Although one of the smallest cathedral cities in England, Lichfield has a rich and varied past. This Welcome to self-guided tour will help you to discover some of the city’s heritage through the stories of its people and buildings. If you want to know more, why not book onto one of our city tours? Find out more Lichfield at Visitor Information in St Mary’s or visit www.visitlichfield.co.uk. Destruction and then development The early days In 1538, during the Reformation, the Lichfield developed as a Franciscan Friary was dissolved and St Chad’s settlement in the Anglo-Saxon shrine was destroyed. A century later even period and was made the seat of greater destruction occurred during the Civil the Mercian diocese by Bishop War of the 1640s. Lichfield was a Royalist Chad in 669. The first church stronghold and three sieges caused enormous probably stood on the site of the damage to the cathedral and The Close. present cathedral, and Lichfield quickly grew as the ecclesiastical The polite society centre of the Kingdom of Mercia. In the 18th century the city developed as a leading intellectual and cultural centre of the Further development of the city Midlands and prospered from its central took place in the 12th century location on the busy coaching routes. Lichfield under Bishop Clinton, who was home to many famous people, including fortified The Close and expanded Erasmus Darwin, David Garrick, Anna Seward and Samuel Johnson. the town with the ladder-shaped street pattern that survives to The population increased steadily throughout this day. the 19th century, but the coming of the However, in 1291 a fire laid waste railway age meant the city lost much of the to churches, the Friary and a vitality it had enjoyed as a coaching centre. large part of the city. Rebuilding However, as an ecclesiastical centre, and the took time, but eventually home of interesting figures, such as the artist Lichfield gained its status as a and architectural writer John Louis Petit, Lichfield continued to thrive. thriving market town and important trading centre. 1643-46 1612 A brief history of Lichfield The Civil War 1291 Edward brings three 2003 2009 669 Wightman sieges of the 1135 1230s Lichfield is badly is burnt at fortified 1660s A medieval The Staffordshire Chad, Bishop of Mercia, damaged by a 1538 1553 the stake Cathedral 1755 sculpture, the Hoard is establishes his seat at Lichfield. Bishop Roger De Franciscan fire but is rebuilt. in Lichfield, Close The cathedral Lichfield Angel, discovered near His legacy thrives as visitors from Clinton founds a new friars build Lichfield is a Henry VIII City and the last leaving the and the city Samuel Johnson is discovered Lichfield, the around the world continue to be town at Lichfield, along a friary and small town with orders the county status is burning for cathedral are restored publishes A during works largest collection welcomed to the beautiful with the Hospital of St settle in a population of closure of bestowed by heresy badly under Dictionary of The in Lichfield of Anglo-Saxon gothic, three spired cathedral. John the Baptist. Lichfield. about 1,500. the friary. Queen Mary I. in England. damaged. Charles II. English Language. Cathedral. gold yet found. 2 3 You can start this walking trail at any point as it takes you around the interpretation boards in the city. Our route 2 Markets and martyrs suggests starting in Market Street. The market has traditionally been held on this site, with the original market place taking up the whole area around St Mary’s Church. 1 City of philosophers The church is the fifth on this site since its Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield medieval foundation, with the present building in 1709. After an unsuccessful dating from 1868. Today it houses Lichfield attempt to run a school near Anna Seward, known as the Swan of Library, Lichfield Visitor Information as well as Lichfield, Johnson left for London Lichfield, was born in Eyam in the the Hub at St Mary’s, a multi-use arts and with his pupil, David Garrick, in 1737. Peak District of Derbyshire, where her heritage centre. Doctor Johnson lived and worked in father was the rector. The family Continue down Dam Street towards the London but he continued to hold moved to Lichfield in 1749 when her cathedral to the corner of Minster Pool. great affection for ‘his native place’ father was appointed as canon of and returned many times to Lichfield. Lichfield Cathedral. Anna was Discover more about his life and home-schooled, living at Bishop’s 3 A close encounter works inside the Birthplace Museum. Palace, and encouraged by her Look for the plaque on Brooke House in Dam father in her talent for writing Street. The building is named after Lord Brooke, Erasmus Darwin, Charles Darwin’s poems. After the death of a family who led the parliamentary forces against the grandfather, lived at Darwin House friend, the family took in one of her Royalist troops during the first siege of the Civil (open to the public) near Cathedral daughters, Honora Sneyd, who War in March 1643. The plaque marks the spot Close. Erasmus Darwin brought great became like a sister to Anna, and where Brooke, who was preparing to mount his energy and enthusiasm to his wide to whom she dedicated many of assault on The Close, was killed by John Dyott, range of interests and intellectual her poems. who fired down from the top of the cathedral’s pursuits. He was a leading light of the central spire. The accuracy of his fatal shot was Lunar Society, which was a major thought to be a sign of good fortune as the intellectual influence on the Industrial Cross the Market Square to its date was 2 March - St Chad’s Day! junction with Dam Street. Revolution in England. Walk along the path, known as Pool Walk, along the edge of Minster Pool. 4 Moses and the moggs In the early 1800s Minster Pool had a bad reputation for sewage, encouraging disease and sickness in the city. After various improvement schemes the problem was finally addressed by At the end of the Pool South Staffordshire Waterworks Company, Walk, turn left into Bird formed in 1853, which took over responsibility Street (Beacon Park is for the pool and turned it into a reservoir. opposite). Why not take a Minster Pool is now maintained by Lichfield walk in Museum Gardens? District Council. 4 5 Heritage Trail route The trail takes approximately one hour to complete. 3 2 4 11 5 1 10 8 6 9 7 c Crown Copyright and database rights 2021. Ordnance Survey Licence no:100017765 7 The Franciscan Friary 5 Promenades and pleasure gardens The Friary was founded in the 1230s. It was Beacon Park was chosen as the site of one of destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1538 the earliest free libraries, which opened in and little remains today of the monastery 1859. The library is now located at St Mary’s buildings. The classical portico does not in the Market Square, and the original originate from the site. It was set up by the building houses the registry office. Further city council in 1937 to frame the entrance to along Beacon Street is Dr Milley’s Hospital, the excavated ruins of the Franciscan Friary. one of the oldest existing buildings in the In the late 1800s a clock tower inspired by city, originally an almshouse for women Big Ben in London was constructed at the founded in 1424. end of Bore Street. The tower stood here until 1927 when The Friary road was Walk past The Swan on your right and constructed and the clock was seen as an continue along Bird Street. obstruction. The clock tower was rebuilt opposite Friary Gardens, where it remains to this day. 6 Inns and outs Return to The Friary/Bird Street junction - The Swan is recorded as an inn as early as continue along Bore Street. 1362, and became one of the principal coaching inns in the city along with The George. The Swan was rebuilt during the late 8 Design of the times 18th century to cope with the increase in the The Tudor building to the right is called coaching trade. Visitors to the city were Lichfield House, and is home to the Tudor of attracted by a lively social scene and both Lichfield. It was used as a prison during the inns were popular meeting places. Civil War with prisoners chained in the Further along on the right is the King’s Head, cellars. home of the Staffordshire Regiment. Call in Donegal House was built for the local to see an interesting military collection and merchant James Robinson in 1730. His great then continue to The George Hotel. granddaughters are immortalised in a marble sculpture at Lichfield Cathedral, known as Continue along Bird Street to its junction The Sleeping Children (1817). Turn to your right and go with The Friary and turn right. To the left of Donegal House is the Guildhall. through the passageway The 19th century stained glass window was beside The Tudor of originally installed at Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield known as Tudor before it was moved to the Guildhall in 1893. Row. Turn left when you reach the end. 8 9 9 Theatres and thespians David Garrick 1717 to 1779 11 Redcourt David Garrick was educated at Lichfield Redcourt House was a fine Georgian residence, Grammar School, which is now home to built for Lucy Porter, Samuel Johnson’s Lichfield District Council.