in 1847. There is a Sunday-school attached to it.

St. Michael's, a curacy, value £368, in the patronage of the vicar, was built in the reign of Henry VIII., but partly rebuilt in 1844. Dr. Johnson's father is buried here. The churchyard attached to this church is the chief cemetery of the town. There is also a chapel dedicated to St. John, in St. John street, near the hospital.

The cathedral, which is dedicated to St. Chad, was founded about 665 by King Oswy, and rebuilt about 700 by Bishop Hedda, who removed thither the bones of the patron saint from Stow. It was completed by Bishop Langton in 1296, and the damages inflicted during the Civil Wars in the 17th century were repaired by Bishop Racket. The whole of the cathedral was again restored by Wyatt in 1788. The style is chiefly early English, but there are traces of Norman work. It is built in the form of a cross, standing 2½ points out of the line of E. and W., and has one spire in the centre 268 feet in height, and two at the W. end of 183 feet. The size of the building is 411 feet by 67, and 60 in height.

The Roman Catholics have a chapel situated at the S.W. of the city, called Holy Cross; and there are also places of worship belonging to the Independents in Wade-street, to the Wesleyans, and the two bodies of Methodists.

The Lichfield grammar school, in St. John-street, was founded in the reign of Edward VI., and was rebuilt in 1692 and in 1860. Its income is about £106, and it educates 30 pupils.

Among the celebrated men who have been brought up here may be mentioned Dr. Johnson, Bishops Newton and Smallridge, Addison, Ashmole, Garrick, Chief Barons Lloyd and Parker, and Chief Justice Wilmot.

Minor's school, in Bore-street, was founded in 1677 for teaching 36 boys English reading and the catechism. The endowment is £135. Ball's school is another free school with an income of £20. The Lichfield diocesan training-school is near the cathedral. There are also National schools for boys and girls, and industrial and infant schools.

St. John's hospital, in St. John's street, provides rooms and allowances of money, &c., for 13 old men. It was instituted in the time of Henry III., and its present income is about £350. The building is remarkable for the curious arrangement of its chimneys. Dr. Milley's hospital, in Beacon-street, was founded in 1504, and supports 15 aged women. Andrew Newton's almshouses for the widows and unmarried daughters of the clergy, stands in the Close. It was founded in 1798 and supplies to 20 persons a residence with a garden, and an allowance of £50 a year. Lnnn's almshouses are comparatively unimportant, the income of the charity being only £11. The lunatic asylum is at Sandfield, about 1 mile S. of the town. The dispensary and mendicity-office is in Tamworth-street.

There is also a union poorhouse, a savings-bank, and three friendly societies, which dispense charity. The museum and free library, near the Minster Pool, was founded by John Philip Dyott, mayor. The museum contains antiquities, objects of art, &c., which, with the newsroom and library of 2,000 volumes, is free to all. There is a theatre in Bore street. Races are held in September, on Whittington Heath, the chief event being the Queen's Plate of 100 guineas.

The principal seats in the neighbourhood are; Elmhurst Lodge, J. Smith, Esq.; Maple Hayes, J. Atkinson, Esq.; Pipe Grange, --- Wolfestan, Esq.; Freeford, General Dyott; Swinfen, S. Swinfen, Esq.; and Stow Hall. The most celebrated natives of Lichfield have been mentioned in connection with the grammar school. Others were William de Lichfield, a learned monk, Butt and Buckeridge, divines, Major André, and Dilke, the dramatist. Dr. Darwin, author of the "Botanic Garden," &c., practised here for many years as a physician.

Watling and Icknield Streets both pass the city. It has two railway stations; those of the South Staffordshire, and of the Trent Valley branch of the London and North-Western. The Wyrley and Easington canal passes also near Lichfield.

The only newspaper published in the town is the Lichfield Mercury. Friday is market day. Fairs are held on the first Wednesday in January, on Ash-Wednesday till the Friday following, on Old May Day, the first Mondays in July and November, and a fair called the Bower on Whit-Monday at Greenhill.

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]