which there is any record was given to the cathedral by Dean Heywood,
as is known from this entry in the _Cantaria S. Blasii_, in the
cathedral library: "Magna organa in pulpito. Item cito post festum
nativitatis Sancti Johannis Baptiste. Anno domini MCCCC. octogesimo
secundo. ex providencia et sumptibus magistri Thome Heywode
decani antedicti. conferuntur ecclesi cath lich organa nova magnae
quantitatis. et formae decentis. ad honorem sancti cedde et ornamentirm
ecclesiae precij xxvi. Li. iij.s. iiij.d. totalitur de sumptibus et
expensis predicti decani. Sma xxvj. Li. iij.s. iiij.d."
Dean Heywood also presented another organ, which was known as the Jesus
organ; but it was much smaller presumably, as it cost rather less than
half as much.
The next time there is mention of an organ is in 1634, when, in an account
of their travels by three tourists, they say: "The organs and voices
were deep and sweet, their anthems we were much delighted with, and of
the voyces, 2 Trebles, 2 Counter-tenors, and 2 Bases, that equally on
each side of the Quire most melodiously acted and performed their parts."
The organ here referred to, however "deep and sweet," was not considered
good enough, for in 1636, according to a deed still preserved in the
cathedral, the dean and chapter purchased an organ from Robert Dallam
of Covent Garden, which, no doubt, "was the pair of organs valued at
L200" destroyed by the Puritans. The organ that Hacket set up was
obtained by the subscriptions of ladies; the bishop writes: "An Organ
is bespoke at L600 price, to be call'd the Ladies Organ, because
none but the honourable and most pious of that sex shall contribute
to that sum." The names of the chief subscribers were written on
the organ: "Illustrissima heroina Francisca ducissima Somersetensis.
Honoratissima domina, comitissa Devon: Clarissima domina, Jana, domina
de Gerard Bromley," and many others, as set out by Ashmole, who also
tells us that there were "coats of arms under the organ at the entrance
into the choir," showing that the organ loft was situated between the
two eastern piers of the tower. Harwood, in his "History of Lichfield,"
tells us of another organ "which was removed in A.D. 1740 to the vicar's
hall, and became at length an ornament to Mr Greene's museum," whence it
afterwards found its way to the church at Hamstall Ridware. While in
the vicar's hall it was damaged by soldiers quartered there in the
'45. It is now in the bishop's palace. In 1740 it was replaced in the
cathedral by an organ by Schwarbrook, which in turn, in Wyatt's time,
was superseded by one by Samuel Green--this was much larger, and took
up the whole of the western bay of the choir. The present organ is much
the largest the cathedral has possessed, and, compared to the old one
in the palace, is so large that, according to Mr Hewitt, the whole of
the latter would go inside the pedal pipes of the former.
The south transept has its full share of monuments, two of which are of
great interest. These are the memorials to Dr Johnson and to his friend,
David Garrick, the actor. The busts are both by Sir Richard Westmacott,
R.A. The inscription to the first says:
_The Friends of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (a native of Lichfield),
erected this Monument as a tribute of respect to the Memory
of a man of extensive learning, a distinguished Moral Writer,
and a Sincere Christian. He died the 13th of December 1784;
Aged 75 years._
The other reads:
_EVA MARIA, Relict of DAVID GARRICK, Esq., caused this Monument
to be erected to the Memory of her beloved Husband, who died
the 20th January 1779: Aged 63 years._
Garrick had not only the amiable qualities of private life, but such
astonishing dramatic talents as to well verify the observations of his
friend, which have already been quoted (p. 66), in reference to the
memorial of Gilbert Walmesley.
Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield, where his father was a bookseller;
his shop is still standing, scarcely altered, on the west side of the
Market Place, close to the monument of his famous son (see p. 136). David
Garrick came with his parents to live in Lichfield when very young, and he
and Johnson attended the Grammar School together. There was a difference
of several years in their ages, but their life-long friendship must
have begun early, seeing that Johnson wrote the Prologue for Garrick's
performance of Farquhar's comedy, "The Recruiting Officer," which took
place at the Bishop's Palace when Garrick was only eleven years old. Some
years after, when Johnson had left Oxford and had set up a school in
the neighbourhood of Lichfield, Garrick joined him as a pupil; but the
venture did not prove successful, and master and pupil left Lichfield
for London, where each in his own line reached the highest summit of fame.
These memorials stand side by side in the aisle; for some reason, the
busts were removed to the library when the interior was being restored
by Sir Gilbert Scott, but they have once again been replaced in the spot
originally chosen for them. The friendship of Johnson and Garrick was
long and cordial: it is fitting we should see that in their death they
were not divided.
In this aisle, which until recently was used as the Dean's Consistory
Court, is another monument by Westmacott; this is in memory of Andrew
Newton, who was so munificent a friend to his native Lichfield. He
founded the institution on the west side of the close for the widows and
orphans of clergymen, which he also endowed; and on his death, in 1806,
he left a library of books to the cathedral.
In the first bay of the aisle is a monument to the officers and men of
the 80th Regiment (Staffordshire Volunteers). The design is Egyptian, and
is surmounted by a sphinx. Over the monument hang colours taken from the
Sikhs, and on the wall behind are the old regimental colours. At the south
end is a very fine and costly altar tomb--to Admiral Sir William Parker,
who, when he died in 1866, was the last survivor of Nelson's captains. The
slab of Pyrenean jasper is inlaid with a gold cross, and the front is
adorned with stones of porphyry and lapis lazuli. The window above has
some of the Herkenrode glass left over from the Lady Chapel, together with
some modern glass. The great south window, which, as has just been stated,
is in the Perpendicular style, was in 1895 adorned with new glass; this
was the gift of Mr A. P. Heywood-Lonsdale, in memory of his father and
his uncle, Bishop Lonsdale. The subject is "I am the vine, ye are the
branches," and represents Our Lord in the centre surrounded by angels,
with the principal bishops of the Early Christian Church. The six early
British bishops: St. Columba, Scotland; St. Wulstan, Worcester; St. Chad,
Lichfield; St. Augustine, Canterbury; St. Aidan, Northumbria; St. Hugh,
Lincoln, are at the feet of Our Lord. The other bishops are St. Basil,
Caesarea; St. Cyril, Jerusalem; St. Patrick, Ireland; St. Ignatius,
Antioch; St. Polycarp, Smyrna; St. Boniface, Germany; St. Martin, Tours;
St. David, Wales; St. Gregory, Rome; St. Augustine, Hippo; St. Athanasius,
Alexandria; St. Cyprian, Carthage; St. Isidore, Spain; St. Chrysostom,
Constantinople; St. Ambrose, Milan; and St. Vigilius, Aries. This glass
is by Mr C. E. Kempe. On the west side are several brasses and tablets,
including one to John Saville, vicar choral of the cathedral, who died in
1803. The lines underneath are by the Miss Seward whose own memorial is in
the north aisle of the nave; they, like so much of the elegiac poetry of
the period, owe not only their style, but a good many of their phrases,
to the poet Gray.
=The Choir=, with the presbytery and retro-choir--that is to say,
the whole extent of that part of the cathedral between the central
tower and the entrance to the Lady Chapel--has eight bays. The most
noticeable difference between it and the nave, is the absence of a
triforium. Professor Willis says: "The entire height of the severey
(or bay) is divided into two nearly equal parts, of which the lower is
given to the pier arches, the upper to the clerestory. The window-sills of
the latter are high, and there is a passage in front of them immediately
above the tablement or string course over the pier arches. This passage,
the veritable triforium, pierces the great piers of masonry which sustain
the vault. The high sills receive the sloping roof of the side aisles,
and have three plain open arches in each severey to air the roof." These
sills are panelled with a foliated arcading, and in front of the passage
there is an open trefoil work parapet. The effect of the windows inside
is much enhanced by the lovely quatrefoil ornamentation with which
their splays are decorated. In the single window--the east on the
south side--where the original tracery remains, it is very beautiful
and graceful, and is a good example of the Decorated period; but into
the other windows Perpendicular tracery has been introduced.
The vaulting is very much the same as in the nave, but the vaulting shafts
divide into seven instead of five ribs. The bosses, as everywhere else
in the cathedral, are very deeply and richly carved.
On the four eastern sets of piers long slender shafts run up from the
base of the piers in the same way as in the nave, and similarly the
spandrels are ornamented with foliated circles, of which nearly all
trace had disappeared before the recent restoration. This, however,
is not the arrangement on the three western pairs. It was found here
that these shafts did not reach the ground; and so Sir Gilbert Scott,
having discovered a portion of the sculptured wing of an angel just
above the dean's present stall, decided upon finishing the shafts with
corbels in the form of angels occupied in minstrelsy. Above each of
these angels--which were innovations--he placed, under richly crocketted
canopies and standing on very finely-carved brackets, the figures of six
saints. These were not innovations, though no signs of them appear in
the engraving in Britton's "Cathedrals," where, indeed, the incomplete
shafts just mentioned are to all appearance complete. But in Pennant's
"Journey from Chester to London," 1782, the six statues are mentioned,
and he tells us not only their names, but also that they were richly
painted. The new statues represent the same original characters: St. Mary,
St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Peter on the north side; St. James, St.
Philip, and St. Christopher on the south: these with their niches have
been executed partly from the old description of them and partly by
reference to the niches remaining in the Lady Chapel.
An investigation of the roof proved that its bosses had been originally
profusely gilded and painted, and that the ribs had been painted
in tri-colour, though, oddly enough, this apparently had not been
the case in the Lady Chapel. Mr Dyce, R.A., was called in to give an
opinion, and suggested a large scheme, upon which he actually started,
but after having proceeded only a small way, difficulties arose and he
departed. What little paint had been applied to the ribs was removed;
but a few of the more easterly bosses remain gilt to this day, and
afterwards the others were reddened to bring out the sculpture.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR IN 1820.]
The architectural history of the choir and presbytery is very
interesting. There is practically no documentary evidence at all to tell
when and how it was built; and what we know about it now is due to the
antiquarian skill of the late Professor Willis. Nothing can have been more
fortunate than that he should have been able to make an inspection of
the foundations of the choir, for no man had a greater genius for using
the smallest discoveries to the greatest advantage. Numerous stories
are told of his extraordinary gift for divining what was to be found. As
Canon Lonsdale says: "He knew, as it were, by instinct what was hidden
under the soil. 'Dig there,' he said, and the base he wanted came to
light. 'Open out the earth here,' and the solid piece of stone which
he had been looking for to complete his imaginary plan was straightway
disclosed to view." He came here in August 1859, when excavations were
being made in the choir, and on what he saw then he based the theory of
the growth of the cathedral which has found favour with everyone ever
since. The nature of his discoveries here, and the conclusions he drew
from them, have been briefly given in the section of this book devoted to
the history of the cathedral, so that it is unnecessary to further discuss
them, except when they apply to buildings which are now in existence.
The present choir was commenced at the very beginning of the thirteenth
century. Of this choir only the lower portions of the three bays nearest
the tower remain above ground, but there is no doubt that the original
eastern termination had been removed to make way for the beautiful
presbytery which now remains and extends eastward, with its vaulting
at the same elevation as that of the choir. This was done probably
immediately after the Lady Chapel had been built, or at the same time, and
it is supposed that the work proceeded from the east end and the old choir
was gradually pulled down, leaving the three western bays standing, and
that then the clerestory of these bays was replaced by work in uniformity
with that in the new presbytery; at the same time the front half of their
pier arches was removed and mouldings given to them corresponding to
those in the presbytery, their piers were also slightly altered. In this
way the choir and presbytery acquired a uniform appearance, both inside
and out; for the portion of the old side aisle on the south is hidden by
the sacristry, and that on the north by the chapter-house and vestibule.
As has been said, only one of the original Decorated clerestory windows
now remain; the others, it may be supposed, were destroyed in the sieges
of the Civil War, for they have been replaced with Perpendicular tracery
which belongs to a period when this style was only being imitated;
it was probably put in at the Restoration.
The high altar is now placed between the sixth pair of piers (counting
from the west). This is probably the old arrangement, but until the
recent restorations the altar was placed in the Lady Chapel: the pier
arches of the choir were walled up, and a large screen placed in the
eastern tower arch; so that the choir and Lady Chapel were converted
into one long aisleless chapel.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR, LOOKING EAST.]
It is very interesting to note the signs in the choir of the attempt
to combine the two styles which, as has been explained, met here. The
third piers stand on the line of demarcation between the part retained
and the part rebuilt, and consequently carry an Early English arch to
the west and a Decorated arch to the east. The Early English column was
partially cut away and partially used in the new work, as may be seen
on inspection of these piers. It will also be seen that the vaulting in
the aisles is much rougher in the old part than in the eastern bays. The
plaster used to hide this; but Sir Gilbert Scott caused it to be removed,
and is said afterward to have regretted having done so.
[Illustration: SOUTH AISLE OF CHOIR, LOOKING EAST.]
Another interesting junction between two buildings of different dates
is the entrance to the vestibule of the chapter-house. This entrance is
in the third bay of the north aisle, and is obviously a combination of
doorway and window, as may be seen by comparing the window of the first
bay with it.
Again, in the first bays of the aisles there are windows in the Early
English style, but they look only into the aisles of the transepts;
showing, as has before been stated, that the transept aisles were not
originally contemplated, and certainly did not take the place of earlier
Norman aisles.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR, LOOKING WEST.]
The arch at the west end of the north choir aisle is decorated with a
double chevron moulding--evidence that it is one of the oldest pieces
of work left in the cathedral. This arch has at a more recent date been
lined with another arch of the Decorated period, probably in order to
strengthen it.
The arcading in the aisles is very interesting. In the first three western
bays in both aisles the large arcading, with its plain trefoiled arches,
is clearly Early English. The arcading in the other bays is equally
clearly of the Decorated period, and is considerably smaller. In the four
eastern bays in each aisle the arches go right up to the course which
forms the top of the arcading, and the triangular spandrels thus formed
are ornamented each with a curious little head, having queer headgear;
the rest of the spandrel is carved with foliage, and in the plates of the
foliated arches are quaint animals. The arcading in the remaining bay is
similar, but angels' heads with wings take up the whole spandrel. Some
of the arcading, notably that in the three easterly bays of the south
aisle, is unrestored. The inferiority of the modern work in the next
bay is only too patent.
In the south choir aisle the third window from the east has very beautiful
carved work, the splays being covered with two bands of richly-carved
foliage. Under the window is now the tomb of Bishop Hacket, and Dean
Heywood's monument is said to have also been in this place.
In the south aisle, over the entrance to the sacristy, there is a
very charmingly-proportioned gallery which is known as the "minstrel
gallery." A gallery of this kind, though not unique, is very rare,
but Exeter Cathedral has two--one in the north transept and another
in the nave. In this case the arcading has been altered to accommodate
this obviously later addition, made probably in the early part of the
fifteenth century. Three shafts from the arcade have been left, which
support a fan-shaped vaulting, upon which the gallery rests. There is
little doubt as to the object of the gallery, though various theories
have been advanced. By some it is supposed that it was used by the priest
whose duty it was to watch the lights burning on the various altars;
others suggest that it was indeed used by the instrumentalists to keep
time during the procession, etc.; but, as it is immediately in front
of the chapel of the Head of St. Chad, it was no doubt intended for the
exhibition of the head to those below in the aisle. However, it may be
said that the raised galleries in mediaeval halls were always called
by the name of "minstrel gallery," and so the name came to be used of
galleries generally. This gallery is reached by the staircase in the wall
which leads to the upper floor of the sacristy. Just against the entrance
to this staircase, in the wall of the aisle, is an ancient piscina. Its
presence here is unexplained, as there is no record of a chapel at this
spot; though it has been suggested that the altar dedicated to St. Blaise
occupied a position in this aisle.
It is perhaps worth noticing that in the old days the two bays of the
cathedral between the high altar and the Lady Chapel, together with their
portions of the aisles, were generally spoken of as the Lady Choir, and
are marked as such in old plans; other writers again speak of this part
of the building as "the cross aisle." There were gates across the choir
aisles in a line with the reredos, and these are marked in the plan of
the cathedral published somewhere about 1720. No doubt the eastern ends
of the choir aisles in still earlier days were spoken of as St. Andrew's
Chapel or St. Nicholas' Chapel; but, though it is almost certain that the
east end of the north choir aisle was dedicated to St. Andrew, there is
no certain information as to the dedication of the corresponding chapel
in the south aisle, but it is generally believed to have contained an
altar to St. Nicholas.
=The Choir Screen= was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott and Mr J. B.
Phillips, and executed by Mr Skidmore of Coventry. It is a very
highly-ornamented structure in wrought-iron, copper, and brass, and is
said to have been the first screen of this kind; but other screens of the
same character are now to be seen at Salisbury, Worcester, Hereford, and
other churches. The capitals are of hammered copper; there are imitations
of various fruits in ivory, onyx, and red and white cornelian: on the
upper part, on each side, are eight angels with instruments of music;
the whole is surmounted with a frieze of open scroll work, and a cross
rises from the top of the pedimented gate-way in the centre. The side
iron gates into the choir aisles were also executed by Mr Skidmore.
[Illustration: UNDER THE CENTRAL TOWER.]
=The Stalls= are modern, and are somewhat disappointing. The canons'
stalls have no canopies, and their absence certainly deprives the choir
of a feature generally to be found in cathedrals. Otherwise, the stalls
are a satisfactory instance of modern carving, and were carried out
by Mr Evans of Ellastone in Derbyshire. He is always said to have been
the original of Seth in "Adam Bede," and he certainly was a cousin of
the great authoress. There is much natural foliage in the carving, with
figures of apostles, kings, and bishops, and panels representing scenes
from Old Testament history. The =Bishop's Throne= is by the same artist.
=The Reredos= is a very gorgeous piece of work, but it must be confessed
that the effect is again not wholly satisfactory. It might even be said
that in the endeavour to attain magnificence, over-elaboration has ended
in a tawdry appearance. However, tastes differ, and this reredos has its
admirers. It was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, and cost L2000, which
sum was raised by the Honourable Mrs H. Howard, the wife of the dean. It
was part of the scheme that all the materials for the reredos should
come from the diocese, and with the exception of the green malachite,
this idea has been carried out. The alabaster came from near Tutbury,
and the marbles from Derbyshire (then in the diocese): and the Duke of
Devonshire was induced to give some of the beautiful red marble, which
bears the name of the "Duke's red," from his quarry, so rarely opened.
In the centre is a bas-relief of the Ascension, with, a figure of "The
Lamb" underneath; on each side are two compartments containing the
emblems of the four evangelists. All five compartments are surmounted
with very highly-decorated pediments, the central one being the largest
and most magnificent; above it rises a very elaborate pinnacle, ending
in a cross. There is an open arcading on each side, extending to the
piers of the presbytery. The pediments have each a head in the centre,
and between the pediments are angels with ivory trumpets.
The reredos has purposely been kept very low, so that the view of the
glass in the Lady Chapel may be intercepted as little as possible. One
cannot help feeling that too much was sacrificed to that idea. One of
the main principles of the Gothic builder, it has been said, was to
suggest an air of mystery. The light screen and the low reredos have the
very opposite effect; and it may be prophesied that the days of their
admiration are rapidly coming to an end.
=The Sedilia= are interesting on account of the canopies, which are old,
and probably formed part of the original high altar screen. Their style
is that known as Perpendicular, but they obviously belong to its early
period. No doubt the screen suffered grievously after the siege; and at
the Restoration of the monarchy and the cathedral a wooden screen was
erected in front of it. Pennant, who saw it in 1780, says: "The beauty
of the choir was much impaired by the impropriety of a rich altar-piece,
of Grecian architecture, terminating this elegant Gothic building."
This arrangement came to an end in 1788, when Wyatt threw the choir and
Lady Chapel into one long chapel, and the old altar screen was utilised
in the choir screen and helped to support the organ. When this screen in
turn was taken down, the old canopies, much battered and largely repaired
with plaster, were examined, and found to be of Bath stone, and in this
the repairs were executed. Six of them were used for the sedilia, and the
other three are to be found just behind, over the effigy of Dean Howard.
=The Pavement= between the stalls is of tiles, made after the pattern
of old tiles which were found in the cathedral. The modern ones are
by Messrs Minton. There is some record of how the cathedral has at
various times been paved, as Dr Plot tells us that "the old floor of
the choir was paved lozengy with cannel coal and alabaster, the former
got at Beaudesert," and at one time the nave and aisles were paved with
brick. Some of the old tiles and two slabs of coal are preserved in the
floor of the consistory court.
The pavement in the presbytery is different, and is made principally
of incised stone, with marble borders. There are four large medallions,
which show scenes in the history of the diocese, and these are surrounded
with representations of kings and bishops who have had some connection
with the see. The general scheme was arranged by Sir Gilbert Scott,
but the medallions were designed by the Rev. J. Pitman, headmaster of
Rugeley Grammar School. The first medallion represents the consecration
of St. Chad as Bishop of York; round it are Oswy, King of Northumbria
and Mercia, who was the principal instrument in introducing Christianity
into Mercia; Diuma, first Bishop; Wulphere, King of Mercia; and Jaruman,
Bishop of Mercia, the immediate predecessor of St. Chad.
[Illustration: REREDOS.]
The second medallion gives the well-known story of Theodore, the great
archbishop, setting St. Chad on a horse; around are Ethelred, king of
Mercia after Wulphere; Sexwulf, the bishop who divided up the diocese;
Offa, King of Mercia, who made Lichfield an archbishopric, and Higbert,
the archbishop.
The third medallion shows the translation of St. Chad's bones from Stowe
Church, where they were buried, to the cathedral; around are Stephen,
who was king when Bishop Roger de Clinton built the Norman cathedral;
Henry III., who gave stone for the transept; and Bishop Langton, who
built the Lady Chapel.
The fourth medallion shows the procession to the chapter-house for
divine service at the Restoration (1660); around are Charles II. and
Bishop Hacket, who then restored the cathedral; Queen Victoria and Bishop
Lonsdale, who was bishop at the time of the recent restorations.
The altar space is covered with encaustic tiles, given by Mr C. Minton
Campbell. In the centre is the Feast of the Passover, and around are shown
Cain and Abel, Melchisedec blessing Abraham, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph
and his brethren, Moses striking the Rock, and the Brazen Serpent--all
Old Testament types of the Divine Sacrifice.
=The Monuments= in the south choir aisle are particularly
interesting. Commencing from the west end, there is on the south side an
altar tomb in memory of Archdeacon Hodson, who died in 1855. The slab is
of Serpentine stone, with a brass cross inlaid, and there are alabaster
plaques representing the Crucifixion, the Entombment, the Resurrection,
and the Ascension. Opposite is a monument to his son, Major Hodson,
known as "Hodson of Hodson's Horse," who played a dramatic part in the
Indian Mutiny, where he received his death wound. The coped top forms a
cross, and underneath are represented the King of Delhi surrendering his
sword to Major Hodson, with allegorical figures of Justice, Fortitude,
Temperance, and Mercy; and at the corners statuettes of Joshua, David,
St. Thomas of India, and St. George of England. Both these monuments
are by Mr G. E. Street, R.A., the well-known architect of the Law Courts
in London.
Close to the gate is a medallion to Erasmus Darwin, "a skilful observer
of Nature," and the author of several books. He died in 1802, and was
the grandfather of Charles Darwin, the celebrated biologist, whose name
is a household word. The memorial to the grandfather directs attention
to the hereditary obligations of the grandson.
In the second bay, between the pier arches, is the monument of Bishop
Langton, who died in 1296. This originally stood to the south of
the high altar. The figure is of Purbeck marble, and is habited _in
pontificalibus_; the head lies on a plain cushion in a kind of frame. The
mitre and shoes were probably once richly jewelled, and the whole,
as we know from Sir William Dugdale's "Visitation," had a pedimented
canopy. Now nothing remains but the mutilated effigy.
In a similar position in the third bay is the effigy of Bishop Patteshull,
who died in 1241. This is also of Purbeck marble, and was probably
jewelled. There are ministering angels outside a pediment at the head;
the figure has the pastoral staff in the left hand, while the right
is obviously raised in benediction, though only the fingers are left,
the second wearing the episcopal ring. Pennant and others have drawn
attention to the fact that this effigy has the "stigmata" or marks of Our
Lord's wounds on his hands and feet. Some antiquarians think that this
is the monument of Bishop Weseham, and not of Bishop Patteshull. There
are engravings and descriptions of these last two monuments in Gough's
"Sepulchral Monuments in Great Britain," 1796, but it is certainly strange
that Langton's monument is described as Patteshull's, and _vice versa_.
Opposite to Bishop Langton is the most curious monument in the
cathedral. It has now been identified as the tomb of Sir John Stanley
of Pipe. The effigy represents a knight naked to the waist, below which
was formerly a deep skirt painted with the arms of Stanley, the legs
being in armour, while under the head is a buck's horn, and a similar
horn is placed beneath the feet. The whole subject of this tomb is
one presenting many difficulties, but they have now been cleared up,
and in a communication to the "Archaeological Journal," vol. 24, Mr J.
Hewitt has given much interesting information. From it the following
account is taken:--The monument was always known as that of "Captain
Stanley," who for some offence had been excommunicated, and who, after
atonement, had been admitted to sepulture in holy ground on condition
that the evidence of his punishment should appear on his sepultured
effigy. The mutilations of the Civil Wars have so defaced the monument
as to make this story extremely doubtful, until among papers belonging
to the Earl of Winchelsea was found a coloured drawing of this effigy,
done by Sir William Dugdale just before the wars for Sir Christopher
Hatton. This sketch showed that the skin was bare, and that the skirt
had the Stanley arms. But this did not clear up the difficulty. Pennant,
in his "Journey from Chester to London," describes the tomb and gives
the story, and then says: "I find a Sir Humphrey Stanley of Pipe, who
died in the reign of Henry VII., who had a squabble with the Chapter
about conveying water through his lands to the close ... so probably
this might be the gentleman who incurred the censure of the church for
his impiety." Shaw, in his "History of Staffordshire," declares that
the arms on the base of the tomb show "the arms of Stanley impaling or,
three chevronels gules (Clare)," which means that the person represented
married a Clare. This Sir Humphrey did not do, and, moreover, he was
buried in Westminster Abbey, where his brass still remains. Further
investigation showed that the arms of Clare are also the arms of Gerard,
and then that Sir John Stanley of Pipe married Margaret, the daughter
of Sir Thomas Gerard. Pipe is a domain about a mile from Lichfield,
so that the family of the dead knight would naturally have desired his
interment in the cathedral of that city.
It does not appear that there was any ignominy implied in scourging as a
public penance. On the contrary, many royal personages have submitted to
it, and everyone will remember that Henry II. underwent a scourging upon
his naked shoulders by the hands of the monks of Canterbury. There is a
stained-glass window in the Bodleian Library at Oxford showing this scene.
Dr Rock, in the same volume of the "Archaeological Journal," says that
to his thinking "this Stanley, of knightly rank, had drawn upon himself
the greater excommunication through the spilling of blood in Lichfield
Cathedral on some occasion, from a blow on the face with his hand or
possibly by a slight stab with his avelace on the person of one with
whom he had quarrelled. He lies bareheaded and naked as far down as the
girdle. His upraised hands, according to the representation given by
Pennant, and copied in Shaw's 'History of Staffordshire,' held a scroll
which must have been the document ... signifying under the bishop's hand
that, having undergone the canonical penance, the offender was again
admitted to all Christian privileges."
Farther east than the "minstrel gallery" there is a window in memory of
Bishop Rawle, who was consecrated Bishop of Trinidad in this cathedral by
Bishop Selwyn. The subjects depicted in the window are Christ's Appeal
to St. Peter, St. Paul's Vision, and The Baptism of the Ethiopian by
St. Philip. Underneath the window is a highly-ornamented altar tomb
designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in memory of Archdeacon Moore, whose
effigy lies on the top. He died in 1876. Opposite, in the next bay,
is the monument of Dean Howard, who died in 1868; the effigy of the
dean, in marble, lies under a triple canopy formed from portions of
the old screen. These last two effigies were the work of H. Armstead,
R.A. It was here that Bishop Langton's monument once stood, and here
also was Bishop Hacket's. This last now stands on the opposite side
under the very beautiful window of the sixth bay of this aisle: it is
in the Jacobean style, and is much painted and gilded. An effigy of the
Bishop lies on an altar tomb under a canopy, while in front is a lengthy
inscription in Latin.
Near this place, with other monuments, is one to the memory of Colonel
Richard Bagot, who received his death wound at the battle of Naseby,
1645, and was buried in the cathedral. His father was Sir Hervey Bagot,
Governor of the Close on behalf of the king.
In the seventh bay is another of the semi-effigies, two of which are in
the south aisle of the nave, but this one is much more damaged; it is
supposed to be the monument of Canon Strangeways. In Jackson's "History
of Lichfield," which was published in 1805, it is stated that the name,
though not then distinguishable, had only recently become obliterated,
and was known and remembered to be Strangeways.
On the south wall, towards the east are, amongst others, brasses to Dean
Champneys, 1875, and Dean Bickersteth, 1892, and above these there is
a monument to Canon Horton, who died in 1728.
Two windows have recently been ornamented with new glass by Mr Kempe,
showing scenes taken from the Acts of the Apostles; one, in memory of
Dr H. W. Hewitt, represents Peter and Paul healing the lame man at the
Beautiful Gate of the temple. The other is in memory of Mr J. T. Godfrey
Faussett, and represents Stephen before the Council, having delivered
his apology, looking up and declaring "Behold I see the heavens opened,
and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God."
At the east end of this aisle, on the spot where probably once stood
the altar of St. Nicholas, is the famous monument known as "The Sleeping
Children." This was executed by Sir Francis Chantrey, R.A., and set up
in 1817. It is said that this monument established his fame. Britton,
in 1820, devotes more than two large quarto pages--a great space for
him--to ecstasies over it, and no doubt the taste of the time demanded
undiluted admiration. Now we may prize it as an early example of the
new style which, in art as well as in literature, was to supersede the
artifice of the eighteenth century: the essence of that new style was,
Mr Walter Pater tells us, "an intimate consciousness of the expression
of natural things."
[Illustration: THE SLEEPING CHILDREN.]
The monument is in memory of the two daughters of the Reverend William
Robinson, Prebendary of the cathedral, and represents the young children
locked in each other's arms.
Behind it is a wall memorial to their father, and to the side is a
piscina, which has at the back of it an old fresco, probably of the
fourteenth century. The subject is the Crucifixion, with figures of
St. Mary and St. John, one on each side of our Lord. The illustration is
from a drawing preserved in the National Art Library, South Kensington
Museum. The window at the end of the aisle contains some of the old
Flemish glass, which has in the centre a curious representation of
the Trinity.
In leaving this aisle it may be noted that tradition has it that between
the pillars of the eighth bay was the monument of Lord Basset: that the
tomb of Bishop William de Corkhull was between the pillars of the seventh
bay, and that, in a similar position in the fifth bay, was buried Bishop
de Molend. The Ashmolean MSS. give a long description of Lord Basset's
monument: "Between the choir and the chapel of the Blessed Mary is the
monument of Ralph, Lord Basset. He is lying in complete armour, his
hands erected, and thereon his gauntlets. On his head, which is laid
upon his helm and crest, viz., a boar, is a steel cap, and on his right
shoulder a square shield of his arms. His dagger is laid by his right
side, and his feet are resting upon a boar." He died in the reign of
Richard II. It is always said that Sir Walter Scott had this monument
in his mind when he described Lord Marmion's monument:--
"Fitz-Eustace care
A pierced and mangled body bare
To moated Lichfield's lofty pile;
And there, beneath the southern aisle,
A tomb, with Gothic sculpture fair,
Did long Lord Marmion's image bear,
(Now vainly for its sight you look;
'Twas levell'd when fanatic Brook
The fair cathedral storm'd and took;
But thanks to Heaven and good St. Chad,
A guerdon meet the spoiler had!)
There erst was martial Marmion found,
His feet upon a couchant hound
His hands to Heaven upraised;
And all around, on scutcheon rich
And tablet carved, and fretted niche,
His arms and feats were blazed."
[Illustration: FRESCO-PAINTING OF THE CRUCIFIXION IN THE SOUTH CHOIR
AISLE.]
The accounts do not entirely tally, so that it may be the tomb described
was as little Lord Basset's as it was really Lord Marmion's.
Not very far from this last tomb was the monument of William, Lord Paget,
who was not buried here but at Drayton. He was ambassador from Henry
VIII. to Charles V., and held other important posts under that king
and his daughter, Queen Mary; he died in 1563. There is an engraving
of his monument in Shaw's "Staffordshire," which shows it to have been
very magnificent.
The monuments in the =North Choir Aisle= are not only more scanty
than those in other parts of the cathedral, but they are of less
interest. At the east end is the kneeling figure of Bishop Ryder, who
died in 1836. This monument is in white marble, and one of Chantrey's
latest works, just as the more famous monument in a similar position in
the south aisle is one of his earliest. It was originally intended that
the figure should be on a higher pedestal, and no doubt the effect is
not increased by its lower position.
Behind, on the east wall, is an inscription in memory of the bishop. The
window above this contains some old Flemish glass, which has a figure
of St. Christopher in the centre. The window in the north side in the
corner is by Mr C. E. Kempe, in memory of Mr Patterson, late sub-chanter
of the cathedral. The glass shows King David teaching the singers of
the House of the Lord. Beneath is an ancient aumbry.
Opposite, between the pillars, is the traditional site of the burial-place
of Bishop Stretton; he is said to have been buried in St. Andrew's
Chapel. There is little doubt that the end of this aisle contained an
altar dedicated to that saint.
Between the next pair of pillars westward, it is said that Bishop Blythe
was buried, but his monument at one time stood in the other aisle of
the choir.
On the north side of the altar is the monument to the memory of Bishop
Lonsdale, who died in 1867. The monument, which is highly decorative,
consists of an effigy of the bishop lying on an altar-tomb of marble and
alabaster. The effigy is by Mr G. F. Watts, R.A., the celebrated artist,
and the tomb was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, who is said to have taken
the idea of the canopy, with its triple pediment, from the monument of
John of Eltham in Westminster Abbey.
In the space between the next pair of pillars westward, Archbishop Scrope,
formerly bishop of this diocese, is said to have been buried. He was
beheaded in 1405 by Henry IV.
In the most easterly bay but one of this aisle there must have been a
doorway leading into the chapel which Dr Stukeley speaks of: "In the
chapel over against the lady choir was the burying-place of two Mercian
Kings; but it is now chosen for a burying-place by Dr Chandler, present
bishop of Lichfield, who has there buried one child."
=The Lady Chapel= has always most justly been admired by architects and
antiquarians. Not only is it peculiarly beautiful in its construction,
but also its windows are now filled with some of the most charming old
glass to be seen in England. In shape it forms a symmetrical extension,
both in height and width, to the choir, but without aisles; and it has
an octagonal apse--the only example, it is said, of such a termination
in the country. It is lighted by nine high windows, with Decorated
tracery. This tracery has recently been restored in the style of that in
the three end windows; until this was done most of the windows contained
Perpendicular tracery.
[Illustration: BRACKETS IN THE LADY CHAPEL.]
The windows rest on an arcade of very beautiful design. The arcade may
be said to consist of a series of small decorated canopies, supported by
shafts with carved capitals, and separated by ornamented buttresses. The
canopies, which bow forward, have trefoil ogee arches, surmounted with
crockets and finials. Above the arcade is a similar embattled parapet
to that in the choir, with a similar passage round the chapel behind it.
The vaulting of the roof is like that in the choir; the same number
of ribs diverging from the slender shafts which run right down to the
bends of the arcade. Half-way up these shafts are niches, the brackets
and canopies to which are beautifully carved. These are old, but until
recently were empty, and no authentic record remained as to what were
the characters represented. Dr Stukeley believed that the figures had
been those of the five wise and five foolish virgins. This theory has
not, however, found sufficient favour to lead to a reproduction of their
effigies, for in 1895 the niches were filled with figures of ten virgin
saints and martyrs. These were executed by Messrs Farmer & Brindley, from
designs by Mr C. E. Kempe, and they may be warmly congratulated on their
work. The statues are really beautiful, and are infinitely superior to
most of the other modern sculpture in the cathedral. It will be noticed,
too, that the figures seem the right size for the niches, instead of
being much too large, as in many other cases. The statues are as follow:--
1. St. Werburga, with pastoral staff and book, and a model of Chester
Cathedral at her feet.
2. St. Cecilia, with organ.
3. St. Prisca, with palm branch, and lion at her feet.
4. St. Faith, with sword and rack.
5. St. Catherine, with sword and wheel and open book, treading on
a monster.
6. St. Margaret, with book and cross, treading on a dragon.
7. St. Lucy, with palm branch and lamp.
8. St. Agnes, with palm branch and book, and lamb at her feet.
9. St. Agatha, with palm branch and tongs.
10. St. Etheldreda, with crown and pilgrim staff, and pastoral staff
and a model of Ely Cathedral at her feet.
[Illustration: THE LADY CHAPEL.]
The present altar-piece, which is in the form of a triptych, has scenes
connected with the birth of Our Lord carved in relief. These are:
The Annunciation, the Salutation of Elizabeth, the Nativity, the
Presentation in the Temple, and the Adoration of the Magi. The doors,
which can be closed, have paintings on the back representing David,
Isaiah, St. John the Baptist, and St. Chad. There are four carved figures
of St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory supporting
the central panel. The altar rails are of alabaster. Before the recent
alterations there was a plaster reredos, which had been placed there
by Wyatt, and the continuity of the arcading and open carved work,
which originally went right round the chapel, was thus broken. Sir
Gilbert Scott is said to have been anxious not to remove the reredos,
partly, perhaps, on account of the glass behind, which was known to be
plain. However, the restoration to the original style has been made, and
the plain glass replaced by a very excellent imitation of the Herkenrode
glass, representing the three Marys. This was done by Messrs Burlison
& Grylls with great skill. There was a screen between the Lady Chapel
and the rest of the cathedral in old days. Stukeley mentions it in his
notes. He says: "The partition there betwixt the two choirs is a fine
piece of architecture, but demolished also in time of war; and, though
the figures are destroyed, and at the foot of the same every cherub
defaced, yet it may be perceived to be a fine piece of work; for though
it be uniform from top to bottom, yet every capital and pedestall are
different works within and without."
What is known of the building of the Lady Chapel has already been told in
Chapter I. and in the account of the choir and presbytery. The founder of
the chapel, Bishop Langton, was buried here, but his tomb was afterwards
removed to the south side of the high altar. Shaw tells us of the monument
at one time "in the east part of the chapel, towards the south," of Robert
Master and Catherine, his wife, and says that "the drawing in Dugdale's
'Visitation' represents them each under a round arch, in the attitude
of prayer at a desk." No trace is left of this monument.
As might be expected from what has been given of the history of the
cathedral, there is none of the old glass belonging to it remaining;
but in spite of this, all the nine windows of the Lady Chapel have very
beautiful old glass in them. This glass is not Mediaeval, but belongs
to the sixteenth century, and the whole of it is a comparatively recent
acquisition for the cathedral. That in the seven most eastern windows,
and known as the Herkenrode glass, was put in at the beginning of the
century; and the other two windows which, until recently, held modern
glass, bearing the arms of various dignitaries of the cathedral, have
recently been enriched by old glass of probably very nearly the same
period as the other.
The nine windows, for the purposes of explanation, may be numbered in
succession 1 to 9. No. 1, being the first window on the north, and No. 9,
the first on the south, contain, therefore, the more recently acquired
glass. This is supposed to have come from the Low Countries; but, at
any rate, about the middle of the century it was brought to England,
and lay for years in some cellars in London, where it was forgotten.
Finally, it was purchased from the representatives of the Marquis of
Ely. The glass shows the arms of the kingdom of Aragon, and amongst
other mottoes, that of Charles V.
No. 1. The lower compartment is a symbolic picture on the subject of
Baptism. Out of the waters in the fountain come the children, to be
received by their guardian spirits, while above are figures representing
Faith, Fortitude, and Love, and still higher is a representation of the
Divine Presence. No. 9 is a pictorial representation of the legendary
Death of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin is represented lying in a canopied
bed, surrounded by the apostles, who have been summoned to gather round
her death-bed: they are all present except St. Thomas, who has been
detained at the baptism of a royal prince. Above is a representation of
the Virgin entering into glory.
As stated above, these two windows had originally coats of arms in them,
and a reproduction of the arms appears in the tracery of the windows,
No. 1 having those of the dean and chapter in 1803, and No. 9 those of
the bishops of the diocese from Bishop Hacket to that date.
The glass in the other seven windows--the Herkenrode glass--was
purchased in 1802 by Sir Brooke Boothby, who discovered it in Belgium,
where it had been hidden for protection from the French. It had been
taken from the dissolved Abbey of Herkenrode, near Liege. There were
three hundred and forty pieces, each about twenty-two inches square,
and some of them are marked with dates between 1530 and 1540. Sir Brooke
is said to have given two hundred pounds for it; but it has since been
valued at fifteen thousand pounds. He, however, most generously sold it
to the dean and chapter for the modest sum he had paid for it. It turned
out that there was enough to fill the seven windows it now occupies in
the Lady Chapel. Some portions have been used in other windows of the
cathedral, which have been already described.
There is a considerable difference in appearance between this glass and
that in the other two windows. The subjects depicted in the latter are
very distinct, while in the former they are more confused, and it must
be said that the Herkenrode glass is much faded. Still, the whole of
it is very beautiful, and if it does not satisfy those who crave after
the Mediaeval stained glass, it is certainly some of the finest glass
of the kind to be found in England. The designs have been conjectured
to be by Lambert Lombard, the first, and one of the most famous, of the
Italianised Flemish School of the sixteenth century; and the other glass
belongs to the same period.
[Illustration: BRACKETS IN THE LADY CHAPEL.]
The abbey at Herkenrode was founded in 1182, and belonged to the
Cistercian Order. It became noted for the miracles performed there;
from which reason, no doubt, it acquired great wealth, and increased so
much in size that it was almost like a small town. All the nuns were of
noble family. A history of the abbey was published in 1744, and a copy
was presented to the cathedral library by Sir Brooke Boothby. The book
contains a view of the abbey buildings, in the centre of which is seen
the church. In the third window of the Lady Chapel is a similar picture
of the church. Windows Nos. 2 and 3 contain portraits of founders and
benefactors of the abbey, with their patron saints. The other five
windows, Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7 show scenes in the life of Christ.
The following is a brief description of these windows:--
No. 2. In this window the glass is in four pictures. In the lower
left-hand compartment is Cardinal Evrad de la Marck, Bishop of Liege,
supported by St. Lambert; and in the corresponding space to the right is
Floris Egmont, Count de Buren, with his wife, attended by St. Christopher
and St. Margaret. The picture above is of Maximilian Egmont, Count de
Buren, kneeling before an altar, and attended by St. Christopher and
St. Barbara. The remaining picture on the left has John, Count de Horn,
and his wife Anne, also kneeling before an altar. They are attended by
St. John the Evangelist and St. Anne the mother of the Virgin.
No. 3 contains six pictures, which go right across the window--(1) the
lowest, has the church of the abbey already mentioned, with an abbess
and two nuns, and the Virgin and Child; (2) the Virgin and Child again,
with an angel bearing a shield; (3) the Virgin and Child, an abbot and
abbess of the Cistercian Order, and the Emperor Lotharius II.; (4) Agnes
Mettecoven and her husband kneeling to St. Agnes, with her lamb; (5)
St. John the Evangelist and St. Barbara, St. John the Baptist, and St.
Margaret, with members of the Mettecoven family; (6) the highest, has
Henry de Lechy and his wife, with St. Henry and St. Christina.
No. 4. Christ scourged, Christ crowned with thorns, the Annunciation.
No. 5, the central window. The Ascension, Christ and the two Disciples
at Emmaus, the Three Marys (modern glass).
No. 6. The Last Supper, the Entry into Jerusalem, the Betrayal of Christ
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
No. 7. The Day of Judgment, the Day of Pentecost, St. Thomas is reproved
for his doubt.
No. 8. Pilate delivering Christ to be crucified, Christ bearing his Cross,
the Descent from the Cross, the Resurrection.
On the south side of the Lady Chapel, between the buttresses, are three
erections, which were no doubt built at the same time as the Lady Chapel
itself. They have been known as "the Mortuary Chapels," and also as
"the Vestries." They were probably built for the former purpose.
They have recently been restored as a memorial to Bishop Selwyn, who died
in 1878. All three chapels have groined roofs, with ribs and bosses, and
in the floor some of the old encaustic tiles still remain. The central
chapel is the largest, and is lighted by two small windows. It is only
entered from the eastern chapel by means of a doorway cut right through
the buttress. In this central chapel lies the effigy, in Derbyshire
alabaster, of Bishop Selwyn. During his life he had expressed a wish to
be buried here, but this was found to be illegal, and he was buried in
the close just outside. The effigy is by Mr Nicholls, and the decorations
of the walls of the chapel are by Messrs Clayton & Bell. These show the
arms of the bishopric of New Zealand, to which the bishop was originally
consecrated, and the arms of the dioceses formed out of it, and there
are more than usually hideous frescoes showing the labours of the bishop
among the Maories and among the pitmen of the English diocese. Here he
is not likely to be forgotten; and at Cambridge there is a college known
as Selwyn College, founded with a similar idea to that which at Oxford
caused Keble College to be erected to the memory of another great modern
churchman: there also his memory will remain.
The western chapel has, at its north-western corner, a stair-way leading
to three cryptal chambers whose flooring is the solid rock.
=The Sacristy.=--The building on the south side of the choir, which is
generally known as the "sacristy," is a very interesting part of the
cathedral. Professor Willis decided that it was erected at the same time
as the original Early English choir, and no doubt it belongs to the same
period. A careful inspection, however, especially of the entrance from
the "minstrel gallery" to the chapel of St. Chad's Head, which now forms
the top storey, shows unmistakable signs that, like the entrance to the
vestibule in the corresponding bay of the north choir aisle, this doorway
was once a window, similar, no doubt, to those two still remaining--one
in each aisle--which look into the aisles of the transepts. This being so,
it is obvious that the "sacristy," or, at any rate, the upper storey, was
an afterthought, and that it is later, though perhaps only a little, than
the choir, its date corresponding perhaps with that of the south transept.
The upper storey, which until recently was used as the muniment room,
was originally the chapel of St. Chad's Head. It has now been restored
as a chapel through the zeal and munificence of the present dean, Dr
Luckock, and was re-dedicated and re-opened on St. Chad's Day, March
2nd of this year, 1897. In the order of service of that day the dean
gave an account of the chapel as follows:--
"The Chapel of St. Chad, first Bishop of Lichfield, and, with the
Blessed Virgin Mary, patron of our Cathedral Church, was destroyed in all
probability when the rest of the Cathedral was laid in ruins in 1643,
the siege beginning on St. Chad's Day, March 2nd of that year. Little
was left: the four walls remained in a broken condition, with the
vaulting-shafts and caps for the springers of the stone groining, and
the wall-ribs, to mark its original lines; also the very beautiful
Early English windows--twelve lancets in groups of three--which,
singularly enough, were little injured. Externally these are very plain,
but internally they are full of interest, and there is nothing better of
the kind in the Cathedral. The site of the old altar is clearly marked;
indeed, a small portion of it has been preserved. The piscina also still
remains. After the destruction the chapel must have been left roofless
for years, as, on breaking up the floor which had been raised by some
accumulation of rubbish, the workmen found roots of shrubs embedded
in it. At some time quite unknown, the chapel was roofed in again,
and the tops of the walls rebuilt where they had been broken down. A
flat plaster ceiling was inserted, and being divided into two rooms,
the old chapel was filled with cupboards and used till last year for
the custody of the muniments. The aumbry remains in which antiquarians
suppose that St. Chad's relics were preserved. Dr Cox, in his Catalogue
of the muniments, page 90, throws some light upon the subject, from the
Chapter Act Books, quoting from F. 4 in the year 1481:--'Two monstrances
given to the Cathedral in charge of William Hukyns, the custodian of the
Head of St. Chad by Dean Heywood, for keeping relics.' And he appends the
following note:--'This very likely gives the date of the stone gallery
in front of the muniment room in the South Choir aisle (then the chapel
of the head of St. Chad). This gallery is of Perpendicular work, and
was chiefly intended for the exhibition of relics, in monstrances, to
the pilgrims in the aisle below; the second staircase, that allowed of a
flow of pilgrims to the upper chapel, being at this time removed.' All
the stone groining and the wood and iron work have been completely
restored under the direction of Mr J. Oldrid Scott. There are some very
old pieces of stone figure-work, which have been preserved. The new bosses
and corbels have been carved with subjects from the history of St. Chad,
the chief of which show his being mounted on horseback, by Archbishop
Theodore; his protection of the hart that fled to him for refuge; and his
death in his cell, surrounded by angels. The reredos, of Staffordshire
alabaster, replacing one the existence of which at the east end is
clearly indicated, is of a very uncommon design, by Mr C. E. Kempe. It
consists of an altar-piece of ornamental arcading, surmounted by three
tall canopied niches in which are placed sculptured figures representing
the Crucifixion, St. Mary, and St. John. These are supported by angels
bearing shields. All the windows are filled with stained glass by Mr
Kempe, and contain Choirs of Angels singing the Confessor's hymn, or
Psalm cxii., _Beatus vir_, which runs in scrolls through nine of the
lights. The angels over the crucifix in the east window bear a scroll
with the words of Psalm xxi. 3, _Posimisti in capite_, etc. St. Chad is
represented in the centre lancet of the west wall."
[Illustration: CAPITAL IN CHAPTER-HOUSE.]
This chapel is now approached by a staircase, leading from a doorway in
the fourth bay on to the gallery, usually and incorrectly known as the
"minstrel gallery," from which again two short flights of steps, right
and left, lead into the chapel.
The lower storey was originally the sacristy: it is now used as the
consistory court. Against the west wall are some of the old Jacobean
stalls, which were put into the choir in Bishop Hacket's time; while
in the corner are let into the floor some of the old tiles and slabs
of cannel coal with which, and alabaster, the cathedral was at one time
paved. The windows are filled with Perpendicular tracery, replacing the
old Early English windows. Underneath, and reached by a staircase in
the south-east turret, now closed, is a vault, at present used as the
burial vault of the Paget family. Probably it was once a dungeon.
[Illustration: THE CHAPTER-HOUSE.]
In the west wall can be seen the place where a doorway led into a chamber
built in between the sacristy and the south transept aisle. This was no
doubt the treasury of the cathedral, where all the most precious relics
and valuables were kept. It is now entered by a doorway in the choir
aisle. At present it appears to be a receptacle for odds and ends, and
cupboards are placed along the walls. On the west side are several large
aumbries, in which, no doubt, the relics were kept. The floor in this
chamber has been raised at some time or other, and it is now much higher
than that of the adjoining consistory court, so that there are steps in
the south-east corner leading to a door into the consistory court. This is
not the old doorway already mentioned, which is blocked up, but probably a
much later entrance. Some old cannon balls which have been discovered in
and round the cathedral may be seen in the treasury. On the north wall
in both the consistory court and the treasury can be seen the remains of
an old course or housing which, though in both cases incomplete, appears
to have a semi-circular form. No theory seems to have been advanced as
to these remains, and in this book it were wiser to follow precedent.
=The Chapter-House=, which lies to the north of the choir, is approached
by a vestibule which has a doorway, already described, into the third
bay of the north choir aisle. Both the chapter-house and the vestibule
were built at the same time as the north transept--that is, somewhere
near the middle of the thirteenth century--and the style is therefore
that known as the Early English, but it is a later instance than that
part of the choir into which the doorway leads. That the vestibule was
not built when the early part of the choir was finished is evident,
as "its walls abut against those of the choir with a straight joint,
and the arch of entrance in the side aisle is a manifest intrusion into
the space once occupied by a window." The north end of the vestibule
has also been altered, there having been a doorway where now there is
a window; the former existed until nearly the end of the last century,
but it had been altered before the plate in Britton's "Cathedrals" was
engraved. It can easily be seen from the outside that such a door must
have existed, from the different colouring of the stone-work. The window
has recently been filled with stained glass by Messrs Burlison & Grylls,
representing Nehemiah and Simeon, in memory of the late verger, William
Yeend. Down each side of the vestibule there is a very fine arcading,
that on the west side being double and much deeper than that on the east,
which is single; the niches are large enough to be used as seats, and
it has been suggested that here the ceremony of washing the feet of the
poor took place on Maundy Thursday; as there were thirteen niches, this
is highly probable. Some of the capitals of the pillars of the arcade
are very finely carved, and, as was usual at the time, are very deeply
under-cut; and the dripstones terminate in very interesting corbels in the
form of heads and bunches of foliage. Recently, on the west side, some
of the arcading has been opened out to afford access to the new vestry,
which has been constructed by roofing in the space between the vestibule
and the north transept. On the east side near the cathedral is the
entrance to the library, which is the upper storey of the chapter-house
building, and is approached by a spiral staircase. At the farther end,
on the same side, is the very fine entrance to the chapter-house. This,
like the central west doorway and that in the north transept, is double
and recessed. The mouldings in the arch are deeply and finely cut, and
the capitals of the grouped shafts are very richly carved with delicate
leaves. The jambs have an enrichment of dog-toothing behind the slender
detached shafts, and the two small arches have trefoil archivolts,
so that the whole has a very rich effect. In the tympanum of the arch
there is a bas-relief figure of Our Lord in a quatrefoil recess.
[Illustration: EASTERN PORTION OF THE ARCADE IN THE CHAPTER-HOUSE.]
The chapter-house is a very fine room; it is octagonal in shape, but the
north and south sides of it are double the length of each of the other
six sides, which are equal. There is a central pillar, the clustered
shafts of which are banded in the centre; the capitals of these shafts
have a particularly rich and elaborate carving of foliage; and above,
the vaulting ribs spread to the roof like the branches of a tree,
producing a very fine effect. The bosses where the ribs intersect are
also worthy of attention, and the ribs rise from very richly-carved and
deeply-moulded corbels. The windows are Early English, and of two lights
each. Below is a very beautiful arcading, similar, indeed, to that in
the vestibule, which entirely surrounds the building. The arcade is
composed of deep, moulded, trefoil arches, resting on single columns,
with beautifully-carved capitals, in some of which will be found figures
of birds and animals. The canopies of the arches are dog-toothed, and
end in curiously-carved heads, which afford interesting illustrations
of the head-dresses of the time.
The chapter-house was decorated with frescoes and stained glass by Dean
Heywood in the fifteenth century, as we know from the MSS. entitled
_Cantaria Sancti Blasii_ in the library. The frescoes have disappeared
except over the doorway, where still remain faint signs of the
representation of the Assumption, which may have formed part of Dean
Heywood's decoration, but more likely is earlier: it has been suggested
that it was placed there by Bishop Burghill from the fact that a
Dominican Friar, to which order he belonged, is represented in the
group in adoration. The glass contained figures of the apostles, with
other pictures above; these being all pre-Cromwellian, have, of course,
disappeared. More recently the glazing of the chapter-house displayed
armorial bearings, more or less correct, in imitation of glass known
to have ornamented the cathedral in the past. This armorial glass is
gradually giving way to glass representing scenes in the history of
the cathedral. At present, five of the windows have been so glazed,
and the rest will be changed gradually, as opportunity offers.
The first window on the left-hand side on entering is in memory of
Prebendary Edwards. There are figures of St. Chad and King Wulphere,
with scenes showing the Consecration of St. Chad, and the Baptism by
St. Chad of the two sons of King Wulphere.
The second window is in memory of Archdeacon Allen and Prebendary de
Bunsen. The figures are St. Oswald and St. Aidan. The scenes represent
St. Aidan preaching to the Northumbrians, with King Oswald interpreting;
and St. Aidan at Lindisfarne, teaching in his school, where St. Chad is
one of the scholars.
The third window is in memory of Dean Bickersteth. The figures are
Archbishop Theodore and St. Ovin, and the scenes St. Chad teaching his
clergy, and St. Ovin listening to the angels who were calling St. Chad
at his death.
The fourth window is in memory of Prebendary Gresley. The figures are
Oswy, King of Northumbria, and Diuma, the first bishop of Mercia. The
scenes are Bishop Jaruman promising to build a church at Lichfield,
and the institution by King AEthelwald of prebendaries.
The fifth window is in memory of Prebendary Finch Smith. The figures
represent Archbishop Higbert of Lichfield, and Thomas Cantelupe, Bishop
of Hereford, formerly prebendary of this cathedral. The scenes are
Bishop Aldulf at the Council of Cloveshoo, renouncing the metropolitan
powers in favour of Canterbury, and Bishop Roger de Clinton building a
new cathedral in honour of St. Mary and St. Chad.
=The Library= is immediately above the chapter-house, and is of the same
octagonal shape. The arrangements also are similar, but the room is less
lofty, the carvings less elaborate, and there is no reading. Otherwise,
we find the same central pillar, from which similar vaulting ribs spring,
with corbels in the walls to receive them. It is not known for what
purpose this room was originally intended, but certainly, until recent
years, it was not used as a library. The old library, of which there are
pictures by Hollar and King, stood to the north of the north transept
in the close, or, as it is recorded in the Capitular Acts, vol. 3, "ex
parte boreali in cimeterio." Dean Heywood gave L40 to build the library,
and though it was not begun in his time, it was completed in the time
of his successor, Dean Yotton, who also subscribed to its erection. This
was at about the commencement of the sixteenth century, and the building
remained until the middle of the eighteenth, when it was demolished.
The extent of the library has been increased by opening a doorway into
the room above the vestibule. This room, it has recently been decided,
was the old chapel of St. Peter. Though an upstairs chapel was not usual,
yet it is not by any means unknown, and chapels were even sometimes to
be found in the rood lofts of cathedrals. No trace can be found of the
fresco, mentioned by Stukeley, of "St. Peter crucified with his head
downwards, and two other apostles, etc." He tells us that the chapel
was in his time used as a place for storing scaffolding and ladders,
and that here was placed the mutilated remains of St. Chad's tomb.
The place still shows signs of its ill-usage, little having been done to
repair the ravages of the Civil War. The vaulting is much broken, and
the walls cracked: these facts strengthen the belief in the tradition
that it was on this building, together with the choir, that the great
central tower fell during the siege by the soldiers of the Parliament.
The library has had many generous donations of books at various
times. Under the will of Frances, Duchess of Somerset, the cathedral
received the library of her late husband, the Duke, who succeeded his
grandfather as Earl of Hertford, and was restored to the family dukedom
at the Restoration. The duchess was the daughter of the Earl of Essex
who was the favourite of Queen Elizabeth, and whom she afterwards had
beheaded. These books numbered about one thousand, and included many
rare old Black-Letter chronicles and histories printed in the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries.
Many others have contributed to the library, amongst whom are Archdeacon
Davies, 1763; William Smallbroke, 1771; Canon Lamb, 1770; Richard Hurd,
1777; Bishop Cornwallis, 1783; Rev. Henry White, 1786; Dr Pegge, the
well-known antiquary, who, amongst other things, wrote an account of the
life of Bishop Weseham, and who left the library, by his will, one hundred
books out of his own library; Andrew Newton, who left his books to the
cathedral, and built the college in the close for the widows and orphans
of the clergy, besides spending large sums on educational purposes;
and Sir Brooke Boothby, 1815, who gave the "History of the Abbey of
Herckenrode," referred to in the account of the glass now in the Lady
Chapel. There have been besides many recent benefactions, including a
valuable set of drawings, by herself, of most of the churches in the
county of Stafford, left by Mrs Moore, the widow of the Archdeacon of
Stafford. There is also in the library a fine old picture of the Duchess
of Somerset, as well as an engraving from Sir Joshua Reynolds' picture
of Dr Johnson.
Among the most valuable manuscripts and books in the library are
the "Gospels of St. Chad," of which more immediately; a fine folio
manuscript, on vellum, of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," but without
the doubtful Ploughman's Tale; the initial letters, especially those
at the commencement of each tale, being richly coloured and gilt; the
"Valor Ecclesiasticus of Pope Nicholas IV."--this is an account taken
of the value of ecclesiastical property in the time of Edward I., from
which the tithe granted to the Pope could be ascertained.
Other notable volumes are, "Dives and Pauper," a MS. treatise on the
Decalogue--this treatise was one of the earliest books printed in England;
"Orders generally to be observed of the whole household of the prince his
highness," a large folio, marked with the sign-manual of King Charles
I. at every ordinance; and a collection of recipes by Sir John Floyer,
physician to Charles II. There is also a volume of MSS. already often
referred to, superscribed, "_Cantaria Sancti Blasii; Ordinatio Majistri
Thomoe Heywood decani Eccles. Lich de et super Cantaria Jesu et Sancta
Anne in parte boreai eccles. Lich et de pensione Capellani ibidem perpetuo
celebaturi et aliis articulis, etc._" Besides these, there are many rare
Bibles:--Cranmer's Bible, 1540; the "Breeches" Bible; the "Vinegar"
Bible, and many others.
[Illustration: THE GOSPELS OF ST. CHAD, IN THE LIBRARY.]
But to many the most interesting volume in the library will be a copy of
South's Sermons, published in 1694. It belonged to Dr Johnson, and was
used by him in the compilation of his Dictionary. His method, apparently,
was to put a letter in the margin opposite the word whose particular
use here he intended to quote; and it is interesting, Sermons in hand,
to test his method with the dictionary. On one page a "K" in the margin
is opposite the word "Key." In the dictionary will be found under
"Key" the expected quotation from South, "that every man should keep
the key of his own breast."
The most valuable book in the library is the _Textus S. Ceddae_, generally
known as "St. Chad's Gospels." This is written on vellum, and contains
the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark, and a small portion of the
Gospel of St. Luke. It is undoubtedly an Irish MS., probably about the
end of the seventh century. There is a page in the book which, with its
tesselated work enclosing a cross, recalls to antiquarians similar work in
the famous Irish Book of Kells, and in the Gospels of St. Columba which
are preserved at Dublin. The connection of an Irish MS. with St. Chad is
not difficult of explanation, since, after being taught by St. Aidan at
Lindisfarne, he is supposed to have gone, as so many other earnest priests
did at the time, to Ireland, to one of the noted monasteries there. The
MS. is in Latin, and, with many remarkable variations, follows closely
the _Codex Amiatinus_ of St Jerome. But its marginal notes are not the
least interesting part of the book; from these, which are sometimes in
Celtic and Anglo-Saxon, and sometimes in Latin, we learn something of its
history, which is remarkable. The cathedral of Llandaff seems to have
acquired it indirectly in exchange for a horse, and there is a note in
Celtic, "underneath the record of this transaction, which is witnessed
by Aidan; whether or no this is the Northumbrian bishop is not known."
Another entry, on the page devoted to a picture of St. Luke, shows that
the MS. was still at Llandaff at the end of the ninth century; but on the
first page of all is a faint but legible signature which reads "Kynsy"
or "Wynsy Praesul", both names of bishops of Lichfield at the end of the
tenth century, so that it had probably arrived at its present home not
so far short of a thousand years ago. There are other notes connecting
it with Lichfield. All these have been printed many times in the pages of
learned publications. It owes its escape at the time of the Civil War to
the vigilance of William Higgins, Archdeacon of Derby, who was precentor
of the cathedral. He abstracted it and kept it until the troubles were
over. It now lies in a glass case in the library, side by side with the
beautiful "Canterbury Tales." So marvellous are some of the decorations,
that it is no wonder that, in an age more faithful than ours, popular
belief declared some of them to be "the work of angels."
CHAPTER IV
THE HISTORY OF THE SEE
At the present day the diocese of Lichfield consists of almost the
whole of the county of Stafford, part of Shropshire, and a small part of
Flintshire and of Warwickshire. Originally, in Anglo-Saxon times, when
the first bishop was appointed, the see of Lichfield extended over the
whole of Mercia--that is, from the Humber and East Anglia on the north
and east, to Wales on the west, and the Thames on the south. Since those
days the diocese has been at various times divided, and other dioceses
formed; Hereford, Lincoln, Ely, Peterborough, Chester, Worcester, Oxford,
St. Albans, Gloucester, Manchester, Liverpool, and Southwell, have all,
in whole or in part, been formed out of what was once the diocese of
Lichfield.
Of Lichfield in Roman times practically nothing is known. Situated as
it is, at a little distance from the crossing of the great Roman roads,
Watling Street and Ryknield Street--at which junction the Roman town of
Etocetum (the modern Wall) lay, Lichfield was then probably nothing more
than open country. The neighbouring towns have yielded a rich harvest of
archaeological treasures; but beyond coins of various Roman Emperors,
bearing Christian emblems, there is little to show that the Gospel had
made its way in this part of England; though, in the cemeteries filled
with urns containing the ashes of the dead, there have been found, near
Burton-on-Trent and near Derby, skeletons, no doubt of Christians who,
according to the rites of their religion, had been buried and not burnt.
To Roman times belongs the legend, which is said to give its name to
Lichfield, of the massacre of Christians under Diocletian; in consequence,
it is related, the place was called Lyccidfelth, or Licidfield--the
field of dead men. This is the derivation most generally accepted at the
present day; but some etymologists think that Lichfield means Lakefield,
from the quantity of water in the neighbourhood.
It is almost certain that the people of Mercia remained pagan from the
Roman epoch, and through all the long wars which were waged between
the gradually defeated Britons and the Saxons. Three Saxon kings, all
pagans, ruled Mercia; and Christianity, which had taken such firm hold
in Northumbria, still had not penetrated to the dark central region
of Mercia. Then came Penda the Strong, himself a pagan. "He was not
baptised," it was said of him, "and never believed in God." He slew many
kings, amongst them being the saintly Oswald, king of Northumbria. One
of King Penda's daughters had married Alchfrid, a nephew of Oswald
and son to the then King Oswy of Northumbria; and in 652 Penda's son,
Peada, became suitor for the hand of one of Oswy's daughters. Peada was
then ruling under his father the Middle Angles, and he journeyed to the
Northumbrian Court, where he was most hospitably received, in spite of the
fact that constant war was being waged between Mercia and Northumbria;
but the princess whom he sought was promised him only on condition that
he and his people in Mid-Anglia should become Christians. Alchfrid became
his teacher; and the beauty of this new faith so seized on him that he
declared his willingness to become a Christian whether he might win his
princess or not. That same year he was baptised by Finan, the British
bishop and head of the Church in Northumbria, and with him all his
followers. He returned to his own country, taking with him four priests
of the British Church: Cedda, who was afterwards made Bishop of London,
and who was the brother of St. Chad, Adda, Betti, and Diuma. These four
taught the Gospel to the Mid-Anglians, and even went north among the other
Mercians; and it does not appear that Penda, in spite of his paganism,
made any opposition.
Notwithstanding these close links between the two kingdoms, in the year
655 Penda with an enormous force invaded Northumbria; he was defeated
and killed by Oswy, who now became king of Mercia, but left Peada in his
old rule in Mid-Anglia. This was the death-blow of paganism in Mercia;
Christianity, which was beginning to take firm hold in Peada's country,
spread rapidly, and =Diuma= (656-658) was made bishop of Mercia. This
may be said to be the commencement of the see which afterwards was
called by the name of Lichfield; but as yet there was no cathedral,
nor was any place particularly settled upon as the headquarters of the
work which was so enthusiastically carried on. Diuma was a travelling
or missionary bishop, and when he died, after a brief rule of two years,
the Church in Mercia was an accomplished fact.
Diuma was succeeded by =Creollach= (658-659), who, unlike his predecessor
an Irishman, was a Briton; he was appointed by Oswy; but in this same
year the Mercians rebelled, Oswy fled, and Creollach fled with him,
and finally retired to Iona.
The next bishop was a Saxon abbot named =Trumhere= (659-662), and he
was succeeded on his death by =Jaruman= (662-667). Both were appointed
by King Wulphere, son of Penda, who had been raised to the Mercian
throne by his people; and both were Saxons who had been consecrated in
the Northumbrian Church. Jaruman was a most energetic bishop, and he
appears to have been sent into Essex to reconvert the people there who
had fallen into paganism again; his mission was a success, and Jaruman
returned to his own people in Mercia.
It was during Jaruman's episcopate that difficulties arose between
the Church in Britain and the Church in Rome. Rome had sent messengers
to Britain, and they had been the means of converting a large portion
of the south coast and of East Anglia; but there were differences in
the two Churches, and one particularly caused much trouble. The Roman
Church had always kept Easter Day on a Sunday, but the British Church
held this feast on March 14, whatever day of the week it might be. A
synod was called at Whitby, and it was decided, mainly through the
instrumentality of Wilfrid, the future bishop of York, in favour of the
Roman Sunday. In this way, it may be said, began the rule of Rome in the
English Church. Shortly after, in 667, Jaruman died, and no successor was
appointed for two years. During this time, Theodorus of Tarsus became
Archbishop of Canterbury, and to him belongs the credit of making the
English Church: before, each kingdom had had its own Church, but Theodore
welded them together into one whole, and completed their dependence on
the bishop of Rome. Wilfrid was made bishop of York, and St. Chad, who
had been consecrated to that see, retired to the abbey at Lastingham,
only in the next year, 669, to be reconsecrated as bishop of Mercia
by the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
=St. Chad= or =Ceadda= (669-672) made his seat at Lichfield, and in so
doing founded the diocese of Lichfield.
St. Chad, as has been stated before, was the patron saint of
Lichfield. What is known of him is principally derived from Bede's
"Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation." From this we learn
that when not on his missionary travels over the diocese he spent most
of his time in prayer, and in meditation on death and supernatural
things. His method was to proceed from place to place in his diocese
on foot; and there is a story of Theodore taking St. Chad in his arms
and lifting him on to a horse which he presented to him. He founded
the abbey of Barrow-on-Humber, which King Wulphere endowed with fifty
hides of land. His headquarters, as we have said, were at Lichfield,
and he built, or finished building, a small church near what is still
known as St. Chad's Well, at the eastern end of Stowe Pool.
Like his predecessors' his time was short; only for two years was he
allowed to labour at Lichfield. There is a beautiful legend of his death
which has been well told by Dean Bickersteth. "A week before his death
a sound of angelic melody was heard coming from the south-east, until
it reached and filled the little oratory where he was praying. This
the good bishop interpreted to be his summons to heaven. The voices, he
privately told Ovin, were those of angels. The messenger of death, that
'lovable guest,' was with them. They would come again in seven days and
take him with them. About the same time, Egbert, a Northumbrian who had
been a fellow-student with St. Chad in an Irish monastery, dreamt that
he saw the soul of Cedda, Chad's brother, descending from heaven with
a company of angels to take the soul of Chad with him into the heavenly
kingdom." As he had foretold, so he died; but he was not forgotten, and
many were the miracles said to have been performed at his shrine. His
bones were removed from their first resting-place near Stowe Church
into a beautiful shrine in the cathedral, where they remained until the
Reformation, when they were taken away, and are now said to be in the
Roman Catholic cathedral at Birmingham.
There is another legend concerning St. Chad which has become more closely
attached to Peterborough than to Lichfield, but it must be briefly
stated here, as the story appears in some of the decorations of the
cathedral. Bede does not mention it, and it has been given in varying
forms by different writers. Briefly, the essence of the legend is that
Wulphere, the king of Mercia, had killed two of his sons, Wulfade and
Rufin, on account of their having been baptised by St. Chad. Each of
these young princes had been hunting in the forest when he came across
a hart with a rope round its neck. The prince gave chase, and the hart
led him to St. Chad, who, having prayed with him, baptised him. This
happened to both Wulfade and Rufin separately. Then Wulphere in his
anger slew them. Afterwards he repented, and setting out to St. Chad,
was led there by the same hart, and found the saint at prayer, with his
cloak hanging on a sunbeam. Wulphere was absolved on condition that he
should expiate his crime by founding churches and monasteries all over
his kingdom. Lichfield is said to have been one of these churches, and
Peterborough one of these monasteries. Many churches have been dedicated
to St. Chad, especially in the Midlands, and in the east of London there
was a well known as St. Chad's Well, where miracles were performed;
and it was noted for its medicinal waters up to quite recent times. A
large district in east London is still called after St. Chad's Well in
the corrupted form of Shadwell.
The next bishop was =Winfrid= (672-675), the abbot of St. Chad's Abbey at
Barrow-on-Humber; but in the year that he was appointed a church council
was held by Theodore, at which it was decided to split up some of the
dioceses. Lichfield being one of the largest, would have been divided
at once, but Winfrid, whether for his own sake or at the instigation
of King Wulphere, resisted, and the diocese remained unchanged until
Wulphere died, when in 675, Winfrid, still remaining opposed to the
scheme, was deprived. He subsequently was murdered on his way to Rome.
The new bishop was =Saxwulf= (675-691), abbot of Peterborough, and
the work of cutting up the diocese was begun. The sees of Hereford and
Worcester were made. Lincolnshire was taken from the diocese, and the
Middle Angles became the see of Leicester. However, Lichfield still
remained an enormous diocese, and when Saxwulf died he was bishop of
both Lichfield and Leicester. He was succeeded by =Hedda= (691-721),
who is said to have determined the site of the present cathedral by
building a church there. However, nothing remains of this cathedral,
but it is always supposed that Hedda brought St. Chad's bones from Stowe
Church and deposited them here. The cathedral was dedicated to St. Peter.
Hedda and his successor, =Aldwin= (721-737), were bishops of both
Lichfield and Leicester. They were followed at Lichfield by =Witta=
(737-752), and the connection with Leicester ceased. In 756 Offa, the
greatest of the Mercian kings, ascended the throne. Offa added a part
of Shropshire to the diocese, which from this time remained the same in
extent down to the Reformation. Here followed three bishops--=Hemele=
(752-764), =Cuthred= (765-768), and =Berthum= (768-779)--of whom little
is known; and then came =Higbert= or =Hygeberht= (785-801), who holds
a remarkable position in the history of the diocese. Offa had by this
time advanced himself into the leading position in England; and so great
was his power that Charlemagne called him emperor of the west, keeping
for himself the title of emperor of the east. But Offa was first of all
king of Mercia, and it did not please him to think that his bishops were
subordinate to an archbishop who lived in one of his subject states;
and so he determined "to humble Canterbury and exalt Lichfield." He
began by confiscating all the property of Canterbury situated in Mercia,
and then he appealed to the Pope that the bishop of Lichfield should
be made an archbishop. The Pope assented, a council held at Chelsea in
785 also agreed, and Higbert, the new bishop, became archbishop, with
the bishoprics of Worcester, Leicester, Lincoln, and Hereford, parts of
the old diocese of Mercia, as well as Elmham and Dunwich, to make up his
province. Offa died in 796, and immediately a stir was made to restore
Canterbury to its old dignity. The negotiations were long, but in 802
Pope Leo decided in favour of Canterbury, and the council of Cloveshoe in
803 formally annulled the metropolitan dignity of Lichfield. =Aldulf=
(801-812), who had succeeded Higbert as archbishop, became bishop,
but took precedency after Canterbury overall the other bishoprics,
and =Herewin= (812-818) on his appointment submitted to Canterbury.
Shortly afterwards =AEthelwald= (818-828) organised the bishopric upon
the basis of its present constitution. Churches were springing up all
over the diocese, with their own clergy, and so, although the church
at Lichfield remained the headquarters of the diocese, yet the clergy
attached to it were no longer to be responsible for the ministrations
of the whole diocese, but were to confine themselves to the estates of
the bishop and the cathedral, where they were to dwell under canons or
rules. It is possible that from this time the cathedral clergy became
known as canons.
Then comes the period of the invasion by the Danes, whereby the country
was devastated and the rich abbeys were destroyed. Peterborough, Crowland,
and Ely, "went up in flames"; the enemy advanced along the Trent, and
levelled to the ground the famous monastery of Repton--the Walhalla of
Mercia--where countless kings and princes had been buried. What happened
at Lichfield is not known, but many bishops succeeded one another,
of whose consecration, in some cases, the dates are so doubtful that
it is not worth while to give them. Their names are:--=Hunbert=, 828;
=Kynebert=; =Tunfrith=; =Ella=; =Algar=, 941; =Kinsy=, 949; =Winsy=,
964; =Elfege=, 973; =Godwin=, 1004; =Leofgar=, 1020; =Brithmar=, 1026;
and =Wulsy=, 1039; but little is known of them, though these two centuries
are far from being unimportant in the history of the diocese.
Probably the destruction of the royal abbeys caused the building of
numerous parish churches during this period, and of the collegiate
churches which were planted in the principal centres of the
population. The former were mostly endowed with lands or tithes to
support the parish clergy, or to recompense the canons who should attend
the church, in which latter case the tithes were probably "appropriated"
to the cathedral.
So the system developed until about the year 1000, when began, in
Mercia, a new age of monasteries, not like the old royal abbeys which
had mostly been destroyed, but houses that were filled with monks or
nuns of the Benedictine order. These competed with the secular clergy
in appropriating the endowments of the churches, and a jealousy began
between the two systems which blazed continually, with greater or less
heat, until the final overthrow of the monasteries by Henry VIII. at
the beginning of the sixteenth century.
Early in the eleventh century was founded, at Coventry, the Benedictine
abbey which had so great a share in the history of the diocese. Its
founder, Earl Leofric, was the husband of the beautiful Godiva whose
ride through the town made Coventry free from tolls.
"I, Luriche, for love of thee,
Doe make Coventre toll-free,"
are the old words. She induced her husband to found and endow the abbey
with its twenty-four monks; she herself contributed her gold and silver,
and the monastery became so wealthy that "the walls seemed almost too
strait to hold it all."
=Leofwin=, bishop of Lichfield (1054-1066), was made the first abbot of
Coventry; he died in the year of the Conquest, and was the last Saxon
bishop: henceforth a new order of men was to rule the Church in England.
No doubt Lichfield owed to its insignificance as a city the immunity
which it again enjoyed while all the neighbouring country was being
pillaged. William appointed his own chaplain, =Peter= (1072-1084),
as bishop, and here, no doubt, he lived until 1075, when, at the synod
of London, it was decided that the seats of the bishops should be in
the larger towns and not in the villages. So to the town of Chester,
where there were about 400 or 500 houses, the bishop's seat was moved.
It is interesting to find in "Domesday Book" mention of the
extraordinarily heavy fines payable to the bishop at Chester for such
offences as the following:--"If any free man does work on a holy day,
the bishop has a forfeit of eight shillings. A slave or maidservant so
transgressing pays four shillings. A merchant coming into the city and
carrying a stall shall pay to the bishop four shillings if he take it
down between the ninth hour of the Sabbath and Monday without licence
from the bishop's officer."
Following Peter came =Robert de Lymesey= (1087-1117), who, after waiting
a short time, obtained papal leave to remove his seat to Coventry,
the barony of which he bought from the king; and so he became both
bishop and abbot, and for about a century his successors united the
two offices. This arrangement was not at all to the taste of the monks,
and constant quarrels occurred. Robert de Lymesey is said to have rifled
the place; some contend, for the sake of the cathedral at Lichfield, but
others, in order to prosecute the suit at Rome in which he was involved
with the monks.
The next bishop was =Robert Peche= (1121-1126), and then came =Roger
de Clinton= (1129-1148); he was known as the soldier-bishop, and was
certainly a strong man, whatever his reputation may have been in other
ways. At Lichfield, he was a reformer who did much good to the place. The
five canons he found there were dependent for their support on the
bishop, and he seems to have settled property on the cathedral to support
them. He also added a number of prebendaries, or non-resident canons,
who were to be members of the chapter, and were to enjoy a stall in the
choir; and to each stall a small estate or prebend was attached. Many
other things he did; but, principally, he is supposed to have built the
Norman cathedral, and to have fortified the close.
Bishop Roger seems to have been also a great supporter of the Cistercian
monks, who appeared in the neighbourhood about this time, and for
whom he built an abbey in the diocese at Buildwas, not very far from
Shrewsbury. Then, being a soldier as well as a bishop, he started for
the East, and died, after fighting in the Crusades, at Antioch in 1148.
Ever since the Conquest the struggles in the Church had been growing
sharper. There is no room for a full discussion of these quarrels, but,
briefly, it may be said that they arose largely from a desire on the
part of the monks and the collegiate churches to shake off the power
of the bishops. In doing this it had been necessary to appeal more and
more to the Pope, and in consequence the Pope was gradually increasing
his power in England, to the detriment not only of the bishops, but
also of the king. On the death of Bishop Clinton, Stephen, instead of
appointing a successor himself, as had been the custom of the king on
previous occasions, found it necessary to depute his authority to a
joint council of the monks of Coventry and the canons of Lichfield and
Chester. They met at Leicester, and the monks by themselves appointed
=Walter Durdent= (1149-1159), prior of Canterbury. The canons would
not admit this election, although the new nominee had been precentor
at Lichfield; they appealed to Rome, and--how the result came about is
not clear, but indeed is a matter of dispute--Durdent was consecrated at
Canterbury. He was enthroned at Coventry, but was barred out of Lichfield,
where he commenced his rule by excommunicating the canons. But Durdent,
being now a bishop, soon drew the canons to his side, and it was with
Coventry that the differences continued. He and the prior were summoned
to Rome, where it was settled that the bishop should keep the abbey as
a monastic cathedral, but that the prior should in the future have the
first voice in the election of bishops.
Durdent died at Rome, and was succeeded by =Richard Peche= (1161-1182),
son of Robert Peche--for the clergy of that day often married--who
seems to have secured the suffrages of both sets of electors. He retired
just before his end to the priory of St Thomas, near Stafford, which he
had founded in 1180 in memory of Thomas a Becket, who had been murdered
ten years previously. He was one of those who had consecrated the
archbishop a few years before, and he joined in the popular indignation
which ended in the canonisation of the victim. About this time the diocese
was permanently divided into the archdeaconries of Derby, Stafford,
Chester, and Coventry.
The next bishop was =Gerard Puella= (1183), a celebrated authority on
ecclesiastical and canon law. Lichfield refused to admit him, and he
died soon after his consecration.
The next bishop was =Hugh de Nonant= or Nunant (1184-1199); his intense
hatred of the monks led to terrible disturbances at Coventry. Soon after
his consecration he exasperated the monks so greatly that they beat him,
and Nonant, with the wounds upon him, hurried to the king, and obtained
his consent--some say by purchase--to the monks being turned out. This
was done, and secular canons instituted in their place. During the absence
of King Richard at the Crusades, Nonant appears to have identified himself
too much with the cause of Prince John. This brought about his ruin; for,
being suspected by Richard on his return from captivity of participation
in the plots against the crown, he was deprived of his bishopric, which
in course of time, however, he was allowed to buy back for 5000 marks. He
lived not only to see the monks restored to Coventry by the Pope, but
also to repent of his harshness to monastical institutions. He died on
his way to Rome, and was buried among the monks of Caen.
The next election revived the bitterness between Coventry and Lichfield,
a bitterness accentuated by the political adherence of the two parties,
Coventry being on King Richard's side, Lichfield for Prince John. Under
these circumstances, the canons had not even been called to the ceremony
of election, and Coventry's candidate, =Geoffry de Muschamp= (1198-1208),
was elected. But the greatest difficulty of all arose at the election
of the next bishop. John was now king, and Lichfield in favour. The
monks chose their prior, but John would not allow his consecration;
then came a series of proposals, to none of which could king, monks,
and canons all three assent, but finally, at the intercession of
Pandulf, the Pope's legate, they all agreed on =William de Cornhull=
(1215-1223). Thomas of Chesterfield tells us that this bishop conferred
the right upon the chapter of electing their own dean.
The next bishop, =Alexander de Stavenby= (1224-1238), was appointed by
the Pope, on the appeal to him of both parties, who were still unable to
agree. He built the friary in Lichfield, and dedicated it to St. Francis,
the founder of the Friar Minors, which order he first introduced into
the diocese.
The high position of Stavenby in the councils of the realm make him
an important personality among the bishops of the diocese. He died in
1238; and it might have been expected that a successor would have been
appointed without difficulty, for during his rule it had been agreed
that Coventry and Lichfield should appoint to the vacant bishopric
alternatively. Coventry appointed William de Raleigh, but he accepted
Norwich in preference, and then the monks claimed to appoint again, but
the canons would not allow this, and appointed their dean, William of
Manchester, who, however, stood aside when the monks suggested Nicholas
de Farnham, and he was too modest to accept the office. Then =Hugh de
Patteshull= (1239-1241) was chosen at the king's desire. He was Treasurer
of England and a native of the diocese; he seems to have followed in the
steps of his predecessor, and it is said that he made new regulations as
to the manner of the cathedral services. He died only eighteen months
after his appointment, and a fresh trouble arose over the election of
a successor; but the Pope intervened without asking permission of the
king, and, under the advice of Grosseteste, the famous bishop of Lincoln,
appointed =Roger de Weseham= (1245-1256), the dean of the cathedral. The
king in his anger seized the endowments of the see, and Weseham began his
work amid great difficulties, but finally Henry restored the endowments,
and allowed Weseham to prosecute his salutary re-organisation of the
clergy. Weseham retired in 1256, and died shortly after. It is doubtful
if the monument in the south aisle, generally known as that of Bishop
Patteshull, is not in reality that of Bishop Weseham.
There was no contention over the election of the next bishop, =Roger
de Molend= or Meyland (1256-1295). He was a natural son of the Earl of
Salisbury, William Longespee, and so nephew to King Henry III. His was
not an admirable role, the most remarkable event being his attempt,
_vi et armis_, to obtain admittance to the Royal Free Chapel of St. Mary
at Stafford. Both sides refused to plead at the Assizes, but it was
finally decided that the bishop should be allowed the use of the free
chapels in Derby and Stafford, but should have no disciplinary powers
over their clergy. Afterwards he seems to have neglected his diocese,
and the scandalous and avaricious conduct of the clergy, which the
last two bishops had controlled, now became so intense that in 1282
Archbishop Peckham had to interfere, and Roger was forced to come into
residence. Soon after it was found necessary to find him a coadjutor,
who was to advise him in all official acts. Incompetent as he was as
a bishop, the diocese obtained several remarkable benefits during his
rule. The king gave Cannock Chase to the see, and the west front of the
cathedral was begun. It may well be that in his travels he had acquired
a love of beauty he would not have acquired at home, and that we owe to
him the conception of this beautiful feature of the cathedral. The money
it must have cost, too, could only have been found by one whose princely
rank enabled him to obtain money with some ease. In London also he left
his mark, unhappily now entirely obliterated. Where Somerset House now
stands he erected his palace, next to the palace of his brother Bishop
of Worcester. It was a beautiful mansion, but the site was too valuable
to permit of it belonging to any one but the king when Henry VIII. graced
the throne.
About this time the archdeaconry of Stafford was occupied by Thomas
de Cantilupe, afterwards Bishop of Hereford. The story of his life
belongs to the account of that diocese, but such a man must have had
great influence on his archdeaconry.
The next bishop was =Walter de Langton= (1296-1321), Treasurer of
England, and friend to King Edward I. He was chosen unanimously by both
parties. At first his political duties claimed him, and brought him into
collision with the Prince of Wales, who, as soon as he had ascended the
throne as Edward II., threw him into prison. There he does not seem to
have remained long, and when Piers Gaveston, the king's favourite, was
beheaded in 1312, he was restored to his former treasurership. Langton
is principally remembered in connection with the see as having founded
the Lady Chapel and built the Bishop's Palace, for so long a splendid
monument to his memory in the north-east corner of the close. He rebuilt
also Eccleshall and Haywood Manor houses, and walled the close for
"the honour of God, the dignity of the cathedral, and the bodies of the
saints there reposing, and also for security and quiet of the canons."
This last a mistaken work, as we who live after the event are well able to
judge. He also bridged the cathedral pool, and made a magnificent shrine
for St. Chad's bones. Langton died in 1321 in London, and was carried to
Lichfield, where he was buried with much ceremony. His bones were removed
into the Lady Chapel when it was finished during the rule of the next
bishop, and a sumptuous monument placed over them. The mutilated remains
of this monument can be seen in the south choir aisle to this day.
His successor, =Roger de Norbury= or Northbury (1322-1359), was appointed
by the Pope, as the two chapters had not agreed once more. His was a
long rule, nearly forty years, and filled with good for the see. The
registers of both Langton and Norbury are both still in existence among
the muniments of the cathedral, and from them we know much of the life
of a bishop of this time. Every kind of evil seems to have come under
the notice of the bishop--whose power of inducing those who had done
wrong to repent and do right was the direct outcome of the terrible
threat of excommunication which he was able to wield. Lichfield had
constantly during the later reigns been the scene of royal festivities,
and after the battle of Crecy Edward III. held his Court here, and there
were tournaments and banquets at which the flower of English chivalry
assisted. It is said by some that here occurred the famous incident
of the garter which led to the institution of the order of that name.
At any rate, Uttoxeter was appropriated to the chapel of the garter.
About this time, too, the cathedral must have been finished; now, too,
was the terrible visitation of the black death, that most deadly of all
plagues, which is said to have cut off one half of the whole population
of the realm. Whether the fear of it, or the occasion of the completion of
the cathedral, caused the chapter to set their house in order, certain it
is that we have, in the discovery of the sacrist's roll of 1346, a kind
of inventory of the valuables of the cathedral at this time; these are
set out in the part devoted to the cathedral. Thomas of Chesterfield,
the early historian of the diocese, whose work is printed in Wharton's
_Anglia Sacra_, and on whom all later writers on the subject have had
largely to rely, lived at this time, and brought down his "chronicle"
to 1348, one of the years of the black death.
=Roger de Stretton= (1360-1386), an absolutely uneducated man,
succeeded Langton; then came =Walter Skirlaw= (1386) and =Richard
Scrope= (1386-1396), but the former, between his consecration and his
enthronement, was translated to Bath and Wells, from whence he went
to Durham, and the latter, though distinguished in English history,
is more noted as Archbishop of York. Next came Bishop =John Burghill=
(1398-1414), a barefooted Black Friar, who gained a reputation for
asceticism, and left his worldly goods to the church. Richard II. was
present at the enthronement of these two last bishops. They were followed
by =John Catterick= (1415-1419).
In 1419, =William Heyworth= (1419-1447), the abbot of St. Albans,
became bishop. An important question was settled in his time--viz. the
bishop's position in the cathedral. At his suggestion, it was arranged
that he should give notice to the dean when he intended a visitation:
the chapter should be summoned, and they should conduct him to the high
altar and there leave him to stand or kneel alone in prayer. Afterwards
they were to conduct him to the chapter-house, where he might inquire
into the title and conduct of the canons; the other cathedral clergy
were to be entirely subject to the dean and chapter. His rule saw also the
beginnings of the collegiate church of Manchester, which so long after was
to become the cathedral of the new diocese to be carved out of our see.
It is unnecessary to more than mention the names of bishops who succeeded
about this time: they are--=William Booth= (1447-1450), =Nicholas Cloose=
(1452), =Reginald Bolars= (1453-1459). =John Halse= (1459-1492) was called
on to give shelter to Queen Margaret after the battle of Bloreheath.
At the end of the fifteenth century there is another political
bishop. This was =William Smyth= (1492-1496). He, like several of
his successors, was President of Wales, and he was also the founder
of Brasenose College, Oxford. Next comes =John Arundel= (1496-1503),
and then comes =Geoffry Blythe=, whose rule, commencing in 1503, lasts
until 1531, the year when Henry required the clergy to acknowledge him
as supreme head of the Church. This period of the dark days before the
Reformation must have been one of great difficulty for the bishops,
but Blythe seems to have been very popular at Lichfield; he made
several attempts to stamp out Lollardism, and has earned for himself
an unenviable niche in the house of fame by his inclusion in Fox's
"Book of Martyrs" for his holding of the "Court of Heresy." One martyr
(a woman) was burned at Coventry, and others were tried and acquitted
or condemned to less horrible punishments. On the whole, Blythe seems to
have been as gentle as the times would allow him to be. He died in 1531,
and escaped the storm which was now to burst. When it had cleared away,
many of the old religious landmarks had disappeared; Lichfield Cathedral
had lost her sister minster, and had been shorn of much that it valued
and was beautiful.
After an interval, =Rowland Lee= (1534-1543) was appointed. He had
been chaplain to the king, and it was he who officiated at the private
marriage of Henry and Anne Boleyn; he was rewarded with the bishopric
of Lichfield and Coventry, and was made President of Wales, in which
latter appointment he was said to have ruled so wisely that we owe
to him the kindly feelings which have ever since existed between the
two countries. This work must have kept him much away from the diocese,
and it was superintended by two suffragans; but we have it on record
that he did his best to save something for the diocese from the wreck of
the Reformation; how little he was able to do we shall now see. He also
issued to the clergy a set of injunctions, in which the new teaching and
ideas are set forth, "that the King's Majesty is only Supreme Head under
Chryst in Erthe of this his Churche of England"; that every parish priest
shall provide for his church a "Boke of the hole Byble both in Latin and
alsoe in Englishe, and lay the same in the Quiere for every man that will
loke and read therein"; and other injunctions on prayers and preaching
and behaviour, which are not, like the first two, new and startling,
but are reminiscences of the ordinances and manners of the past.
Bishop Lee, who had failed in his efforts to save the cathedral church
of Coventry, also exerted himself on behalf of the shrine of St. Chad,
and succeeded so well that, though the shrine was rifled of its jewels
and precious metals, they were granted to the uses of the cathedral,
instead of finding their way into the coffers of the king. The ashes
of the saint were stolen by one of the prebendaries. Soon after,
the collegiate churches were confiscated, and the diocese, like
other dioceses, found itself stripped of all its finest churches. The
royal chapels of Stafford, Shrewsbury, Chester, Bridgenorth, Derby, and
Penkridge all went; and throughout the country, for want of the endowments
which had been confiscated, churches and chapels were falling into ruin.
Henry seems to have had ideas of using some of the money thus obtained
for ecclesiastical purposes, but his own needs did not permit him to do
much. The bishopric of Shrewsbury, which he had planned, came to nothing,
though a suffragan with that title was appointed; but at Chester the
abbey of St. Werburgh became a cathedral church when, in 1541, the see
of Chester was founded, and Cheshire and Lancashire were taken from
Lichfield to form the new diocese.
=Richard Sampson= (1543-1553), dean of the cathedral, succeeded Lee
as bishop, and died early in Mary's reign. His successor, =Ralph Bane=
(1554-1558), lighted the fires in the diocese, and many perished at his
hands. He was a bishop after Mary's heart, and sat with Tonstall and
Bonner in the inquisitions which disgraced the reign. He resigned on
the advent of Elizabeth. And then another kind of persecution commenced;
this time it was the Papists who suffered, and many were done to death
in the diocese.
Following Bane came =Thomas Bentham= (1560-1579), and =William Overton=
(1580-1609); then =George Abbott= was bishop in 1609, and in one year
was promoted to Canterbury, where he preceded Laud, whose life-long
opponent he was. Then came =Richard Neill= (1610-1614), who was dean
of Westminster as well, and earned an ignoble reputation by burning a
Papist named Wightman, at Lichfield. He was consecrated to Rochester
in 1608, and translated successively to Lichfield, 1610; Lincoln,
1614; Durham, 1617; Winchester, 1628; and York, 1632. =John Overall=
(1614-1618) wrote that part of the "Church Catechism" which explains the
sacraments; he afterwards went to Norwich. =Thomas Morton= (1619-1632)
came from Chester; he was one of the most learned bishops of the time,
and a noted advocate of the Church of England principles.
=Robert Wright= (1632-1644) was a supporter of Laud; under him the
cathedral service became again something like that of the time of Bishop
Patteshull. He was one of the twelve bishops who were impeached by the
Long Parliament in 1641, and, though an old man, pleaded his cause at
the bar of the House of Commons. He was still bishop when the Civil War
broke out; and during the famous siege of Lichfield he was shut up in his
castle at Eccleshall, where he died while it was being defended against
the Parliamentarians. His successor, =Accepted Frewen=, president of
Magdalen College, Oxford, was appointed by the king, and consecrated in
the chapel of his college; but, having neither cathedral, revenues, nor
power, he retired into Kent, until in 1660 he became Archbishop of York.
=John Hacket= (1661-1671) was appointed to the see by Charles II., and
decided that its title should be altered from "Coventry and Lichfield"
to "Lichfield and Coventry"; partly, no doubt, because the cathedral was
here, and partly because in the late troubles Lichfield had been loyal
to the Crown, and Coventry had not. His great work was the restoration of
the cathedral from its ruins, and the re-organisation of the diocese. He
had had a distinguished record, and was one of the sub-committee in 1640
appointed to try and settle the vexed questions in the Church, and as such
he made an eloquent speech at the bar of the House of Commons. Later
he continued the use of the liturgy in his church of St. Andrew,
Holborn, after it had been forbidden, and when the officer and soldiers
were sent to arrest him and ordered him to desist on pain of instant
death, he answered: "Soldier, I am doing my duty, do you do yours," and
continued the service. Surely a man pre-eminently fitted for the work of
re-organisation he was to do at Lichfield; and the king got the credit
from the clergy of having the old "apostolic spirit of discerning,"
so greatly was he to their minds. He must have been a wit too, for, when
the bishopric was offered to him, he remarked that he would rather that in
future times people should ask why Dr Hacket was not a bishop, than why
he was. He is also said to have entreated the gentleman who had declared
that hell was paved with bishops' skulls to tread lightly over his.
Hacket's dean cannot have confirmed the clergy in their opinion of
Charles, whose appointment to the post he had purchased; so bad was he
that the bishop excommunicated him, and the sentence was even read in
the cathedral while he was there, but he heeded it not. The chapter
loathed him, but apparently the king's feelings were different, for
at Hacket's death he was appointed to succeed him. So =Thomas Wood=
(1671-1692) became bishop, and was the worst the see ever had: he lived
much away from the diocese. Lancelot Addison, the father of the famous
Joseph Addison, was dean in his time. William III., staying a night
at the deanery, was attracted to the genial essayist early; and we may
imagine that he must have been greatly influenced by that part of his
life spent within the cathedral close.
The next bishop was =William Lloyd= (1692-1699): he came from St. Asaph,
and went to Worcester. While bishop of St. Asaph he was one of the seven
bishops who were sent to the Tower in 1688. =John Hough= (1699-1717)
came next; he also had crossed the path of James II., for he had been
elected President of Magdalen over the head of James's nominee, but
James had proved the stronger at the time, and he was ejected, only to
be reinstated by the frightened king soon after. At the Revolution he
was made bishop of Oxford, whence he was translated hither; he afterwards
refused the primacy.
The next two bishops--=Edward Chandler= (1717-1730) and =Richard
Smallbroke= (1730-1749)--were distinguished defenders of Christianity
against the infidelity of the time. Their controversial writings are
numerous and well known.
The next bishop, =Frederick Cornwallis= (1749-1768), afterwards became
Archbishop of Canterbury. Then came =John Egerton= (1768-1771),
from Bangor, and went to Durham; =Brownlow North= (1771-1774), who
was translated to Worcester, and thence to Winchester; =Richard Hurd=
(1774-1781), who also went to Worcester; =James Cornwallis= (1781-1824),
and =Henry Ryder= (1824-1836), who came from Gloucester. He succeeded in
founding many new churches and immensely increasing the membership of the
Church in the diocese. His successor, =Samuel Butler= (1836-1843), went
on with this work. It was in his time that the archdeaconry of Coventry
was taken from the diocese and added to Worcester. The title of the see
now becomes Lichfield only; Coventry, which at one time held the premier
place in the title, and then the second, now slips out altogether.
Ten years later the deanery of Bridgenorth was allotted to Hereford,
and in the same year all peculiar and exempt jurisdiction was abolished,
so that the archdeacons had power to visit every church in the diocese;
the number of canons of Lichfield was reduced from six to four.
In the meantime =James Bowstead= (1840-1843) and =John Lonsdale=
(1843-1867) became bishops. The latter was one of the greatest bishops
the diocese has had, and his work, like that of Ryder, lives in the
increased power of the Church in the diocese. He was succeeded by another
great bishop, =George Augustus Selwyn=, who, as bishop of New Zealand,
had organised the Church in those islands.
The next bishop, =William Dalrymple Maclagan= (1878-1891), is now
Archbishop of York. It was during his rule, in 1884, that the new diocese
of Southwell was formed and Derbyshire was taken from Lichfield.
The present bishop is the Hon. =Augustus Legge=.
[Illustration: MONUMENT TO DR JOHNSON IN THE MARKET-PLACE.]
DIMENSIONS OF THE CATHEDRAL
Feet
Length, total (interior) 370
" of Nave 140
" of Transept 149
Width of Nave and Aisles 68
Height of Vault 57
Area 27,720 sq. feet
[Illustration: PLAN OF LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL.]