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The small
city of Lichfield is a worthwhile place to visit on holiday
or visiting..
Lichfield
is famous for its three-spired cathedral, known throughout
the Midlands as the 'Ladies of the Vale'. The building, started
in 1195, has the finest silhouette of any English cathedral.
Lichfield developed as an ecclesiastical centre around the
shrine of St Chad and pilgrims continued to gather here until
the Reformation, when the shrine was destroyed.
In the
18th century, the town's location, on the main route to the
north-west and Ireland, meant that it became an important
coaching town. However, the coming of the railways saw a
sharp decline in the coaching trade and Lichfield's prosperity
waned.
Brewing
was important in the 19th century but today light industries
are the main employers. Armitage Shanks, the famous manufacturer
of sanitaryware, is located here. The city also remains an
important ecclesiastical centre.
The city
centre has an attractive old-worlde charm, with good shops
and restaurants, and the expanses of open water, tree-lined
walks and parkland provide a variety of activities in beautiful
surroundings.
St Mary's,
in the middle of Market Square, hosts a Heritage
Centre
Samuel
Johnson (also known as Dr Johnson) was born in Lichfield in
1709. The celebrated literary figure is most famous for compiling
the first English Dictionary. The Samuel
Johnson Birthplace Museum, in Breadmarket Street, illustrates
his life, work and personality. In Market Square, nearby,
are statues of Johnson and his great friend and biographer,
James Boswell.
Another
famous resident was Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles
Darwin), a leading doctor, botonist, inventor and poet of
the 18th century. His charming Georgian home in Cathedral
Close, is now a museum.
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Lichfield
