The modest town of Lichfield is located in the county of Staffordshire England. Lichfield is one of only seven civil parishes in all of England that also holds the status of being a city. The early history of the town tells us that it was settled in the late 600s and is credited as the place where St Chad fixed the Episcopal see of the Mercians. Thanks to that saving grace, the first Christian King of Mercia, King Wulfhere, gave Chad a portion of land in which to build a monastery. The town of Lichfield sprang up around the monastery and cathedral.
Because of the church history that surrounds the town, the first place most visitors go is to the Lichfield Cathedral. And there is no wonder why, this magnificent church is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The original cathedral built on this site went up in 700. It was built as a shrine to house the bones of St. Chad who had passed away in 672. The church was revamped and added on to starting in 1805 continuing on through the majoring of the twelfth century. The new Gothic style stone church replaced the Saxon wooden church. The church began to fall into disrepair during the 18th Century followed by an extensive renovation during the Victorian era. Recently there has been the discovery of a sculpted panel of the Archangel Gabriel. Even though it was broken into three pieces it was fairly well intact. The pieces were taken to Birmingham for examination and it has been determined to be from the 8th Century. Today the panel is on display in the cathedral for visitors to enjoy.
Another popular stop is the house of Erasmus Darwin. The grandfather of the naturalist Charles Darwin was a renowned scientist, physician, inventor, poet, and educationist. The home he lived at in Lichfield was not only where he practiced medicine but where he raised his family. Visitors can tour the rooms and learn the history of this great man.
If you are looking for a nice day out then go out to the National Memorial Arboretum. The National Memorial Arboretum honors the fallen, foster pride in England and recognizes the sacrifice of so many. The arboretum has more than 50,000 trees and is the home to over 150 memorials for those who played a part in service to their country. There is also a Chapel of Peace and Forgiveness where an act of forgiveness is performed each day at 11 am. This beautiful place is a great way to learn a little about the history of England's war heroes.
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